MPJI Sponsors Author Q&A Event For Launch of Prof. Clemente Lisi's World Cup Book

Prof. Clemente Lisi recently wrote a book titled “The FIFA World Cup: A History of the Planet's Biggest Sporting Event.” The book was released on Oct. 12, a month before the official launch of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar on Nov. 20.

The Empire State Tribune, the independent student-run campus newspaper at The King’s College, sent Campus Editor Melinda Huspen to chat with Lisi about his new book, the World Cup and his time covering this global game of soccer.

Melinda Huspen: In one or two sentences, what is the book about?

Clemente Lisi: The book is about the history of the World Cup, which started in 1930. It’s also a bit of a preview of the next World Cup, which is going to be happening in Qatar on November 20. It gives a history of all the games, the key players and some behind the scenes that a lot of people around the world know about because they've been watching the World Cup for generations. American audiences, however, are fairly new to the World Cup. I think most Americans have probably been interested for the last three or four generations, so it gives a lot of that history ahead of time and full context into what the tournament is about.

Huspen: How long have you been working on this particular book?

Lisi: My publisher came to me a little over two years ago, so this has been a two-year process. Writing a book is a lot of work. It took a lot of research and going back to my own notes, as I've covered the last three World Cups as a freelance writer myself. The research took about a year, and then the rest of it was spent writing. I was on a pretty aggressive schedule at that point, the book had to come out in October because the World Cup was in November. I had to give it to them by June. I was basically writing a chapter a month and I had to keep by that schedule. Now, the one thing that was in my favor at the time was it was the middle of the pandemic. Researching the book was harder, but you learn a lot about using online sources and online libraries. You also have the time to write it because there's nothing else to do. I could do six to seven hours a day in the summer months to write the book.

Huspen: This isn't the first book you've written on the World Cup specifically, correct?

Lisi: Yes, and that was part of the issue. I've written books about the U.S. Men's National Team, the U.S. Women's National Team and the World Cup in the past. When a publisher came to me and said, “we want a whole new book with a whole new sort of tone,” I thought, “Well, how am I going to tackle a subject that I've sort of tackled already in many different ways? This book is heavily researched in a way that I wasn't able to do in the past. I think that's because teaching for the past five years and being in the academic world has sort of taught me more about what it's like to do research and use research tools like an academic would. I approached the first half of the book like an academic, and the second half of the book I approached more like a journalist because those World Cups happened in my memory, and the last three I attended. I wrote it as if to take the reader there in a way that we never did before. The other difference between this project and the other projects that I worked on was that the publisher was really adamant about being objective about the World Cup itself, and more importantly how FIFA [Federation Internationale de Football Association] as an organization is run. I have no qualms about saying that FIFA is one of the most corrupt organizations on the planet. The book makes clear, especially in the last few chapters, about the sort of seedy nature of awarding the World Cup and some of the financial wrongdoing that happened.

Huspen: How did you approach writing about the big FIFA corruption case? How does your efforts in covering it either expand on or differ from the coverage at the time?

Lisi: It's funny, because at the time I was working at ABC News and we were covering it aggressively. The financial wrongdoing case was in 2015, when the US Justice Department got involved and a bunch of FIFA officials got arrested. They really blew a big hole into what a lot of people already knew, which was that FIFA is a corrupt organization with a lot of money laundering and a lot of scandals involving tickets. FIFA as an organization has no policing, it's all self governed, it's located in Switzerland so there's no oversight and it’s very easy for people to basically use it as an ATM machine.The World Cup is a huge generator of revenue for them, which made it a perfect storm until the US government got involved because some of the financial dealings at some of the banks were located in Florida. That gave the US Justice Department the opportunity to say, “It’s on US soil, so we can investigate this. I have lots of memories of covering that event, being an editor at ABC when it was a big thing. I have all the legal paperwork, legal documents and press releases. I thought that this was an opportunity, since I'm doing a definitive book on the history of the tournament, to really go into detail. The thing I found difficult was that if you're doing this research, you have to go to 15 different sources to try to piece together a timeline of what happened. It's hard to keep track of all these characters, so I really focused on just a few. My goal was to basically condense it all into one source.

Huspen: When and how did you start covering the World Cup?

Lisi: I started watching the World Cup when I was five years old. In 1982, Italy won the World Cup and I happened to be on vacation with my family there. My family is from Italy. Even as a five or six year old, the passion that this sport evokes in people was very impressionable when you're that little. Maybe deep down I wanted to be a soccer player; I played as a kid but wasn't good enough at it to get very far. But I did the next best thing, which was write about it and get to travel around the world and watch it. I watched soccer in general and the World Cup all throughout my life, but it wasn't till 2010 that I started to work on it. You know, I think deep down I always wanted to be a sports writer too. It just never worked out for me, though, as I usually ended up covering news and other things. As a freelancer, though, I thought, “Oh, this would be fun to cover.” I got lucky in 2010 to actually be able to go to South Africa and cover the World Cup that year. That was my first and so far only time in Africa, and it was just an amazing experience. It wasn’t just because the World Cup was fun and soccer is a great sport, but also because of the whole culture around it. Being in a place I'd never would have been before, I got to see things and meet people I never would have met otherwise. I thought, “Every four years I have to make it a point to get to the World Cup one way or another. In 2014, I went to Brazil, and in 2018 I was in Russia. At that point I was already working at King’s. I'll also be able to go to Qatar for the final week of this World Cup, so I'm looking forward to that. I’ve never been to the Middle East either. It's an opportunity to meet lots of people and eat lots of food that I wouldn't normally eat, getting a new cultural experience.

