The new year started off strong for Klein Global Opportunities (GO) when students embarked to New Hampshire to cover the presidential primary with the Media and American Politics program.
Under the guidance of Professor of Journalism David Mindich, 29 students prepared for the trip with a course that began virtually during winter break. Once the spring semester began, the class transitioned to in-person instruction twice a week. During the class, students implemented strategic practices and conducted research to aid them at the primaries.
Their preparations included compiling a comprehensive list of all the rallies, gaining insights from previous program participants and creating a profile of a minor candidate.
The group departed from Philadelphia on Friday, January 19, 2024, arriving safely in New Hampshire that afternoon after battling snowy conditions.
Alongside David Mindich, the students were supported by Assistant Professor of Practice Saleem Ahmed who helped them develop photojournalism and video production skills.
“The New Hampshire trip was truly memorable for me. Seeing our students actively reporting on the primaries was very gratifying,” Ahmed said. “In a relatively short amount of time, our students gained valuable personal and professional experiences that I’m sure will stick with them for a long time to come.”
Journalism students Alissa Clausell, Brianna Fallon and Mara Tannenbaum were given the opportunity to produce content for Temple University Television (TUTV).
“It was such a great experience. We were always going from event to event where we were able to talk to tons of people. I was able to combine my love for broadcast news with this surreal experience,” Fallon noted.
The trip was comprised of a mix of majors—offering insight for all students throughout Temple University. Sophomore political science student Chris Birkenstamm was grateful for the chance to attend.
Back on campus, students continued to meet and finetune their work and create opinion pieces before the conclusion of the program in late February.
"The New Hampshire trip was an experience I will never forget. Every person I had the opportunity to speak with gave me a unique perspective unparalleled to what I can find here on campus. Seeing democracy and politics in action has revitalized my passion for the subject,” Birkenstamm said.
All of the students' work, including the minor candidate profile and opinion piece, can be found here.
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