About Us
We are 14 University of Oregon journalism students in Accra, Ghana for a six week internship program in the summer of 2011. We consist of three graduate students and 11 undergraduate students who have all shown knowledge and experience in the field of journalism.
Our internships vary based on our specifications and interests; some of us are photographers and writers while others are editors, designers, and advertisement representatives. We are placed at an array of media outlets ranging from national newspapers such as the Daily Graphic to radio stations such as Peace FM and Advertising Agencies such as Apex Advertising.
Although we work at different media organizations, we live together in our Accra home. During the weekends we will be traveling around the country sampling the rich culture and diverse ecosystems that define this West African nation. Our excursions are designed to open our eyes to the different facets of Ghanaian culture and include trips to a small slum school, a casket workshop, and an elephant sanctuary. So follow along here as we explore all that Ghana has to offer.
Meet the Group
Annie Keenon
Major: Advertising
Internship: Emerge Magazine
Ariane Kunze
Major: Magazine and Electronic Media with a minor in Multimedia Studies.
Internship: Investigative journalist for The New Crusading Guide. Multimedia with Anas Ameneraw Anas.
Caroline Stauss
Major: Communication and Society graduate program.
Internship: Peace FM
Catherine Ryan
Major: Literary Nonfiction graduate program
Internship: The Mail
Elise Elshire
Major: Journalism with a focus in Magazine Writing and Women’s and Gender Studies
Internship: Emerge Magazine
Jake Swantko
Major: Journalism with a focus in Multimedia
Internship: NET2 Television
Jolene Fisher
Major: Communication and Society graduate program.
Internship: Self-help Initiative Support Services
Megan Russell
Major: Public Relations
Internship: The Public Agenda
Michael Ciaglo
Major: Journalism with a focus in Photojournalism and Multimedia
Internship: The Daily Guide
Michelle McKenzie
Major: Advertising
Internship: Ghana Social Marketing Foundation
Monica Belgum
Major: Public Relations
Internship: Ghana Sports
Neethu Ramchandar
Major: Advertising and Magazine with a minor in Anthropology
Internship: Apex Advertising and Post Production
Patrick Malee
Major: News Editorial
Internship: The Daily Graphic
Shawna Widmer
Major: Advertising and Public Relations
Internship: McCann-Erickson Worldwide
About the Program
The University of Oregon’s Journalism and Communication in Ghana program, directed by Prof. Leslie Steeves with on-site assistance from Dr. Michael Williams, can accommodate up to fifteen students each summer. The program is six weeks long, usually spanning the last week in June through July. Students take two four-credit courses: Media in Ghana and Journalism Internship. Internships are for four weeks, full-time. Weekend sightseeing fieldtrips to Cape Coast (location of historic castles used in the trans-Atlantic slave trade) and Kumasi (center of the Ashanti Kingdom) are also included. For more details, read the 2011 Ghana Brochure.
For current students in the program, download the 2011 Syllabus
History
Over the past two decades, Ghana has been an increasingly popular destination for both study abroad and tourism. Ghana’s relative political stability, emerging economy, growing media presence, faculty resources at the University of Ghana’s School of Communication Studies (SCS), and widespread use of English as the national language makes it an excellent study abroad site for U.S. journalism students. Ghana’s historic role in the slave trade and its prominence in African-American efforts to rebuild links to Africa also add interest.
The program is modeled after one initiated in 1999 by Professor Adrienne Rivers, then at the University of Kansas. In 2001 the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC) began contributing students to KU’s Summer Media Institute in Ghana. Two UO students participated in 2001 and six in 2002. In 2004 the University of Oregon began its own program. This is the first UO study abroad program specifically for Journalism students.
Curriculum
The program offers two courses of four term-credits each: J467/567, Media in Ghana (fulfills a breadth requirement), and J404, Journalism Internship (fulfills elective credit). The two courses are integrated, as preparation for the internship experience requires learning about Ghana and its larger media context. The Media in Ghana course requires assignments that may be done in conjunction with the internship.
Media in Ghana begins in the spring term preceding travel to Ghana with weekly meetings, readings and oral reports. Reading topics cover the political-economic and cultural history of Ghana, images of Africa in U.S. media, the impact of colonial and post-colonial influence on African media, and Ghana’s media history, from indigenous forms to the Internet and the changing balance between state- and privately-owned media. Students also go on-line to experience Ghanaian media first-hand. During their first week in the country, the students attend lectures by University of Ghana, School of Communication Studies (SCS) faculty. Assignments due at the end of the program include a daily media log and a research paper.
Student internships are five weeks and full time, following orientation week. Internships usually are matched with students according to their major: news editorial, magazine, electronic media, advertising or public relations. Prior internship placements have included the following:
Newspapers: The Daily Graphic; Ghanaian Times; Accra Daily Mail; The Statesman; The Free Press; The Chronicle; Business and Financial Times; Public Agenda; Crusading Guide
Development Communication and Public Relations: The Ghana Social Marketing Foundation; The Media Foundation for West Africa; Abantu for Development.
Television: GTV (of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation); TV3; TV Africa; Metro TV.
Radio: Peace FM; Radio Univers; Choice FM.
Advertising: Karrington Advertising; Lentis Advertising; Origin 8 Advertising; Orakle Advertising.