Huspen: In the title of the book you call the World Cup the planet's biggest sporting event. Why do you make that claim?

Lisi: Yeah, I get a lot of pushback on that. The World Cup is the biggest sporting event just in terms of eyeballs. I think a billion people watched the World Cup Final four years ago between France and Croatia. Even the Olympics, a global event with lots of different sports, doesn't compare in numbers. The Super Bowl for sure doesn't get there. It's in the millions, obviously, but it's mostly just the United States or North America. That's why I make that claim, and I have the numbers to back it up. I think a lot of American sports fans are like, “This is not the biggest thing in the world,” but it is.

Huspen: What kind of cultural imprint has the World Cup left both inside and outside of the soccer and sporting world?

Lisi: Two things: first, if you've ever been in another country during the World Cup, you know that everything stops. It's a little bit like how Americans watch March Madness basketball; for like two, three weeks, almost no one is doing any real work and they're just watching basketball all day. That's what happens with the World Cup for a whole month. Everyone is just basically watching soccer on television. If you go to Brazil or Italy or Spain or any of these countries where soccer is a big deal, you'll see it firsthand. Second, it gives other people other countries an excuse to be nationalistic. Nationalism is kind of a bad word in a lot of places, particularly in Europe where it's tied to Nazi Germany or fascist Italy. This is an outlet for people in Germany to say, “I cheer for Germany because this is my soccer team” or “I cheer for Italy” in places where nationalism is a bad word. I think soccer is a good excuse for people to be proud of their country. If you meet any Brazilians or Argentines, they identify primarily with their soccer players and their soccer team, not with their politics or other cultural institutions, because that's what people know them for. It’s a sense of pride for a lot of people, and increasingly in America that's becoming the case too. I think that when the World Cup starts, people in the US will be very interested in watching the U.S. team.

Huspen: Do you call the sport in your book soccer or football?

Lisi: I call it soccer in the book because that's what Americans call it. I know that the rest of the English speaking world calls it football, but I also know why we don't call it football because we would confuse the heck out of people who are watching the NFL because we call that football too. What I dislike is when Americans start using English words to talk about soccer. They'll say football, which doesn't doesn't bother me as much, but then they’ll say “pitch” instead of “field” or use all these other British terms. Just say “soccer field,” we're not in England. I know England invented soccer, but they don't have a monopoly on the language of soccer. That's kind of my pet peeve, if you will.

Huspen: Is the goal to reach more of an American audience with that kind of decision in the book?

Lisi: Yes. It's kind of twofold; to reach more of an American audience, but also at the same time reach a global audience. I don't give more time in the book to the United States national team than with any other national teams. I try to be even-handed and give attention to the teams that are successful.

Huspen: How did you write the preview of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar if it hasn't happened yet?

Lisi: That was definitely hard, because I had to have it in by June and not every nation had qualified yet. The way I previewed it was to write about Qatar in general, answering questions like: What is this country like? How did they get the World Cup? Why is it being held here? Then I just did a snapshot of the teams that I thought were going to be competitive and that had already qualified. I think I did 10 in total. I went off on a lark and told my publisher, “I'm going to write about teams like Argentina, Brazil, Denmark, Qatar, Germany and the United States, because these countries have qualified and they might be halfway decent at the World Cup. I wish I had up until now to do it, but the deal with publishing as people may know is you have to have the book to them by a certain time. It goes through an extensive copy editing and fact checking process. I'm really thankful to my editors. They were great. That process went from June, July and then you have to get the book printers and publish it and all that takes time. At some point this was the final draft and I just had to let it go and keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best and that was it. I didn't write anything that I thought couldn't happen, because in journalism, you don't do that. You can't predict the future and write about things hoping they will happen. Ultimately the chapter on Qatar is very much just about the country itself and how strange it is to have a World Cup in November when it's 100 degrees, along with all the geopolitical FIFA mess around that decision.

Huspen: Is it usually held in November?

Lisi: No, it's usually held in June or July every four years. Because Qatar got the World Cup under some dubious circumstances, they then realized only after the fact that in the summer it's 120 degrees there and just too hot to host. So they'll be hosting in November when it's a better 85 degrees. It actually disrupts the entire soccer calendar, because between August and May there's domestic soccer leagues around Europe. The Premier League and all these other competitions are being held during that time. Everyone has to take a month break in the middle of their domestic seasons to accommodate this tournament, and then go back to playing domestically again. What will also happen is these really weird situations where you're watching the World Cup on Thanksgiving weekend, which has never happened before. On Black Friday, the United States is playing England. That'll be a huge game, and people are often off work that day unlike in the rest of the month. Instead of shopping, they can stay home and watch the World Cup. I think that game might end up becoming the highest rated game in American history because people are home for Thanksgiving and the US/England game is going to be really big here.

Huspen: When did the book officially launch and how are you advertising it?

