A University of Dundee student has made her big break on American newspapers during an internship in Georgia, USA.
Felicity Donohue is a third year American Studies student with 14 years experience on national and regional publications with Dundee-based publishing company DC Thomson. During a 10-day internship last month at the Athens Banner-Herald, she produced the front page running on the day of Georgia’s first home game of college league American football, The Georgia Bulldogs versus Middle Tennessee State University (won by the Bulldogs).
The televised matches are regarded as national events, attracting out-of-state fans and alumni. This match was a sell-out, with the venue hosting 92,000 fans.
Dr Tony Parker, Head of the Department of American Studies at the University of Dundee, put Felicity in contact with the Banner-Herald. Her range of experience in editing and desktop publishing helped her gain a place on the paper after providing a portfolio and a telephone interview with the business editor Don Nelson. She stayed with a University of Dundee PhD student who is currently conducting research in Georgia.
Felicity also carried out research at the University of Georgia, Athens, on archives and microfilm with some documents dating back as late as the 1790s. She is particularly interested in the changing nature of war reporting, and now plans to use her invaluable insight for her final year dissertation.
She said, "It was a great learning experience, and I enjoyed comparing American and British newspaper production styles and techniques. It’s prompted me to accept a place on the transatlantic student exchange scheme to the University of South Carolina, and hopefully I can continue my research into US newspapers while I'm there. Plus the weather in the South is a whole lot nicer than Scotland in winter!"
Dr Parker said, "This is the type of opportunity that our students in American Studies can find - and the staff here in the department are more than willing to help.
We frequently inform our students of job and study opportunities in the United States. These provide invaluable experience in seeing how America operates and how our students can adapt to a similar yet different culture."
By Esther Black, Press Officer 01382 344768 e.z.black@dundee.ac.uk