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Ohio University Students Travel To Zambia Over Winter Break
By: Heather Farr
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While other students are resting their turkey-laden stomachs and spending winter break working, taking classes or relaxing, 18 students from three schools in the Scripps College of Communication have been immersed in studies in Zambia in southern Africa as part of the “Zambia: Media, Society and Governance” study-abroad trip currently under way.
Thanks to the Institute for International Journalism (IIJ) in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and the University of Zambia’s Department of Mass Communication, students are spending 24 days exploring Zambian media, government, culture, wildlife and service opportunities.
Dr. Yusuf Kalyango, journalism professor and head of the IIJ, is the program’s director. In coordination with the Ohio University Office of Education Abroad, Kalyango created the program so that students will understand what it means to be a journalist or work in a corporate or government setting in Africa.
“Students are speaking with government officials, ministers and possibly the country’s recently elected president,” Kalyango said. “We have two guest speakers a week from different state sectors and institutions, including military, human rights, medical, law, politics and business.”
Students on the trip are earning a total of seven credit hours, which includes a Tier III and a specialized journalism class. When not in class, participants are working with the news media – including television stations, radio stations and magazines – advertising firms, public relations organizations or not-for-profit groups. According to Kalyango, the program covers all angles of mass communication.
Each student is tailoring his or her internship or volunteer experience in Zambia. Prior to the trip, senior magazine journalism major Adam Flango was most excited about doing volunteer work, while senior broadcast major Jenna Miller looked forward to working with Zambian media.
“I am very excited about my internship and making a documentary,” Miller said. “I can’t wait to get out in the field, talk to the locals and listen to their stories.”
Kalyango felt a great group of students had been assembled for the trip.
“I like that we have a good mix of older students who are already leaders in the university and younger students who will be the future leaders, as well as a good mix of students who have traveled abroad and students who have not,” Kalyango said.
Senior communication studies major Sarah DuBois was attracted to the program because she has never been outside the country and this program offers “so much that [she] wouldn’t be able to do traveling alone.”
DuBois also said that she is excited to be a part of such a diverse and prestigious group.
“I feel honored to be in a room with all of this talent and passion. I am excited to get to know the group more and to learn from each other before and during our trip,” DuBois said.
In addition to studying, interning and volunteering, students are visiting several historical culture sites, a game-drive wildlife park and several scenic parts of Zambia.
“We get to take classes, volunteer, intern and participate in tourist attractions,” DeBois said. “Most people won’t be able to say they have helped African orphans or walked with lions, and I’m excited to say that will be part of my life experience.”
Students participating include:
- Lindsay Boyle, Online Journalism
- Heather Farr, Public Relations
- Lauren Nolan, Public Relations
- Bethany Scott, Public Relations
- Danielle Parker, Public Relations
- Sarah Rice, Public Relations
- Molly Nocheck, Broadcast Journalism
- Bradley Parks, Broadcast Journalism
- Jenna Miller, Broadcast Journalism
- Amber Skorpenske, Broadcast Journalism
- Adam Flango, Magazine Journalism
- Brooke Bunce, Magazine Journalism
- Tylah Deal, Magazine Journalism
- Brenda Evans, Magazine Journalism
- Rebecca Koch, Advertising
- Sarah DuBois, Communication Studies
- Chelsea Molder, Communication Studies
- Alisha Estabrook, Visual Communications
Students are maintaining a blog about their experiences at http://scrippsiij.blogspot.com/. To learn more about the Institute for International Journalism, visit www.scrippsjschool.org/iij.