Lisi: The book came out October 12, and marketing the book is a lot easier in an internet world where you have Twitter and Instagram. I've been interviewed by a lot of podcasts already and have tried to do a lot of appearances like this one. It's been fun, even though I don't love talking about myself that much to be honest. It's a necessary evil to publicize the book and sell copies. There was an excerpt that ran in Religion Unplugged recently as well. I'm hoping to get excerpts of the book to run in other places as well, as that gets people interested in buying the book.

This interview was published with permission from the Empire State Tribune.

Prof. Clemente Lisi to release new book on the history of the FIFA World Cup ahead of Qatar 2022

A new book on the history of soccer’s World Cup, written by The King’s College journalism professor and veteran journalist Clemente Lisi, will be released on Oct. 12.

The publication of the book, “The FIFA World Cup: A History of the Planet’s Biggest Sporting Event,” comes ahead of the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar. The quadrennial championship — the first time that it will take place in the Middle East — kicks off on Nov. 20 when the host nation takes on Ecuador.

“The World Cup is the biggest sporting event on the planet in terms of both eyeballs and passion,” Lisi said. “This book details the history of the event, the emotion it evokes and offers up a preview of the upcoming tournament.”

Every four years, the world’s best national soccer teams compete for the FIFA World Cup. Billions of people tune in from around the world to experience the remarkable events unfolding live, both on and off the field. From Diego Maradona’s first goal against England at the 1986 World Cup to Nelson Mandela’s surprise appearance at the 2010 final in South Africa, these unforgettable moments have helped to create a global phenomenon.

In “The FIFA World Cup: A History of the Planet's Biggest Sporting Event,” Lisi chronicles the 92-year-old tournament from 1930 to today. He provides vivid accounts of games, details the innovations that impacted the sport across the decades and offers biographical sketches of all-time greats such as Pele, Maradona and Lionel Messi. In addition, Lisi includes needed, objective coverage of off-field controversies such as the FIFA corruption case, making this book an impartial history of the tournament.

Featuring stunning color photography, interviews and behind-the-scenes stories from the author’s many years covering the game and attending the last three World Cups, the book is the definitive history of this global event.

The book’s official launch will take place at The King’s College in New York City on Nov. 2. Details for that event will be made public later this fall.

“The FIFA World Cup: A History of the Planet's Biggest Sporting Event” is published by Rowman and Littlefield. It is available now for preorder at Rowman.com, Barnes & Nobles, Target, Amazon and wherever books are sold.

Media who want to request a review copy can do so here.

Editorial Reviews for “The FIFA World Cup: A History of the Planet’s Biggest Sporting Event”:

“Read this book! A masterful, must-read guide full of important well-researched information for those of us who want more history and context to better enjoy and understand the World Cup.”

— Steven G. Mandis, author of “The Real Madrid Way and What Happened to the USMNT”

“Clemente Lisi's new book, The FIFA World Cup, serves as a wonderful walk down memory lane for fans of the beautiful game's biggest event. Lisi fell in love with the World Cup watching the '82 tournament at his grandmother's apartment in Italy. I fell in love with the World Cup that same summer watching the epic Germany-France semifinal shootout with my grandparents in Germany. Millions of us have similar stories to tell. Lisi's passion for the World Cup comes shining through in his well-researched, entertaining book, perfect for both die-hards and casual fans alike.”

— Andy Clayton, Deputy Sports Editor, New York Daily News

“Clemente Lisi's lifelong passion for soccer shines through on every page. The book is a great resource for novice and expert readers alike. The World Cup is the rare sports event that even non-fans can unite around and with this book he has found the back of the net.”

— Dan Good, author, “Playing Through the Pain: Ken Caminiti and the Steroids Confession That Changed Baseball Forever”

“The World Cup is unique and, with every succeeding tournament, the task of encompassing its goals and own goals, heroes and villains, magic and muddles becomes ever more of a challenge. Lisi has met that daunting test full-on and with an enthusiasm and love of the game which breathes through every page to render this a worthy addition to the genre.”

— Keir Radnedge, best-selling sports author, long-time columnist and former editor of World Soccer magazine

Paige Hagy elected King's SPJ chapter president for the 2022-23 academic year

Paige Hagy, outgoing editor-in-chief of the Empire State Tribune, has been elected president of the student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists at The King’s College for the 2022-23 academic year. Hagy replaces current president Sofia Valdes.  

In addition to her new position, Hagy will be interning this summer at American Banker through the Dow Jones News Fund.

Chapter members also elected Valdes the chapter’s vice president and Melinda Huspen as secretary. Both students have also worked for the EST, the award-winning independent student newspaper at King’s. 

In addition to electing a new executive team, the chapter co-sponsored a series of events with MPJI this year. The chapter helped co-sponsor and promote “Alumni Night” in the fall and spring semesters, where King’s and NYCJ alums discuss what it was like to work in the news media during the pandemic.  

The highlight of the year was a talk on April 13 by publisher Walter E. Hussman Jr., which served as MPJI’s eight annual lecture and co-sponsored by the chapter. 

The campus SPJ chapter was founded by students in 2018. Past chapter presidents have been Anastassia Gliadkovskaya (2018-19), Jillian Cheney (2019-20) and Gabriela Kressley (2020-21).  

