OXFORD, Miss. – A summer internship in New York City exposed University of Mississippi senior Stacey Williams of Leakesville to a side of journalism that not many college students get to experience. 
Under UM’s New York Internship Experience program, Williams served an editorial internship at the New York Community Media Alliance, a member-driven organization that promotes and advocates for the ethnic and community media in New York and the metropolitan area. Her work involved culling through ethnic/immigrant publications each week to choose which to showcase on the NYCMA website in an effort to get them into the mainstream media.
“Once they were chosen, we would fact-check and edit them, and translate those that needed it,” said Williams, who is majoring in journalism in the Meek School of Journalism and New Media.
She also had work opportunities outside the office.
“I enjoyed the overall experience, but I really liked attending various conferences with journalists from all over the city to discuss such issues as Internet neutrality, women’s rights, and social media and networking,” she said. “The experience showed me just how far-reaching the effects of what would seem the smallest things can be. I think that’s an invaluable lesson to learn as a journalist, because it makes one aware of all the questions that can go unasked.”
Another highlight for Williams was covering a rally of hundreds of people protesting Arizona’s Senate Bill 1070 – or the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act – as they marched across the Brooklyn Bridge.
“Walking across the bridge is cool in itself, but getting to witness hundreds of people all marching and singing in unison for a cause was very striking,” she said.
Laura Antonow, director of the NYIEP, said, “In addition to hands-on experience in journalism, Stacey’s internship gave her amazing exposure to the diversity of New York – one of the characteristics that makes the city so vibrant. Stacey was already very well-traveled, but her internship allowed her to see other cultures within the context of a major American city.”
In summer 2009, Williams interned at her hometown newspaper, The Greene County Herald.
A graduate of Jones County Junior College, she is an Ole Miss Luckyday Scholar. She plans to complete her bachelor’s degree in journalism in May 2012, with minors in international relations and history. She said she chose Ole Miss because of the reputation of its journalism program.
Williams’ parents are Mel and Tracey Williams.
The New York Internship Experience program, coordinated by UM’s Division of Outreach and Continuing Education, is open to students in all majors and disciplines, allowing them to earn up to nine academic hours during the summer.
For more information, visit http://www.outreach.olemiss.edu/internships/index.html. To learn more about the School of Journalism and New Media, visit http://meek.olemiss.edu/.