Meet the ONA09 Student Newsroom

July 23, 2009 | By | Category: ONA09 Highlights, Student Newsroom

The Online News Association is delighted to announce the members of the ONA09 Student Newsroom, who will provide coverage our 10th annual conference, Oct. 1-3 at the Hilton San Francisco.

The 20 students will bring a rich, varied set of multimedia skills and fresh perspective to ONA09 coverage, which will appear on the conference Web site, ONAConference.org. Mentored by working journalists and journalism professors, they’ll cover people, events and issues using a range of digital formats and styles, including interactive text and graphics, live blogging, slideshows, audio and video.

Under the direction of Committee Chair Sara Kelly of National University, the students will be getting right to work. In the weeks leading up to ONA09, they’ll give attendees a comprehensive preview, including interviews with conference presenters and speakers and details on session topics.

The high overall quality of our applicants this year made the selection process particularly challenging. Chosen from applicants across the United States and Canada, they boast an impressive combination of professional experience and academic credentials.

ONA09 Student Newsroom

ona09_sn_arriaga_arlinda_webArlinda Arriaga, University of North Texas
Arlinda Arriaga attends the University of North Texas, where she is a double major in journalism and political science with a minor in social sciences. Born and raised in Dallas, Arlinda is the first person in her family to go to college. Her portfolio presents a diverse range of experience in print, radio and online media. She previously interned for the Dallas Morning News, the Denton Record-Chronicle and Us Weekly. She spent the summer as a reporter covering the education and grassroots organizations beats at the Hispanic Link News Service in Washington, D.C.
Amanda AshAmanda Ash, University of British Columbia
Amanda Ash is a Master of Journalism student at the University of British Columbia. Arts and culture reporting is her area of specialization, but music journalism is her forte. Amanda currently freelances for the Vancouver Sun, CBC Radio 3, the Edmonton Journal, Exclaim! Magazine, NIGHTLIFE Magazine and The Block Magazine. She has also interned with CBC Radio 3 and the Victoria Times Colonist. Read her blog at www.theindiefiles.wordpress.com, or follow her on Twitter at @AmandaAsh.
ona09_sn_banerjee_devin_webDevin Banerjee, Stanford University
Devin Banerjee is the president and editor in chief of The Stanford Daily, the daily newspaper serving Stanford University and the surrounding cities. He has also worked as a breaking news reporter for the San Jose Mercury News. Originally from the Los Angeles area, Banerjee has lived in the South Bay for the past two years.
Anna BloomAnna Bloom, University of California-Berkeley
Anna Bloom is entering her second and final year at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism after interning at MSNBC.com over the summer. Anna’s interest in pursuing multimedia reporting began when she launched the first video feature for the Park Record Newspaper in Park City, Utah in 2005. She is a very proud founding participant in UC Berkeley’s Ford Foundation Web sites, a project that endeavored to create six hyperlocal Bay Area news outlets online for the purposes of learning and exploring original ways to deliver the news to under-served communities.
Noah BuhayarNoah Buhayar, University of California-Berkeley
Noah Buhayar is a Oakland-based freelance reporter and multimedia producer. His work has appeared in the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch, BNET and several other publications. In Fall 2008, he helped launch a Webby-award-winning ‘hyperlocal’ news site covering San Francisco’s Mission District. He is currently a candidate for a master’s in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley.
Nick BurnsNick Burns, University of California-Berkeley
Nick Burns is a New York City- and San Francisco-based writer and reporter. Specializing in health, style and beauty writing, he has contributed to The New York Times, Cargo, GQ, Details, ELLE Accessories, POZ, Out, and many more. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Nick earned a degree in Literature and Creative Writing at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He currently studies New Media at the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley.
Amanda DyerAmanda Dyer, University of California-Berkeley
Amanda Dyer is a student at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism, focusing on multimedia and radio reporting. Prior to attending journalism school she covered education for a small newspaper in California’s Central Valley. Since then, she’s interned at KQED FM and National Public Radio.
Armand EmamdjomehArmand Emamdjomeh, University of California-Berkeley
Armand Emamdjomeh is a photographer who’s been seduced by the potential of multimedia and the potential it offers for online storytelling. Before becoming a journalist, he worked in international disaster relief and development with field experience in the response to Hurricane Katrina and the Palestinian Occupied Territories. He has experience shooting throughout the Middle East, and is currently a multimedia reporter and photographer for the Webby Award-winning website missionlocal.org.
Isabel EstermanIsabel Esterman, University of California-Berkeley
Isabel Esterman is a freelance photojournalist and a graduate student in journalism and Asian studies at UC Berkeley who is trying to reconnect with her geeky side. She is particularly interested in human rights, the environment and technology in the developing world.
ona09_sn_estepa_jessica_webJessica Estepa, University of Nevada, Reno