The Society of Professional Journalists is the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior.

SPJ, founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry through the daily work of its members. The organization works to educate current and future journalists through professional development and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of press and speech through its advocacy efforts.

For more information on how to become a member, please visit www.spj.org or fill out the application form here.

Spring ‘22 NYCJ students learn what it takes to make it in New York, studying and interning in the city as the pandemic eases

Students taking part in the NYC Semester in Journalism program have spent the past two months covering important local and national news stories as the world slowly emerges from COVID-19. 

This semester’s students followed in the footsteps of past NYCJ classes by participating in the unique semester-long, off-campus study program operated by the McCandlish Phillips Journalism Institute at The King’s College in NYC.

After two years when internships were remote, many are now hybrid while classes at King’s are back in person. 

“I would absolutely recommend NYCJ to anybody who thinks journalism may be a career they pursue seriously,” said Banks Halvorson, who hails from Covenant College in Georgia and is currently interning at the Brooklyn Paper.

“The experience of working with newspapers in the media capital of America is priceless, and the classes you take and people you meet are incredible. I was excited about this program, but it has blown all my expectations out of the water.”  

Students taking part in the 14th NYCJ cohort that chose to make New York their home this semester. The students are enrolled in classes, including History of Journalism and New York City with Prof. Clemente Lisi and Entrepreneurial Journalism with Prof. Paul Glader. Under Glader’s guidance, the students work 20 hours per week in a New York newsroom, earning six academic credits and pursuing bylines.

Paige Taylor, a student from Abilene Christian University in Texas, is currently an intern at Bold TV. She said her internship and courses — in addition to living in New York City — has made this semester a unique experience.  

“Living and working in New York is much more fast paced than I anticipated,” she added, “but I adapted very quickly and have actually grown to love the hustle and bustle.” 

Esther Wickham, a King’s student who is taking part in NYCJ this spring, said her internship at amNewYork and living in the city has given her a chance to gain valuable experience needed for her to get a job once she graduates. 

“I would definitely recommend the program! It grants you the opportunity that the current college you attend can't give you,” she said. “Living in New York City during your college years while pursuing a career in journalism with highly skilled and talented professors that have been in the journalism field for decades is a dream many have.” 

Camila da Silva, a student who attends the Sao Paulo-based Mackenzie Presbyterian University in Brazil, is spending the semester as an intern with Religion Unplugged. She said her favorite class was History of Journalism, a course that looks at coverage of various events in U.S. history, including the 9/11 attacks, and the beliefs, values and character that goes with working in a New York newsroom.

“It brings together what we can learn from the past and perspectives for building modern journalism,” she said. 

Both Taylor and Wickham are taking Religion Reporting this semester, giving students yet another chance to get bylines since the advanced reporting class works closely with ReligionUnplugged.com. The non-profit religion news website, which has offices at TKC, is part of The Media Project. 

“We have gone really in depth on reporting and getting outside of our comfort zone when it comes to reporting on topics we are not very familiar with,” Taylor said. “I have learned so much about reporting.” 

The New York City Semester program partners with more than 41 universities and colleges across the U.S. and the world. Students can apply to join the program for a future semester by clicking here. 

MPJI Advisory Committee Member’s New Book Shows Readers How To Challenge Health Care System

Journalist and MPJI advisory committee member Marshall Allen made big moves during the Covid-19 pandemic. After a decade reporting investigative stories about health for the non-profit news outlet ProPublica, Allen joined the Office of the Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as an assistant regional inspector general. 

Also, Marshall has a new book out from Portfolio Penguin (edited by MPJI advisory committee member Bria Sanford) titled “Never Pay the First Bill: And Other Ways to Fight the Health Care System and Win.” The book has led to many media appearances and speaking events in recent months. 

Marshall's worked as a Christian missionary in Kenya and attended Fuller Seminary before getting into journalism and investigative reporting. He has inspired hundreds of our students. And the MPJI lecture Marshall gave in 2016, was also edited into an opinion piece that ran in the Sunday Review section of The New York Times. MJPI executive director Paul Glader caught up with Marshall about his book and his new job. We remain grateful for his speaking and mentorship with our students in the past eight years.

Q: Hi Marshall, tell us about your new job and why you made the switch? Should we miss your bylines about outrageous practices in the health care industry? How does the new job align with your previous work?

My new job with the federal government utilizes my skillset as my investigative reporter, but in a different context. Now I have much greater access to data, interview subjects and other information, as I evaluate and inspect taxpayer-funded government health care programs and their role serving the public. I’ll still be reporting and writing and editing, but instead of stories my team and I will publish government reports that include recommendations for improvements. 

I won’t be writing for ProPublica, but I’m pleased that my new job allows me to continue the work as an author and educator. My book has had a successful launch and now I’m working on launching a curriculum of health literacy videos that are based on the book. My goal is to pair the book and videos together so American can be equipped and empowered to get a better deal on health care. The content shows people how to check their medical bills for inaccuracies and overcharges; win insurance company appeals; avoid unnecessary treatment and more. If people want to learn more about the health literacy videos, I just launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to complete their production. Please partner with me to bring them to life! I will also be writing more for my own website, marshallallen.com, and publishing Victory Stories – examples of individuals and employers finding ways to get the health care they need at a lower price, or fighting the system and winning. 

