Where’s your story lead?
Community News Service doesn’t just teach journalism — we do journalism. And that comes in handy when our graduates are considering career options. More and more CNS alums are working in media, communications and related fields; read about a few below.
Since the program’s founding in 2019, more than 40 alumni have earned jobs, internships or fellowships in journalism — in large part because of the hands-on experience they gained here. Scroll down to see some of the places our graduates have worked and join our LinkedIn group to connect directly.
Jordan Barbour
Class of ’23 | ABC22/FOX44 multimedia reporter (former)
After graduating in May 2024, I took a position at ABC 22/FOX 44 as a reporter (and occasionally anchor). Going from print to multimedia journalism was a major change for me, but I am grateful to Community News Service for teaching me the reporting skills I needed to transition. CNS, in essence, taught me how to be a reporter — from interview skills, to writing style, to communicating with editors. Although my position pushed me to learn a new skill set, I know I wouldn’t have done it without the lessons I learned in CNS.
Paige Fisher
Class of ’24 | The Sheet staff reporter
After writing for VTDigger, Vermont Public and the White River Valley Herald as an undergrad, I left UVM with newsroom experience beyond my years, thanks in large part to CNS. I work as a staff writer for The Sheet, covering California’s Eastern Sierra. In my first year post-college, I broke several stories picked up nationally, including a fatal avalanche on Mammoth Mountain and the domestic violence conviction of famed climber Lonnie Kauk. This career has helped me connect deeply with a community far from where I grew up.
Jonah Frangiosa
Class of ’23 | Eagle Tribune staff reporter
I am the Haverhill reporter at The Eagle Tribune, the largest publication in the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts. I cover any newsworthy events that take place in Haverhill, whether it’s a school committee meeting, a house fire or a high-speed police chase. I recently published an article that got reposted by Politico! Without CNS, I’d probably look a bit more out of place at crime scenes, award ceremonies, etc.
Emmett Gartner
Class of ’20 | Maine Monitor environmental reporter
CNS taught me AP style and how to write concisely and effectively for print media. The stories I covered instilled me with the confidence to approach local officials and cold-call potential sources. These experiences are the building blocks for my current career in journalism. Our Friday dissections of the latest news headlines developed my current voracious reading habits, and my coverage of municipal meetings gave me civics lessons on government processes that I had never received to that point.
Will Guisbond
Class of ’23 | Air Current aviation reporter
I think understanding how a newsroom works in person was extremely helpful in helping me be ready for a job as a full time beat reporter. I liked how we were given full authority to work on our own projects, which is how I’ve found my current job works. The setup was the same, and so therefore the skills learned transferred super easily. I really enjoyed the opportunity to work with a team on a local beat. It taught me the significance of local news and how much impact those kinds of things can have on a community.
Ivy Kirby
Class of ’22 | Green Mountain Cannabis News freelancer
My internship helped me gain confidence. It was a great environment to make mistakes in while also gaining professional experience. It helped me realize that there are a lot of stories that aren’t being told or haven’t been told yet.
Alexa Lewis
Class of ’23 | Myrtle Beach Sun News breaking news reporter
During my time at UVM, I interned at the White River Valley Herald through the Community News Service. At the Herald, I got to report on local elections, the impacts of recreational cannabis legalization on local growers and local council decisions. The experience I gained through the Community News Service not only sparked my love for reporting, but it also allowed me to secure my first position as a staff reporter for the Daily Hampshire Gazette. When I interviewed for the role, it was my portfolio of Herald clips that set me apart from other young reporters.
Dominic Minadeo
Class of ’23 | Inside Defense staff reporter
CNS introduced me to journalism, and it’s led to every opportunity I’ve gotten since. After I graduated I found employers weren’t so interested in my degree; the best asset I had was proof that I can do the job, which comes in published clips. And clips are what CNS helped me get.
Greta Solsaa
Class of ’23 | VTDigger southern Vermont reporter
I would not have the job I have today without CNS introducing me to the world of journalism and rekindling my love of writing. I learned how to ask the right questions and where to look for the answers in order to tell compelling short-form stories about things that matter in my community. I’m forever in debt to the program steering me toward a career of meaningful work.
I am much more intentional about my news consumption, and reporting has given me greater insight into civic processes and how the government operates.
Luke Zarzecki
Class of ’21 | Inside Health Policy staff reporter
I think the skills I learned and the clips I got from CNS helped me get my first journalism job as a local reporter in Colorado. Local reporting, I think, is the most necessary job you should do if you want to be a journalist. You gain a lot of skills that can be applicable to almost any job in almost any field.