Welcoming the next generation of Texas journalists

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It’s a new year, and The Texas Tribune welcomes a new cohort of talented students to our fellowship program.

These driven young professionals are eager to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world journalism challenges, contributing significantly to our mission of covering the people and issues that matter most to Texans.

“I have always been interested in writing about or being involved with political journalism because it aims to educate people,” events fellow and University of Texas at Austin journalism major Arianna Nevarez said in her application. “I am constantly motivated by the fact that I can make a difference for my community and people through journalism.”

Ariah Washington, a membership engagement fellow, is a communications major at Prairie View A&M University, one of nine historically black colleges or universities [HBCUs] in Texas.

“I’m motivated by the idea that journalism and storytelling can inform and empower communities. I believe that sharing the right information can spark change and encourage people to get involved,” Washington said. “Ultimately, I want to contribute to projects that connect people with important stories and information, especially in our fast-paced media world.”

Tribune fellows make impactful contributions across the organization. These students support vital initiatives like the Texas Tribune Festival and provide in-depth coverage of key issues, including the legislative session, elections, education, and the environment.

“With my political coverage, I hope to give people the tools they need to improve their lives through the political system and to get a better sense of what their elected officials are doing — or aren’t doing — on their behalf,” said Washington-based reporting fellow Katharine Wilson, a journalism, government and politics major at the University of Maryland. “I hope to explain to my readers how they may be impacted by legislation in clear and helpful stories.”

Austin-based reporting fellow Pavan Acharya considers working in journalism akin to living a life of public service, “one where I try my best every day to break through a sea of misinformation to provide factual and fair reporting to a curious public.”

Their contributions are invaluable, enriching the Tribune's reporting and enhancing our ability to serve the public.

"Our fellows are not just interns," says Editor-in-Chief Matthew Watkins. "They are integral to our team, producing impactful journalism from day one. This program provides them with invaluable experience while allowing us to benefit from their fresh perspectives and enthusiasm."

The Tribune's fellowship program is made possible by the generous support of our donors. We extend our sincere gratitude to organizations like the Dallas Press Club Foundation and individuals like Martin Taylor and Cheryl and Jim George, whose contributions have established named fellowships and significantly expanded opportunities for aspiring journalists.

Our fellowships offer a valuable learning experience, combining part-time work during the spring and fall semesters with full-time summer positions. We offer a diverse range of roles, including:

• Data Visuals
• Design
• Engagement
• AI & Machine Learning
• Events
• Marketing & Communications
• Photography
• Product Development
• Reporting (in Texas and Washington, D.C.)

Learn more about the Tribune's fellowship program and explore the impressive work of our current fellows here.

Meet our spring fellows

Pavan Acharya is a reporting fellow. Originally from Libertyville, Illinois, he's excited to be back in Texas after a summer internship reporting on housing and elections administration for The Dallas Morning News. Pavan has also interned at Midstory and Block Club Chicago. He is a senior at Northwestern University studying journalism and political science.

Carla Garcia Leija is a design fellow. She is an Austin-based interaction designer who brings design research and anthropology to life through immersive experiences and community building. A bachelor of fine arts design student at the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Design and Creative Technologies, her current projects center around inquiries into placemaking, marrying the magic to the mundane, and storytelling. Carla has previously worked with The Daily Texan, Texas Performing Arts, Festival Beach Food Forest, and the McCombs School of Business. She was born in Mexico, raised in South Texas and is fluent in Spanish.

Juyoung Kim is a marketing and communications fellow and a journalism student at Northwestern University in Qatar, where she also is minoring in strategic communication. Having lived in eight different countries, she brings a unique global perspective and a deep understanding of diverse cultures. Juyoung's experience includes serving as an audience engagement reporter for student-run publication The Daily Q [now NUQ Views], where she later advanced to the role of executive editor for the audience engagement team. She gained further expertise as a social media intern with Ogilvy during the 2022 FIFA World Cup and as a social media intern at Texas A&M University at Qatar. Juyoung is fluent in Korean and English and has conversational proficiency in Arabic.

Cecilia Le is a Dallas Press Club Foundation fellow and journalism major at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. An engagement fellow for the Tribune, Cecilia also works as a senior reporter for TCU 360 student media, where she earned a 2023 Jay and Gail Milner Distinguished Journalism Award for feature story of the year. Cecilia was previously a news intern at CBS News Texas, an editorial intern at TCU Magazine and a creative content intern at TCU Athletics. Born and raised in Vietnam, Cecilia speaks Vietnamese and English fluently and is learning Mandarin and Spanish. She loves golfing, traveling and exploring new coffee shops in her free time.

Arianna Nevarez is an events fellow and a freshman journalism student at the University of Texas at Austin. In her first semester, Arianna joined the Moody College of Communication’s Moody Magazine and co-founded the UT Unplug Club, an organization promoting mental wellness. Although Arianna is just starting her journalism career, she is excited about the learning opportunities a Tribune fellowship offers.

Ariah Washington is a membership engagement fellow. She is a senior communications and marketing student at Prairie View A&M University. Ariah’s previous internships include public relations and marketing at KPVU-TV and retail leadership at Kohl’s. As an advocate for inclusivity and innovation, Ariah seeks to contribute to organizations that prioritize authentic connections and value diverse voices. Ariah’s hometown is Orange in Southeast Texas, and outside of work, she enjoys writing and fitness.

Lorianne Willett is a photography fellow and a journalism student at the University of Texas at Austin. Previously, she was a multimedia intern at KUT News, a photography intern at Texas Connect and the photo editor at The Daily Texan, the campus newspaper. Originally from Tucson, Arizona, Lorianne spent part of her childhood moving around until her family settled in San Antonio.

Katharine Wilson is a Washington, D.C.-based reporting fellow, covering the Texas congressional delegation on Capitol Hill. Katharine, a senior journalism and politics double major at the University of Maryland, is also involved in campus publications as a senior staff writer for The Diamondback and news director for WMUC Radio. Katharine previously covered the Maryland congressional delegation for Capital News Service. She also interned with CNN, NBC, Montgomery Community Media, The Herald-Mail, and College Park Here & Now. Katharine is from Riverside, California, and loves musical theater and swimming.