Q: So tell us about this book. What’s your main thesis? 

“Never Pay the First Bill” is a how-to guide to help individuals and employers hack the health care system. My main thesis is that the health care system has been preying on us financially, but with the right tactics we can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars per health care interaction – without compromising the care that we need. Americans pay twice as much per person for health care compared to the citizens of other developed nations. Plus, we still have about 30 million people who are uninsured. And our outcomes are much worse! 

Our ridiculous health care costs are not justified. Often they are driven up by middlemen who are marking up the cost of medicine so they can make money. There’s a lot of profiteering in the industry and it’s costing us. Working Americans and employers are the hardest hit by our country’s out-of-control health care costs. They are paying much more than they should because of billing errors, overcharges, unnecessary treatment, unjustified prices and more. 

My book boosts people’s health care financial literacy so they can avoid the costly pitfalls that surround them in the health care system. I’m already seeing people save big money by putting the tactics in the book into practice. It’s been really rewarding to see people equipped and empowered and standing up for themselves and winning. 

Q: It sounds revolutionary in some ways to empower people to challenge big corporations in this manner. Do you feel like a lonely voice in this cause or do you sense the revolution is being televised and picking up steam? 

This movement is definitely picking up steam. People know they’re being exploited financially by the health care system. Americans say year after year that the high cost of health care is their number one financial concern. It’s so bad now that about 1 in every 5 Americans has medical debt in collections! The health care system has pushed our backs against the wall and individuals and employers are ready to try new things. The industry is filled with so much waste, and it’s been so abusive to the public, that it is ripe for disruption. And when individuals and employers put the tactics into place that I write about in my book, they are dramatically reducing the cost of their health care, while improving the quality of the care they need. 

Q : You wrote about your own experience using these techniques with your father’s health care and you express a righteous indignation and sense of justice as people seek transparency and accountability from healthcare providers and insurers. How does your Christian faith inform this sense of justice? 

Each of us is valuable as a person because we are made in the image of God. Every person’s life is precious. So when even a single person gets ripped off by the health care system it’s a violation of what’s right and just – and causing harm to a person who is created in God’s image. In this case, every American is paying much more than they should be for the care that they need. And in many cases the costs are so high people are unable to get the care they need. 

My book’s argument is built on what’s moral and fair and ethical. Right now, what we see happening on the financial side of the health care system is legal, but it’s not ethical. For example, let’s start with the hidden prices. It’s not right to hide the price of a procedure or test from a patient at the time of service, and then hit them with a massive bill that’s many times higher than it should be. And yet, this type of overcharges are standard in our health care system. It’s also not right to raise the prices on drugs like insulin, which diabetics need to survive, without making any improvement in the drug itself. But this has also been standard practice. It’s also not right for hospitals to make billing mistakes and refuse to correct them. But this is a daily occurrence. 

The health care system doesn’t give consideration to patients who are not given prices up front, or have unfairly priced insulin, or get overcharged due to a billing mistake. Those patients get sent to collections or even sued by some hospitals. They might have their wages garnished or need to declare bankruptcy. It’s an incredibly unfair situation. 

The dirty secret, which is well known by people in the industry, is that the cost of health care does not have to be so high. Experts estimate that the system squanders about 25% of what we spend – on overcharges, administrative bloat, unnecessary treatment, our inefficient claims processing system and more. The solution is not for the health care system to keep demanding more money. The solution is for the system to make better use of our money. 

There’s a tremendous amount of moral force behind the argument I’m making in the book. I am quite simply saying that it’s not OK to cheat people and overcharge them just because they got sick. And when a person who is being exploited or overcharged stands up for themselves, they also have a tremendous amount of moral force behind their argument. And if they persist and use the right tactics there’s a good chance they will win their argument. 

Q: We appreciated that your book had specific advice for readers but also was full of data and reporting - not just how-to opining. Can you tell us about your reporting and writing methodology? 

I’m careful to make sure what I report is accurate and fair. For example, when I tell stories of patients being harmed by the health care system, I have the patient waive their privacy rights for the sake of my reporting. That way I can reach out to their hospital, insurance company and doctor, to make sure I get the full story. When things get complicated, as they often do in health care journalism, I call experts who can guide me to make sure I’m not going beyond what’s true when I write. I’m also meticulous with my fact checking. I run every detail by the subjects who are in my book to make sure I presented everything correctly, in fact and in the tone of the writing.

I’m also careful to make sure the tone of what I write is not sensationalized. I know it sounds strong for me to say our system is exploiting our sickness for profit. But I have documented this so many times and in so many ways that this is quite honestly the most accurate way to frame what is happening from the point of view of the public. I can speak with this much authority because I have investigated this industry for more than 15 years and have done my homework.  

Q: What impact do you hope and believe the book and your new job will allow you to make in coming years? 

Marshall Allen

The OIG job gives me an incredible amount of access to information and the influence to identify ways to improve the delivery of health care in our government programs. It will take me some time to learn the process, but I plan to make the most of the opportunity. With my book and video curriculum, I want to equip and empower working Americans and employers, so they can be protected about the financially predatory practices of the health care system. No one is coming to our rescue, so each of us needs to boost our health care literacy so we can protect our money and make sure we still get the care we need. It’s already happening, and I want to bring it to scale nationally. 