Jessica Estepa is a storyteller and a self-described news junkie/social media addict at the University of Nevada, Reno. To pay the bills, she is the multimedia editor at UNR’s Insight Magazine, a part-time reporter at the Reno Gazette-Journal and an editorial assistant at the Online Nevada Encyclopedia. She likes to think that after graduation, someone will hire her to do online journalism. But don’t worry, she has a back-up plan (hello, “American Idol”).
ona09_sn_fallek_nicole_webNicole Fallek, Towson University
Nicole Fallek is a senior at Towson University in Maryland. She is majoring in mass communications and plans to use her writing, photography, graphic design, Web development skills and internship with Metromix Baltimore to prepare for a career in integrated digital media. Nicole is interested in exploring the role technology plays in communicating information and how a variety of different media can be combined to creatively communicate an idea.
ona09_sn_fast_austin_webAustin Fast, Miami (Ohio) University
Austin Fast is a senior at Miami (Ohio) University studying journalism and international studies. He just returned from a summer internship in Pristina, Kosovo with KosovaLive – Kosovo’s only independent news agency. At Miami, Fast is editor-in-chief of The Miami Student and a member of the Men’s Glee Club. While not copy-editing the newspaper, Fast likes people-watching at Oxford’s coffee shop, stargazing on clear nights and going on road trips with good friends. He is from Haviland, Ohio.
ona09_sn_gentile_lauren_webLauren Gentile, American University
Lauren Gentile is a Communications major at American University in Washington D.C. As a freshman, Lauren landed an internship at the Washingtonpost.com. Her work at the Post enabled her to learn more about digital media and Web-based video content. This fall she will be working for the AU athletics department shooting, editing and promoting video highlights and interviews for their newly designed website. You can read her internship blog at asavvystart.wordpress.com or follow her on Twitter at @lkg20.
ona09_sn_hale_melissa_webMelissa Hale, Towson University
Melissa Hale is a social media enthusiast with an eye toward online news coverage. She is a mass communications major at Towson University with a concentration in journalism and new media. She interned at The Baltimore Sun, where she acquired knowledge of today’s multimedia. View her online portfolio at melissaahale.com.
Kate KilpatrickKate Kilpatrick, University of California-Berkeley
Kate Kilpatrick is a second-year multimedia student at UC Berkeley who loves covering subcultures high and low — from Major League Baseball wives to Mexico City street clowns. Her writing has appeared in Philadelphia Weekly, The Washington Post, Fader, Black Book, and Dazed and Confused.
Martin RicardMartin Ricard, University of California-Berkeley
Martin Ricard is a reporter with a print background who is pursuing a master’s degree at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism to become a multimedia reporter. His hobbies consist of Scrabble, listening to jazz and playing pool. He’s also been told he has an old soul, which he can’t argue with since he’ll gladly play an Outkast song one moment and Curtis Mayfield the next.
ona09_sn_selden_amy_webAbby Selden, Belmont University
Abby Selden is a senior journalism major and political science minor at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. She spent this past summer in New York City as an International Radio & Television Society (IRTS) Summer Fellow and interned with the PBS documentary series Wide Angle. Earlier this year, Abby completed an internship with WTVF News Channel 5 in Nashville and received two Videographer Awards, one Award of Distinction for her individual broadcast reporting compilation, and a second Award of Distinction for team video coverage of the 2008 presidential debate at Belmont University. She also won a 2009 Communicator Award for her individual reporting compilation. Abby regularly writes articles for the Nashville Mayor’s Homelessness Commission online newsletter, View from the Street. In 2008, she spent the summer as an editorial intern with Journal Communications Inc., in Franklin, Tenn., writing articles and editing online video, and spent the fall contributing to the CQPolitics.com election blog, The Report Card.
ona09_sn_summers_juana_webJuana Summers, University of Missouri
Juana Summers will graduate from the University of Missouri in December with dual degrees in Convergence Journalism and History. Most recently, Summers interned at the Austin American-Statesman in Austin, Texas. She was a Chips Quinn Scholar in Summer 2009 and participated in the New York Times Journalism Institute and Institute on Political Journalism in 2008. Summers hopes to pursue a career in political reporting.
Suzanne YadaSuzanne Yada, San Jose State University
Suzanne Yada is a journalism and business student at San Jose State University. She was a copy editor for a Central Valley newspaper for three years before she returned to school, and she also served as editor-in-chief for two local independent publications. She is now a social media strategist and steering committee member of The Public Press, an independent nonprofit news organization in San Francisco. She blogs and tweets about the future of the journalism industry at suzanneyada.com and @suzanneyada.
Natalie YemenidjianNatalie Yemenidjian, Pierce College
Natalie Yemenidjian is a sophomore at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. She has been the editor of the school paper and the school magazine, and will launch the school’s first Internet radio station in the spring. Yemenidjian has won awards for writing and reporting, editorial cartooning, page design and multimedia reporting from the Journalism Association of Community Colleges as well as from Pierce College’s Media Arts Department. Current TV viewers “picked for TV” her multimedia story “Esha, Dressed in White.” Yemenidjian has also written for a community newspaper of the Los Angeles Times and is a columnist and special section editor for the Los Feliz Ledger. She will transfer to a four-year college in Fall 2010.

