Two students enjoy paid summer internships via SUNY Institute for Local News

SUNY Oswego journalism majors Addie Kotsol and Maria Pawelczyk had paid summer storytelling internships in the second cohort of SUNY Institute for Local News, which provides fresh energy and talent to keep the public informed.

Kotsol interned at Capitol Region Region Independent Media, primarily for the Ravena News Herald, while Pawelczyk's internship was with Buffalo Toronto Pub Media, an umbrella for local PBS and NPR stations in the Buffalo area. 

“I was doing a story every single day,” Pawelczyk said. “I think over the course of the summer I had around 35 stories, and more than 70 radio pieces, because each of the byline stories was broken up into two to three radio pieces.”

After working primarily with student newspaper The Oswegonian, Pawelczyk came in knowing there would be a learning curve, but picked up things pretty quickly.

“I learned a lot more than I thought,” Pawelczyk said. ““I had to learn a whole new style of writing for radio news which was very different than what I was used to, because it was in the present tense. And I had really quick turnarounds.”

Working four days a week, Pawelczyk would usually go out in the morning, come back and immediately write the story. The internship also involves learning audio editing platforms Adobe Audition and Audacity to cut down what might have been 30 minutes of interviews into less than 25 seconds.

With the Ravena News Herald a weekly paper with a sibling paper The Greenville Pioneer publishing bi-weekly, Kotsol had the opportunity to cover, write and photograph many stories on a variety of topics over the summer.

“I was a reporter, so I would go to different community events,” Kotsol recalled. “I did the Greene County Youth Fair, dental office openings, restaurant grand openings, events at the library like the kids’ summer reading program and a whole bunch of different things.”

These are events that are important to local communities, and the SUNY Institute for Local News aims to keep community newspapers alive and well in a time where reliable news can become harder to find.

In a reflection paper, Kotsol said the internship “gave me valuable real-world journalism experience and helped me become a more confident communicator and reporter. It allowed me to apply skills I have learned in the classroom at Oswego to professional reporting while gaining a better understanding of the responsibilities and impact of working in local news.” 

Kotsol previously had mainly covered sports, so this was a departure as well – but a very happy one.

“I had so much fun getting to know the community, sharing their stories, seeing the same people,” Kotsol said.

The internship has been one more enjoyable experience for Kotsol, who came to Oswego because of opportunities in media outlets – including currently serving as an Oswegonian writer – and to play women’s club hockey at an affordable SUNY institution. Kotsol has made good on opportunities, including earning a Syracuse Press Club award for best Student Sports Audio Media Story and serving as the student operations services coordinator for Cayuga Hall.

“And I just love being so close to the lake, so I knew it was the place for me,” Kotsol said.

When looking at schools, Pawelczyk also appreciated the opportunities available for the SUNY value.

“I liked Oswego when I came and visited with my mom, and I really was really impressed with the media organizations, and just how willing the school is to put the media organizations … at the forefront and give us those opportunities that you might not have gotten at another school,”  Pawelczyk recalled.

Pawelczyk is currently studying abroad in Paris under the CEA CAPA study abroad program, which also allows the opportunity to work as a blogger and content creator, while still serving as an Oswegonian managerial editor. But the summer internship will remain special.

“I thought it was a really, really great experience,” Pawelczyk said. “The parameters are you have to write for local news, because they're trying to bring back a lot more local news, and it just has to be in New York state, And I got paid through SUNY, which was nice.”

About the program

The Institute for Local News pairs student journalists with local news outlets to offer students the opportunity to gain valuable experience while serving local communities. To support the program, the Institute works with campuses to nurture existing relationships with local news outlets and create new ones. 

“The Institute for Local News provides SUNY students with the opportunity to combine civics and service with experiential learning opportunities that help our students, local news organizations, and New York thrive,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. in announcing the summer cohort of 33 students. 

“With dedicated faculty and strong partnerships with local news outlets, and with thanks to the Institute for Local News and our SUNY Board of Trustees, our students are not only gaining meaningful experience for future careers but also being placed at the forefront of the effort to mitigate newspaper loss and local journalism deserts,” SUNY Chancellor King added.

The Institute for Local News is part of SUNY’s ongoing efforts to offer internships and experiential learning opportunities, and in only two years it has garnered an impressive track record. In 2025, 220 students participated and produced 900 stories in 25 newsrooms across New York state. The institute has also had many newsrooms return to the program and is establishing partnerships to bring the program to more campuses.