The McCandlish Phillips Journalism Institute is a home of journalism-related programs and majors at The King’s College in New York City. In addition to its academic programs, it hosts events and provides resources to its students, alums, friends and donors. The institute is named in honor of the legendary reporter at The New York Times who was an exemplar of standards, ethics and style in the craft of journalism and was a kind friend and mentor to those of us who knew him.

The McCandlish Phillips Journalism Institute welcomes the NYCJ class of Fall 2021

NEW YORK — The 13th class of the NYC Semester in Journalism arrived in late August from across the United States and one from Brazil. The class of 13 students represent nine colleges and universities. 

The students will participate in a unique semester-long, off-campus study program operated by the McCandlish Phillips Journalism Institute at The King’s College in New York. They will spend the semester living in student housing at King’s, where they will engage in a journalism-intensive semester, including taking classes such as Entrepreneurial Journalism with Prof. Paul Glader, a former reporter at The Wall Street Journal and founder of VettNews.com.   

Under the guidance of both Glader and Prof. Clemente Lisi, a former editor at the New York Post, students will earn six academic credits pursuing at least one byline or video credit per week for their portfolios. 

The New York City Semester program partners with 41 colleges and universities across the nation and globe. Apply to become a partner school by contacting Paul Glader at pglader@tkc.edu. Apply to join us as a student for a future semester by clicking here. 

Here is a roster of the NYCJ Fall 2021 class: 

Leocciano Callao 

A native of The Philippines, Leocciano hails from Providence Christian College in Pasadena, Calif. He is interning at the Brooklyn Paper this semester.   
 

Anna Carlson

Anna attends Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. She previously worked for The Point Weekly, Point Loma’s student media outlet. She is interning at Newsweek.  

Julia Findley 

A digital communication and design manager, Findey is a student at William Jessup University in Rocklin, Calif. She is interning at Bold TV.  

Alyssa Flores 

Alyssa also attends William Jessup, studying marketing and communications. She is interning at Bold TV.    

Haeven Gibbons 

A journalism major and Spanish minor, Gibbons is a student at Texas Christian University in Dallas. She previously interned at The Media Project, which is based at King’s, and is currently an intern at amNewYork.  

Ashley Grams

Ashley is a broadcast journalism major at Biola University outside Los Angeles. She is interning at NBC New York.



Nyckole Holguin 

Nyckole is a student at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, studying broadcast journalism. She is interning at amNewYork.  

Alyse Messmer 

Alyse is a student at Cal Baptist University located near Los Angeles. She is interning at Newsweek.   

Katelyn Quisenberry

A student who attends Biola University outside Los Angeles, Katelyn is interning at Bold TV.   

Sofia Kioko Saleem Khan 

Sofia hails from Brazil and attends Mackenzie Presbyterian University in Sao Paulo. She is interning at Religion Unplugged, an Award-winning non-profit news website. 
 

Rebecca Schwind

Rebecca is a student at Biola University outside Los Angeles and has experience at The Chimes, the school’s student-run newspaper. She is interning at Newsweek.  

Jada Williamson 

Jada is a student at Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn. She is interning at the Brooklyn Paper.  

Kayla Wong

Kayla attends Point Loma Nazarene University. She is interning at the Queens Courier. 

The McCandlish Phillips Journalism Institute is a home of journalism-related programs and majors at The King’s College in NYC. In addition to its academic programs, it hosts events and provides resources to its students, alums, friends and donors. The institute is named in the honor of the legendary reporter at The New York Times who was an exemplar of standards, ethics and style in the craft of journalism and was a kind friend and mentor to those of us who knew him.

The McCandlish Phillips Journalism Institute and Acton Institute Host Skeptech

This article was written by The Empire State Tribune staff writer Esther Wickham and published on The Empire State Tribune website on March 3rd, 2021. You can read more articles from The Empire State Tribune here.

The McCandlish Phillips Journalism Institute hosted SkepTech, a virtual webinar, last Thursday with bestselling author and political commentator David French.

The discussion centered around the discourse between the government, technology and free speech. Keynote speaker French, who currently serves as senior editor for The Dispatch and as a columnist for Time Magazine, opened the first half of the event with a lecture tackling free speech within technology and Big Tech companies.

“We’re weighting into a topic that has been more dominated by ignorance and outright dishonesty surrounding Section 230 and free-speech online,” French said.

Screenshot Courtesy of Esther Wickham

Discussing Section 230, French outlined why there is no trust between the government and individuals. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 states, “No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.” This act aims to provide immunity from legal responsibilities to Big Tech companies that decide to censor violent content on their social media platforms.

“Online speech was specifically created for moderation but is not being treated much like offline speech. The real object is not their bigness. It’s their ideology,” French said. “You begin to realize that your lines of communication to your public are in the hands of people who do not like your speech, and so you feel an enormous sense of vulnerability.”  

French concluded his lecture by restating the main reason why we are having these discussions. 

“We need to be careful not to let micro issues distract us from macro truth,” French said. 

