Spring 2021 Projects Launch May 11
SCMA Student Writers Collaborate with The Easton Courier for Professional Experience
The town of Easton on Sacred Heart University’s border became a news desert in 2018 when the Easton Courier closed after 40 years of operation. Hundreds of local news organizations have closed in recent years, as their advertising revenue disappeared. Recognizing Easton’s profound need for local news and information, James Castonguay, Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences at Sacred Heart University, reached out to Nancy Doniger, an adjunct professor at SHU and the former Easton Courier editor. Doniger had worked for years as managing editor at the Courier’s parent company and as a correspondent for The New York Times.
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Fall 2020
Tomas Koeck
Tomas has contributed many photos for articles and has written articles, too, including his many Sunday Nature Walks. He finished an exceptional piece, Nature's Heroes, which he worked on for months on getting profiles of Connecticut Audobon Society board members. In this case, he wrote the text and took the photos.
Tomas Koeck, a Vision Project student of Professor Rick Falco, contributed numerous high-quality photos and articles, including close to a dozen Sunday Nature Walk photos, videos and stories. He worked for months on narrative and photo profiles of the Connecticut Audubon Society board members. The finished product, Nature's Heroes, was outstanding. Here is a link to Tomas's Nature's Heroes article. Tomas also took photos for articles by fellow students and community writers, including a Juneteenth Celebration. He worked with Chris Regan, another CM-331-A student, to cover a town party and fireworks to celebrate Easton’s 175th anniversary.
Dan Gardella
Dan Gardella wrote about the pandemic’s heavy toll on high school and youth sports and about a new 50/70 baseball field. Visit the full EastonCourier.news site for more great stories and content.
Asia McCray
Student Asia McCray articles about how the pandemic shut down most fall and December holiday celebrations in Easton, but some events have proceeded digitally or socially distanced.
Chris Regan
Chris Regan worked with Tomas Koeck to cover a town party and fireworks to celebrate Easton’s 175th anniversary. Tomas took the photos and Chris wrote the story. Chris also wrote about the pressing need for a new building to house the Easton Emergency Medical Service and about a historic cemetery tour.
The EC-SHU Connection Continued:
Castonguay and Doniger consulted with Easton leaders and residents and assembled a team of faculty members, including Keith Zdrodowy, Rick Falco, Jane Paley, Taci Batista, and Ann Marie Somma. The new nonprofit Easton Courier, in partnership with SHU, launched on Leap Day, Feb. 29, two weeks before the global pandemic shut down schools, businesses and most activities of daily living.
The coronavirus didn’t stop the real-life learning initiative for students and community writers. If anything, the pandemic bolstered the Courier as an authentic laboratory for student learning and returned a trusted news source to the town of Easton. The Courier showcases university and local community stories and photos.
Castonguay and Doniger co-teach Professional Journalism Production CM-331-A. Their students write articles and take photos for the Easton Courier, affording them the opportunity to build their portfolios and contribute meaningful content through experiential learning, under the guidance of experienced professionals.
“Our student writers and photographer worked with style and enthusiasm to provide quality content for the Easton Courier over the past semester,” Doniger said. “They covered hard news, events, trends, sports and nature,
an important part of life in Easton where roughly 60% of the town is preserved in perpetuity as open space.”
The coronavirus didn’t stop the real-life learning initiative for students and community writers. If anything, the pandemic bolstered the Courier as an authentic laboratory for student learning and returned a trusted news source to the town of Easton. The Courier showcases university and local community stories and photos.
Castonguay and Doniger co-teach Professional Journalism Production CM-331-A. Their students write articles and take photos for the Easton Courier, affording them the opportunity to build their portfolios and contribute meaningful content through experiential learning, under the guidance of experienced professionals.
“Our student writers and photographer worked with style and enthusiasm to provide quality content for the Easton Courier over the past semester,” Doniger said. “They covered hard news, events, trends, sports and nature,
an important part of life in Easton where roughly 60% of the town is preserved in perpetuity as open space.”