Assuaged Anxieties, Innovative Designs
MASTHEAD Mentorship Program Testimonials
The 2024-2025 iteration of the MASTHEAD mentorship program recently concluded with much success. Since its founding in 2020, MASTHEAD has hosted a mentorship program that pairs student journalists of color at The University of Alabama with professional media practitioners. Each mentor/mentee pairing works together to devise a goal to work toward over the course of the academic year. Goals can be geared around professional development, job placement, or journalistic projects.
Our roster of mentors has included journalists with backgrounds at CBS News, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and the Montgomery Advertiser, among other outlets. More than 40 students have been through the mentorship program since it launched in 2020.
Below, we share two testimonials from recent student mentees who completed the program.
Crimson White managing editor Jacob Ritondo worked closely with Michael Bolden, executive director of the American Press Institute and a graduate of the University of Alabama. They came up with an innovative new concept for a custom-built CW AI to help maintain the newspaper’s institutional knowledge after each generation of editors leave campus. Michael helped Jacob find the right connections in UA’s information systems department to implement the idea, and it’s expected to become part of the CW’s workflow during the 2025-2026 school year. Here’s more from Jacob on how the idea came about:
“Michael Bolden and I have come up with an idea for a custom Crimson White AI chat bot that could help us essentially store institutional knowledge to make transitions between editorial staff easier. It also could do many other things that would greatly speed up the reporting process for our writers (such as cataloging old stories about things like DEI, the Machine, SGA, etc. so we could cite to them in our stories more). I am excited to get this project off the ground this summer and continue working on it in the fall. This rather grand project would not have been possible without the work MASTHEAD does. Thank you so much for caring as much as you do about student media. I hope the mentorship program continues next year, because at least in my case, it was a resounding success.”
Nineteen Fifty-Six editor-in-chief Jeffrey Kelley worked with Christina Lee, a freelance journalist and podcast host based in Atlanta who was worked with The Guardian, NPR, and other major national outlets. Christina offered valuable insight on how to navigate a fast-shifting media job market. Here’s Jeffrey’s perspective on the relationship:
“I am so grateful to have worked with Christina Lee this year. I’ve always found applying for jobs and internships a little daunting because it’s hard to encapsulate so much of myself into a cover letter or resume. I’ll be honest that fear has definitely been amplified with graduation on the horizon. Yet, working with Christina has helped assuage my anxiety about the future and made me realize that there is an art in applying for jobs that I shouldn’t be intimidated by. Her encouragement and insight have inspired me to be more intentional when I’m applying for positions and have helped me realize that I do have what it takes to enter a workforce that is ever evolving, despite what my inner saboteur—RuPaul’s Drag Race™—might have me believe. Now, as I apply for jobs, I’m not getting overwhelmed and throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks; I’m remembering that I am a storyteller and taking the time to tell the best story of my experience thus far. This is all just to say I am endlessly thankful to Christina and everyone at MASTHEAD!”
The mentorship program reflects one of MASTHEAD’s three core pillars: student engagement. We want to make sure that everything we do is student-focused and that we are providing chances to expand opportunities for students before they enter the workforce. We’re so appreciative of all the professionals who have taken time to work with our students over the years.
Are you a professional interested in becoming a mentor or a student seeking mentorship? Please fill out our survey or reach out directly to our mentorship coordinator, Christi Parsons, at christianneparsons@gmail.com. We’d love to get you involved.
MASTHEAD directly supports expanding opportunities for student journalists of color on campus, and we pursue initiatives to help all students learn how to cover diverse communities effectively. We need your continued support to show the students they are not alone and that alumni are dedicated to working with them. Please consider making a donation so that we can continue this vital work.
About MASTHEAD
MASTHEAD is a mission-driven alumni group focused on promoting a more inclusive environment for student journalists of color at The University of Alabama. Newsrooms across America continue to lag in diversity compared to the broader U.S. population, but at Alabama we can work creatively alongside students to close this gap and open up more opportunities for everyone to have a voice. You can read more about MASTHEAD on our website.