The Multimedia World of Journalism

WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE

When Chloe Teller ’25 took Journalism 101 her sophomore year, she knew she had found her calling. Now a junior majoring in communication with a minor in journalism, she is the news editor of The Summit and has her sights set on working as a reporter or journalist. When Teller’s not putting pen to paper, you can find her dancing with the Stoneworks Dance Company on campus.

Emily Schario ’18 has a lot of credits to her name, including New England Emmy-nominated TikToker. Currently, Schario works as head of content and lead writer for The B-Side, a Boston Globe Media newsletter serving young Bostonians. After graduating as a double major in mediated communication and English, she was a producer at GBH News, where her clever take on the news garnered the regional Emmy nod.

The current and former Summit news editors met to discuss the journalism field.

WEARING DIFFERENT HATS

CT: I’m interested in hearing about your experience and how you got into journalism?
ES: As a student, I had been writing for The Summit, learning audio in the podcasting studio on campus and experimenting with creative writing. I've always been a news junkie, but the idea of going into journalism felt really competitive and unstable, which was curtailing me. Every aptitude test I took in the Career Development Center pointed to journalism, so I finally listened to that and applied for an internship at WBUR during my senior year. This was my opportunity to figure out if journalism would stick—and sure enough, it did. I loved working as a production intern at a nationally syndicated radio show—writing scripts, pulling tape and pitching story ideas. That internship helped me get my job at GBH, which was a great first job out of college because I got to wear a lot of different hats.

TOP 10 MARKET

CT: What advice do you have about getting an internship?
ES: Boston is a top 10 market, so it's really competitive. When I was applying for internships, what ultimately set me apart was having a diversity of experience on campus. The journalism world is no longer single media—you have to be a multimedia producer to be successful. I had audio experience from working in the podcasting studio and from taking Digital Media Production, where I learned how to create a video, the ins and outs of various software and a basic understanding of graphic design. All this makes you more marketable.

CRAFTING COVER LETTERS

CT: In this competitive market, do you have any tips for crafting a standout résumé?
ES: When I’m hiring, I look closely at the cover letter. As a journalist, there's an expectation that you know how to tell a story. If you're starting your cover letter with a sentence that is cookie cutter, that might work for other jobs but not for journalism. Also, reach out to people on LinkedIn or via email. Those light relationships can go a long way.

POWER OF CONNECTION

CT: That's one of the reasons that I’m glad to connect and talk to someone in the field. 
ES: This is something that is really cool about being an alum. Since I graduated, I’ve spoken to quite a few Stonehill students about journalism. I love feeling connected to the Stonehill community. That's part of the reason I went there. It feels like home.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

CT: Any final pieces of advice?
ES: This is a formative and interesting time in your life. When you walk across that stage at Commencement, your next journey starts. Stonehill will prepare you for becoming a journalist, but it will also instill in you values that you’ll carry into your professional life. That alone will help set you up for success.