Tiana Stewart began an internship with the Latin American News Digest (LAND) before graduating this spring with an undergraduate degree in global studies. LAND is an online publication based in Washington, D.C. dedicated to expanding the reach of journalism and news coverage produced by Latin American media. Tiana, who has a minor in Spanish, is one of 20 interns from the U.S. and Latin America to work with LAND. Tiana recently shared her experience with us. 

What brought you to intern for LAND? 

I needed an internship, and Dr. McMahon, dean of the School of Humanities and professor of Spanish, recommended it to me. I also thought it would be good for me since I finished all my Spanish requirements for my minor and wanted to challenge myself outside of the classroom. I have been learning Spanish since the sixth grade and thought this would be a great opportunity for me to continue to work on my language and reading skills. 

What did you do during the internship?

Each week, I received three articles written in Spanish from various Latin American news sources. I was given articles that covered travel/tourism; economy; war, peace, drugs and violence; politics; and Latin America/U.S./world relations. I was expected to translate and summarize each article I received. After sending in my final product, it was received by the Digest’s editors and my work would be published in the weekly issues. 

What did you like best about this internship?

I liked that I was able to keep up with current events in Latin America that I otherwise would not have known about. Often in mainstream media, there is a lack of representation and information about other countries. It was nice to be informed weekly about issues, people, governments, business, and travel outside of the U.S. It was also interesting to meet other interns who were participating from all over the U.S. and a few countries in Latin America as well. 

What insights or skills did you gain from this experience?

I gained the ability to conceptualize and analyze information as well as the ability to sharpen my research and writing skills, fine-tune my attention to detail, manage my time by adhering to deadlines, and improve my communication skills. 

How did Seton Hill prepare you for this experience?

Seton Hill advocates for applying what you have learned in the classroom to real-life situations. I was able to use a lot of background knowledge from previous Spanish and International Relations classes while analyzing articles and learning about political structures, economic issues, and social upheavals in Latin American communities. 

Seton Hill advocates for applying what you have learned in the classroom to real-life situations.

How would you say you created value for the organization? 

The organization is a smaller one and it isn’t well known like the New York Times, for example. With that being said, working with my internship supervisors and the editors, I gained a large amount of respect for the way they are continuing to spread the word about what they do and recruit a diverse group of student interns. Their mission to spread news by Latin Americans about Latin America is an important one and being a part of their organization has undoubtedly opened my eyes to the meaning of cultural awareness and appreciation. 

Do you wish to pursue a career in this industry in the future? 

I have thought about pursuing a career in journalism in the future, though I am not committed to it currently.

What are your plans for the future?

As of right now, I will be pursuing my Master of Arts degree in International Politics at Newcastle University in the U.K. I will be specializing in Globalization, Poverty and Development, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to continue my education abroad. I will also be playing basketball for the university. I am not sure what the future holds for me after this upcoming year, but for right now, I’m focused on making the most of this opportunity.