ONA09 Mentors

Committee Chair Sara Kelly, Assistant Professor, National University
Mahalia Asanaenyi, Freelance Journalist
Eric Athas, Producer, washingtonpost.com
Sybril Bennett, Associate Professor, Belmont University
Curt Chandler, Senior Lecturer, Pennsylvania State University
Gabriel Coan, Senior Editor, Online content, KQED
Laird Hamilton, Freelance Journalist
Rick Hancock, Assistant Professor in Residence, University of Connecticut
Richard Hernandez, Knight Digital Media Center, University of California-Berkeley
Rachele Kanigel, Associate Professor, San Francisco State
Randy Keith, Online Editorial Director, San Jose Mercury News
Sally Lehrman, Knight-Ridder/San Jose Mercury News Chair in Journalism and the Public Interest, Santa Clara University
Thom Lieb, Professor, Towson University
Doug Mitchell, Knowledgewebb.net/UNITY: Journalists of Color
Jerry Monti, Knight Digital Media Center, University of California-Berkeley
Jeremy Rue, Knight Digital Media Center, University of California-Berkeley
Josh Williams, Knight Digital Media Center, University of California-Berkeley

42 comments
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  1. Seriously? How come no one from Medill is part of ONA's '09 student newsroom? [link to post]

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  2. The full list of 20 students in the #ONA09 newsroom is here: [link to post]

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  3. RT @ryansholin: The full list of 20 students in the #ONA09 newsroom is here: [link to post]

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  4. @tinatrenkner Look at the mentor list – no faculty (or alums?) on that list either. I'd bet ONA board is bereft as well.

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  5. Meet the #ONA09 Student Newsroom. I guess I'm the only Canadian! [link to post]

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  6. UBC j-student represents Canada RT @AmandaAsh: Meet the #ONA09 Student Newsroom. I guess I'm the only Canadian! [link to post]

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  7. Congrats @AmandaAsh ! RT @Hermida UBC j-student represents Canada RT @AmandaAsh: Meet the #ONA09 Student Newsroom. [link to post]

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  8. Easily the most “online” bio, too. Well done. RT @Hermida: UBC j-student @AmandaAsh represents Canada [link to post]

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  9. Congrats!! @amandaash RT @Hermida UBC j-student represents Canada RT @AmandaAsh: Meet the #ONA09 Student Newsroom. [link to post]

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  10. Congrats to @suzanneyada and @jmsummers! RT @ryansholin: The full list of 20 students in the #ONA09 newsroom is here: [link to post]

    Posted using Chat Catcher

  11. Seriously? How come no one from Medill is part of ONA’s ’09 student newsroom? [link to post]

    Posted using Chat Catcher

  12. The full list of 20 students in the #ONA09 newsroom is here: [link to post]

    Posted using Chat Catcher

  13. Congrats Amanda!!! RT @AmandaAsh: Meet the #ONA09 Student Newsroom. I guess I'm the only Canadian! [link to post]

    Posted using Chat Catcher

  14. RT @ryansholin: The full list of 20 students in the #ONA09 newsroom is here: [link to post]

    Posted using Chat Catcher

  15. @tinatrenkner Look at the mentor list – no faculty (or alums?) on that list either. I’d bet ONA board is bereft as well.