In the second half of the event, French moderated a panel of guest speakers, including Dr. Mary Anne Franks, professor at the University of Miami School of Law, Al Sikes, current President of Hearst New Media, and Scott Lincicome, a senior fellow in economic studies at the Cato Institute. The panelists then discussed how Section 230 is giving more power to big companies. 

“With Section 230, these big dominating companies get this bubble wrap protection around them while private citizens don’t get special protection,” Franks said. 

The panelist concluded that these big companies could do more harm than good with this legal protection.

King's Alumna Talks About Her Path To EuroNews, Columbia University And Forbes

Anastassia Gliadkovskaya came to The King’s College in New York City as a 17-year-old from California with a background in performance classical piano and a burgeoning career in fashion modeling. Very quickly at King’s, she started gravitating to journalism classes, reporting for The Empire State Tribune and pursuing training and internships from The Daily Dot in New York to EuroNews in France to the European Journalism Institute in Prague. She worked for Prof. Paul Glader and Dr. David Tubbs as a faculty assistant. Her tireless work ethic led her to Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, where she studied investigative reporting, and now is continuing her reporting career. She took a pause from reporting to answer questions from Prof. Glader.

Q: Tell us about your current role at Forbes magazine and what you are doing there?

A: I’m a reporting intern on the wealth team at Forbes, covering billionaires. My primary role is to help put together the World’s Billionaires issue, which comes out this spring. I help value the net worth of the billionaires on our list (possibly close to 2,700 this year!), and I also write about billionaires who are doing something unique or interesting.

Q: You put the time in with internships during your time at King’s. Tell us about that process and how internships helped you develop as a journalist. And how did the MPJI team help facilitate some of those internships?

A: Getting newsroom experience early is fundamental to getting ahead in the industry. Every employer looks for three things — newsroom experience, clips and the ability to find unique stories. Without the foundational internships in undergrad, I would be having a much more difficult time landing prestigious positions. Internships varied, but they ultimately all taught me to always think quickly and commit myself fully to what I was doing, even if I was afraid or uncertain. I’m lucky MPJI strongly encouraged me to apply for every right opportunity that presented itself. I was able to figure out what I like and don’t like early on, and what my strengths and weaknesses are.

Q: After college at King’s, you applied to the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, were you were accepted and completed a Master’s in journalism. Prof. Lisi and I were glad to see that as we are fellow Columbia alums. Tell us about some of the key skills and knowledge you gained at Columbia.

A: Some of the most memorable teachings to me have got to be ethics and information warfare reporting. My ethics class challenged me to consider scenarios both hypothetical and real that called for difficult decisions. Would I publish if I got my information this way? Would I approach a source, given x circumstance? Would I have done what that reporter did? In class we debated, considered and justified. We heard every argument for and against. Not every student had the same answer — and that was the point. We had to dig deep into ourselves to understand where we each wanted to draw lines, morally. It was a critical class for establishing my own standards and defining what kind of reporter I want to be. Information warfare reporting was a class I chose to take, but strongly believe every student should be required to. In it, we learned about the dynamics of platforms and ads, how to investigate them and the dangers of amplification. In a time when we are all vulnerable to bad actors and disinformation online, it is more important than ever to study the ecosystems in which they thrive and the myriad ways they find to take advantage.

Q: You studied at the Stabile center at Columbia, which focuses on investigative reporting. What are some key software, apps, skillsets you think are really helpful to young journalist today especially if they want to do investigative reporting?

A: In terms of investigative reporting, the first outlet and resource that comes to mind is Bellingcat. I see it as the holy grail of modern investigative and digital forensics reporting. In addition to incredible longform reporting, like this, Bellingcat offers everything from guides to case studies to newsletters to webinars. Bellingcat reporters rely on OSINT — open source intelligence — to conduct their investigations. What that means is they don’t just rely on people as sources, but also on publicly available data. On that note, I highly recommend Craig Silverman’s Verification Handbook, which you can find for free online. It’s as close to a comprehensive course on information warfare reporting as you can get. In general, knowing how to work with complex datasets is critical to investigative reporting. Taking a course on advanced Excel at Columbia propelled my work to another level — I strongly suggest taking a course on at least Excel, but also on R or SQL if you want to really get into data reporting. I am attending the NICAR conference this year, led by IRE, which is quite affordable since it’s online this year — keep an eye on this annual conference! IRE’s annual conference is great, too, but less focused on the data reporting aspect. IRE membership is a huge plus to have, and IRE also features fantastic resources on its website. Also, sign up for LinkedIn Premium — journalists qualify for a free version. It is my favorite hack for finding and connecting with sources.

Q: You graduated last May (2020) right? Into a tough Coronavirus-affected market. What has been your strategy to keep reporting and moving forward in your career?

