By Press Times Staff
GREEN BAY – It’s an exciting time for the Press Times, Green Bay City Pages and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (UWGB).
The hyperlocal publications have partnered with the university to provide hands-on experience through an internship program.
So far, the papers have welcomed five interns in varying parts of their studies to get firsthand experience with writing, meeting coverage, interviewing, proofing, sports coverage and the overall newspaper production.
Chuck Rybak, dean for the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at UWGB, said the partnership is a win-win.
“We at UW-Green Bay are thrilled to partner with the Press Times to ensure that our students and future graduates have the skills and experience necessary to support our region’s media and journalism needs,” Rybak said.
Press Times Editor Heather Graves, who worked as an intern at the Green Bay News-Chronicle as a UWGB student, said the partnership offers students the same opportunities she had back then.
“Internships are essential in helping students gain knowledge in their field of study, discover their interests and build a resume and portfolio to get a job,” Graves said. “We are thrilled to be able to provide that to them.”
Here’s a little more about the newest members of our staff – Mara Allen, Janelle Fisher, Kat Halfman, Mallory Allen and Victoria Wittenbrock.
Janelle Fisher
Three years ago, I would have never thought I’d be going to school for English and writing articles for a newspaper.
When I graduated high school, I thought I was going to be an engineer.
It wasn’t until I got to college and surrounded myself with other engineers, who were excited about what they were doing, that I realized I was on the wrong path.
English had always been my favorite subject, and reading and writing were my passion.
So, I switched schools and majors and haven’t looked back.
Every class I take, and internship I pursue, confirms I made the right choice.
Originally from Little Chute, I am now a senior at UWGB.
I have always been much more of a reader than a writer, but after taking many classes and completing previous internships, I have really come to enjoy doing nonfiction writing and interviews.
After graduation, I plan to go on to get a graduate degree and hope to eventually land a job in the world of editing and/or publishing.
When I’m not busy with schoolwork, I spend my time playing piano, reading, doing crafts (especially sewing), spending time with dogs and traveling.
I am also the team coordinator for Destination Imagination at my former high school, and have been the proud manager of a middle school, now high school, team for the past three years, after competing myself for eight years.
Mara Allen
I’m currently a junior at UWGB majoring in communication with emphasis in journalism, social media strategies, sports communication, public relations and organizational communication.
In my free time, I enjoy playing and watching sports, spending time with family and friends and going on adventures.
I’m very excited to start this new opportunity with the Press Times.
Kat Halfman
As a writing major at UWGB, I’ve always felt a passion for local stories that highlight our humanity.
Here in Green Bay, there are dozens of upstanding citizens who go above and beyond to help our community flourish, and they deserve the spotlight.
The internet and social media bring daily news of tragedy, so it’s increasingly important to remember the biggest impact we can have as individuals is in our own community.
By uplifting the people here in Green Bay that make a positive difference, we are able to strengthen our community and better our society.
Growing up in Seymour, my passion for writing and community was ignited when I won an essay contest for a piece I wrote on the importance of my constitutional rights to the city, which I read for the community.
The spotlight terrified me, but after, when some of the city’s most respected community members approached me, thanking me for my speech, I began to realize how valuable it is to tell stories that resonate with my community, and how those stories could connect people across generations and different walks of life.
My passion has only grown since then, and I am increasingly driven to remind people that they are capable of making a difference right here in their hometown.
Victoria Wittenbrock
Originally from Chino Hills, California, I was recruited my junior year of high school to play on the women’s soccer team at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
I loved growing up in southern California, but have always had an interest in traveling and experiencing life immersed in various regions and cultures.
My soccer scholarship has given me the opportunity to see a different part of the country and be exposed to different lifestyles.
I am a sophomore, and am majoring in English Literature, and intend to enter the field of editing and publishing as my career.
I have always loved reading and writing, and in high school one of my teachers guided me toward the field, and I have never looked back.
However, my interest in writing and editing transcends my career-oriented goals and aspirations.
As a student-athlete, it is often difficult to acquire any free time, but when I do, I try my best to spend it reading and talking on the phone with my family and friends.
After I graduate college, I hope to move somewhere close to home, where I can be with the people in my life that are most important to me, all while solidifying my career and looking back on the wonderful experiences that I had in college with my teammates, roommates, peers and coworkers.
Mallory Allen
I’m a communication major at UWGB with emphasis in journalism, sports communication, social media strategies, public relations and organizational communication.
I work as a Green Bay Packers and Wisconsin Badgers writer for the blog Wisconsin Sports Heroics, as well as serve as the site’s editor-in-chief.
Additionally, I’m currently a writing and social media intern with the Green Bay Blizzard football program.
After graduation in spring 2023, I hope to find a job that combines my love of sports, journalism and communication.
When I’m not cheering on my favorite teams, writing or going to school, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, reading books and snuggling with my dog.