Student Newsroom and Innovation Lab

The Student Newsroom and Innovation Lab immerses undergraduate and graduate college students in a digital media environment by providing hands-on experience during the three-day Online News Association Conference & Awards Ceremony.

Applications for students and mentors are now closed. The application period was Feb. 20–March 29.

Supported for the ninth year by Google News Initiative, twenty select students will produce content and tools for the ONA18 Student Newsroom website before and during the conference under the personal guidance of professional mentors.

As part of the application, students and mentors are asked what they would like to implement as part of their role in the Student Newsroom and Innovation Lab. This innovation ranged from unexpected story ideas, to creative storytelling techniques, to new tools built by participants themselves — these are ideas that live at the intersection of content and product.

Graduate Student, M.S. in Data Journalism
Columbia Journalism School

Senior, Visual Journalism
Penn State University

Junior, Journalism and History
University of Florida

Senior, Journalism and Political Science
University of Georgia

Senior, Urban Planning
UC San Diego

Sophomore, Political Science/Economics
Davidson College

Junior, Journalism
Seattle Pacific University

Junior, Journalism and Political Science
University of Nevada, Reno

Junior, Journalism and Graphic Design
Mercer University

Graduate Student, Multiplatform Journalism
University of Maryland

Junior, Journalism
American University

Senior, Journalism
Hampton University

Junior, Journalism
University of Massachusetts Amherst

Sophomore, Photojournalism
Point Park University

Junior, Broadcast Journalism
University of Houston

Junior, Journalism and International Studies
American University

Graduate Student, Journalism
Boston University

Junior; History Major, Journalism Certificate
Indiana University

Senior, Journalism & Communication Arts
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Sophomore, Journalism
Western Michigan University

Mentors


More Info

Students get the chance to attend conference programming led by experts in digital journalism, network with attendees and acquire and flex new digital media skills. All expenses — lodging, travel and registration fees — are paid.

Eighteen Student Newsroom mentors with digital skills have an opportunity to guide one to two students before and during the conference, working one-on-one with them to help develop story ideas and advise coverage production. Mentors receive free conference registration. They also have a chance to pay it forward, shaping the skills of tomorrow’s leaders in digital journalism.