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The Collaborative NewsLab at Â鶹ÊÓƵ is an experiential and collaborative news commons that links School of Media and Journalism (MDJ) students with professional media partners in Northeast Ohio and across the state. 

NewsLab provides our journalism students with real-world reporting experience while connecting under-resourced professional media partners with high-quality coverage focused on topics important to communities in Northeast Ohio and beyond. 

Work for NewsLab:

NewsLab is now accepting applications from students who have strong reporting and writing skills and want to complete a paid, 150-hour internship for Summer 2024.  To be considered for a spring internship, please forward a statement of interest (500 words or less) that includes three relevant story ideas, resume and links to clips by Friday, March 15 to Prof. Jacqueline Marino at jmarino7@kent.edu. 

How It Works:  

 serves as a Creative Commons news bureau where MDJ students pursue reporting focused on stories important to the region. With oversight provided by MDJ faculty and associate instructors, participating students have produced content in collaboration with partners as varied as , , , and more. 

Since the establishment of NewsLab in 2020, more than 100 stories produced by more than a dozen student reporters have appeared in more than 15 news outlets statewide. The relationship between student reporters and our news partners has increased both the scope of reporting for our partners and the range of professional development opportunities available to our students without the need to leave Northeast Ohio. 

Communities in the region get more reporting from their trusted media outlets. Classroom discussions are enriched by students with professional experience. Student Media partners benefit from heightened insights into professional content production. And NewsLab students stock their portfolios with high-quality, professional-caliber work that attracts the attention of potential employers, thus bolstering their odds of success in the search for professional opportunities after graduation.

Current Project 

Located just 60 miles from the site of a , MDJ is well-positioned to help keep attention focused on the still-unfolding tragedy of environmental damage in the communities affected by the accident. The incident happened in early 2023 and the national media's appetite for the story waned months ago. But with an environmental reporting grant from Grist, NewsLab is partnering with Ideastream and The Ohio Newsroom to produce detailed reporting about the communities still dealing with the fallout.

For more information about NewsLab, contact Professor Jacqueline Marino.