Growing up in West Orange, NJ I have always been surrounded by a melting pot of individuals with different backgrounds, perspectives, and beliefs. Being a white male I was the minority during my upbringing, and this benefitted me from understanding other cultures and perspectives compared to people that grow up in less diverse environments. Arriving at the University of Rhode Island I was excited to interact with people from different walks of life and see how their outlooks differed from my own. I have been able to create great bonds with classmates and friends through the Cigar, the Harrington School of Communication and Media, and the fraternity of which I am a founding father, Kappa Sigma Tau-Eta chapter. Developing relationships with students who share the same love for reading, writing, journalism, and entertainment allowed me to grow and become the best version of myself. Working for the Cigar especially allowed me to gain a better understanding of the URI community, fellow students, and faculty.
Working at my internship with the organization Write on Sports Inc. has also prepared me for a diverse and multicultural world and workplace. At Write on Sports I spent four weeks helping teach middle school students from Newark, NJ to improve their reading, writing, interviewing, and video editing skills. This was done through covering sports topics, athletes, coaches, and professional journalists. I worked with a diverse staff of fellow teachers, and interns while also learning from professional journalists who have worked in the business for years. Those who I learned from all varied in different ages, backgrounds, and genders but we all shared the common goal of learning from one another, and helping out kids from an underprivileged community.
Being a staff reporter for the Cigar for the entirety of my time at the University of Rhode Island has allowed me to meet people from different parts of the world and country, to help share their stories. One of the most memorable stories that I have linked at the bottom of this page comes from a member of the men's soccer team named Dante Lamb. Lamb came to URI from South Africa, and I wrote a feature story about his journey and transition of life from South Africa to Rhode Island.
A second story and person that I got to know during my time with the Cigar was a member of the women's soccer team named Taylor Ross. Ross founded a non-profit organization called Cleats Count where she collects cleats that are donated, and then goes on trips to third world countries giving the cleats to children who are less fortunate. I wrote two feature stories about Ross' experiences with Cleats Count, and how her non-profit has grown and developed over time. Ross raised money with the help of members of her teammates and the URI community to make trips to Ethiopia and Kenya to help give the children there something to smile about.
I have also included a third feature I wrote for the Cigar about the women's rowing team coach Shelagh Donohoe. Donohoe herself was an ex-Olympian rower in the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics, earning a silver medal for the United States. Donohoe coached USA's Paralympic team to a silver medal in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil which I interviewed her about. Being able to interview someone that has experienced earning an olympic medal for her country, and then helping Paralympic athletes earn that same accomplishment and feeling, was quite memorable for me as a journalist. For the time I have spent learning and growing as an individual at URI, I have continued to develop my ability to work well in a diverse and multicultural world and workplace.
Working at my internship with the organization Write on Sports Inc. has also prepared me for a diverse and multicultural world and workplace. At Write on Sports I spent four weeks helping teach middle school students from Newark, NJ to improve their reading, writing, interviewing, and video editing skills. This was done through covering sports topics, athletes, coaches, and professional journalists. I worked with a diverse staff of fellow teachers, and interns while also learning from professional journalists who have worked in the business for years. Those who I learned from all varied in different ages, backgrounds, and genders but we all shared the common goal of learning from one another, and helping out kids from an underprivileged community.
Being a staff reporter for the Cigar for the entirety of my time at the University of Rhode Island has allowed me to meet people from different parts of the world and country, to help share their stories. One of the most memorable stories that I have linked at the bottom of this page comes from a member of the men's soccer team named Dante Lamb. Lamb came to URI from South Africa, and I wrote a feature story about his journey and transition of life from South Africa to Rhode Island.
A second story and person that I got to know during my time with the Cigar was a member of the women's soccer team named Taylor Ross. Ross founded a non-profit organization called Cleats Count where she collects cleats that are donated, and then goes on trips to third world countries giving the cleats to children who are less fortunate. I wrote two feature stories about Ross' experiences with Cleats Count, and how her non-profit has grown and developed over time. Ross raised money with the help of members of her teammates and the URI community to make trips to Ethiopia and Kenya to help give the children there something to smile about.
I have also included a third feature I wrote for the Cigar about the women's rowing team coach Shelagh Donohoe. Donohoe herself was an ex-Olympian rower in the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics, earning a silver medal for the United States. Donohoe coached USA's Paralympic team to a silver medal in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil which I interviewed her about. Being able to interview someone that has experienced earning an olympic medal for her country, and then helping Paralympic athletes earn that same accomplishment and feeling, was quite memorable for me as a journalist. For the time I have spent learning and growing as an individual at URI, I have continued to develop my ability to work well in a diverse and multicultural world and workplace.
The Good 5 Cent Cigar: Dante Lamb's Uncertain Journey
The Good 5 Cent Cigar: Taylor Ross Feature
The Good 5 Cent Cigar: Taylor Ross Feature Follow Up
The Good 5 Cent Cigar: Rowing Coach Helps USA Win a Paralympic Silver Medal in Rio
The Good 5 Cent Cigar: Taylor Ross Feature
The Good 5 Cent Cigar: Taylor Ross Feature Follow Up
The Good 5 Cent Cigar: Rowing Coach Helps USA Win a Paralympic Silver Medal in Rio