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  16. @AmandaAsh Congrats on being selected! I highly respect any writer who freelances for McLean's:)

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  17. Meet the #ONA09 Student Newsroom. I guess I’m the only Canadian! [link to post]

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  18. RT Congrats to you, @jmestepa RT @ryansholin: Full list of 20 students in the #ONA09 newsroom is here: [link to post] #reynoldsreno

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  19. UBC j-student represents Canada RT @AmandaAsh: Meet the #ONA09 Student Newsroom. I guess I’m the only Canadian! [link to post]

    Posted using Chat Catcher

  20. Congrats @AmandaAsh ! RT @Hermida UBC j-student represents Canada RT @AmandaAsh: Meet the #ONA09 Student Newsroom. [link to post]

    Posted using Chat Catcher

  21. Easily the most “online” bio, too. Well done. RT @Hermida: UBC j-student @AmandaAsh represents Canada [link to post]

    Posted using Chat Catcher

  22. Congrats!! @amandaash RT @Hermida UBC j-student represents Canada RT @AmandaAsh: Meet the #ONA09 Student Newsroom. [link to post]

    Posted using Chat Catcher

  23. Members of the #ONA09 student newsroom for the ONA convention Oct. 1-3 in San Fran. announced today: [link to post] (via @ONA09)

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  24. Congrats to @suzanneyada and @jmsummers! RT @ryansholin: The full list of 20 students in the #ONA09 newsroom is here: [link to post]

    Posted using Chat Catcher

  25. Congrats Amanda!!! RT @AmandaAsh: Meet the #ONA09 Student Newsroom. I guess I’m the only Canadian! [link to post]

    Posted using Chat Catcher

  26. @srcnwk thank you!

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  27. @AmandaAsh Congrats on being selected! I highly respect any writer who freelances for McLean’s:)

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  28. RT Congrats to you, @jmestepa RT @ryansholin: Full list of 20 students in the #ONA09 newsroom is here: [link to post] #reynoldsreno

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  29. Members of the #ONA09 student newsroom for the ONA convention Oct. 1-3 in San Fran. announced today: [link to post] (via @ONA09)

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  30. @srcnwk thank you!

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  31. […] the student newsroom, the ONA said: The high overall quality of our applicants this year made the selection process particularly […]

  32. […] WHAT!! I learn from a news post that from Oct. 1 to Oct. 3, I’m losing my two GSRs to the Online Journalism Association??? […]

  33. […] ADEMÁS, Mission Loc@l se enteró por medio de una publicación que a partir del 1ro al 3 de octubre sus asistentes del editor en jefe se unirán a la Asociación […]

  34. Was looking over ONA's student newsroom members and don't see anyone from Annenberg. Hmmm… that's got to change Army! [link to post]

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  35. Was looking over ONA's student newsroom and don't see anyone from Annenberg. Hmm… that's got to change Army! #ascjg09 [link to post]

    Posted using Chat Catcher

  36. Was looking over ONA’s student newsroom members and don’t see anyone from Annenberg. Hmmm… that’s got to change Army! [link to post]

    Posted using Chat Catcher

  37. Was looking over ONA’s student newsroom and don’t see anyone from Annenberg. Hmm… that’s got to change Army! #ascjg09 [link to post]

    Posted using Chat Catcher

  38. Was looking over ONA's student newsroom members and don't see anyone from Annenberg. Hmmm… that's got to change Army! [link to post]

    Posted using Chat Catcher

  39. Was looking over ONA's student newsroom and don't see anyone from Annenberg. Hmm… that's got to change Army! #ascjg09 [link to post]

    Posted using Chat Catcher

  40. Was looking over ONA's student newsroom members and don't see anyone from Annenberg. Hmmm… that's got to change Army! [link to post]

    Posted using Chat Catcher

  41. Was looking over ONA's student newsroom and don't see anyone from Annenberg. Hmm… that's got to change Army! #ascjg09 [link to post]

    Posted using Chat Catcher

  42. […] and a graduate student in journalism and Asian studies at UC Berkeley, is a member of the ONA09 student newsroom. Share the digital […]