A: I graduated last May, online. Columbia’s career fair got short-squeezed because of the pandemic, and it was clear that the job market would not be forgiving in 2020. But thanks to how much reporting I got to do at Columbia and King's, I felt comfortable freelancing if I had to. I was lucky to land a reporting fellowship during the summer through a program Columbia sponsored last-minute for graduates, but after that ended in August I freelanced for the rest of the year. The key to keep moving forward is to not think of reporting as the only thing that will strengthen your skills and qualifications. Reporters have tons of assets — copy editing, fact-checking, content writing, researching, filing records requests. There’s a job market out there for all of those, and we can definitely work those gigs to pay the bills if needed. So many reporters in the field have a side gig — and it typically pays much more than reporting does! I think one of the biggest misconceptions I overcame after graduating was that if I wasn’t reporting, I was failing. That’s just not the case. And as a freelancer, I had time to pursue longer investigations that I really cared about. My biggest advice would be to take every opportunity that presents itself and put yourself out there. Join Study Hall — an incredible network of freelancers that offers everything from a Slack chat to pitch guides to a database of editors’ emails. Be active on Twitter and network. Help promote other reporters’ work. DM editors with your questions and pitches. These things have not only kept me preoccupied during this turbulent time but also have helped me progress.

Q: Was there a pivotal moment for you when you realized you were all in on journalism as a calling or career?

A: My sophomore year, several King’s students including myself had taken a trip with you, Paul, to Washington, D.C., for a journalism conference. There, we got to hear Edward Snowden speak via video call. It was a once in a lifetime experience. I’ll never forget the things he said, how he encouraged us in our fight for the truth and for exposing corruption. I felt so alive and invigorated, I knew this was what I am meant to be doing.

Q: What would you tell high school or college students who want to be journalists regarding the importance of studying in NYC?

A: I realize it’s a privilege to study and live in New York City, and that not everyone can do so. But for me, it was the reason I got into this business, so I owe a lot to the city. Here, you're surrounded by the biggest and most important hallmarks in the world. I remember waiting in line in the dark, waking hours of a chilly fall morning to attend Good Morning America in Times Square. I remember touring the New York Stock Exchange, the Museum of American Finance, The Wall Street Journal, ProPublica, Vice. Few things can inspire a budding reporter like getting to walk inside some of the most exciting halls of our time. And learning to report in a place like NYC will make you a more dogged and patient reporter. You’ll be running around the city figuring out the subway system, hauling equipment and trying to convince strangers to talk to you, and that’s just your typical Monday morning. But that’s what will make you better as a person and more competitive as a reporter. You’ll prove yourself, and you will be rewarded; having lived here for several years, I have established many connections that I trust will go a long way to support my career. If you can be anywhere, this is the place.

Q: What else would you like to tell friends of MPJI and future students at our various programs?

A: Reach out to other reporters and editors. Ask questions. Apply again for jobs when you get turned down. Always be thinking about ways to tell unique stories and always propose new ideas! Figure out what you like and hone that niche. If your mother tells you she loves you, check it out!

Q: How did your time at TKC help you find your path in journalism?

A: I am so grateful that I ended up at a small school like TKC and that it had such a thriving journalism program. I realize that had I gone to a giant undergrad school, I would have been paid much less attention to by professors and mentors. It would have also been more difficult to get involved on campus, and there would have been more bureaucracy to push through to implement change or to experiment with, say, the campus paper’s content. Naturally, with such a small set of students, TKC is able to closely monitor and mold its students’ progress, when it wants to. I think the journalism program is a brilliant example of that. I never felt forgotten or unimportant thanks to the individualized mentoring and encouragement I received from professors and older students alike. Both the big things, like internship recommendations, and the seemingly smaller things, like resume workshops, were of key importance. You can’t succeed in the industry if you aren’t prepared, and you can’t succeed in college if you don’t have guidance. My consistent excitement about reporting and confidence in my own abilities was nurtured because of both.

MPJI is based at The King’s College in New York City. MPJI provides education, training and professional development projects for journalists at the high school, undergraduate and professional levels. It is named after the late John McCandlish Phillips, a legendary reporter at The New York Times.

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @JMPjournalism and LinkedIn at McCandlish Phillips Journalism Institute.

Jerry Mitchell: A Race Against Time

Jerry Mitchell’s memoir was published earlier this year by Simon and Schuster. In "Race Against Time", he recounts the investigation that reopened four notorious “cold cases” of the Civil Rights Movement. Mitchell’s work as an investigative reporter helped to send four Klansmen to prison decades after these crimes took place. His lecture at The King’s College coincides with the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment, giving black men the right to vote.

Jerry Mitchell's memoir was published earlier this year by Simon and Schuster. In "Race Against Time", he recounts the investigation that reopened four notor...

Limited Edition Newspaper-Themed Covid Masks From Grandma Geri

By Paul Glader

Strolling through the hallways at The King’s College in NYC one day, we discovered one of our students, Bailey Kaufman, wearing a newspaper-patterned Coronavirus mask.

“Where did you obtain that cool mask?”

“My grandma made it!” she said.

We asked if Grandma Geri could make more? And, yes, Bailey spoke with her grandmother, who graciously agreed to do so. Now you can have one of these limited edition masks, while supplies last, for your donation to MPJI of $75 or more here. Each donation supports both MPJI and Grandma Jeri’s thread, cloth and thimble fund.

Meanwhile, we also wanted to learn more below about Geri and why she makes these masks.

Name: Geri Lanc

Birthdate: 1/3/1946

Location: Born in Columbus, Neb. now lives in Lincoln, Neb.

Glader: How did you start making masks and where did you find this newspaper-oriented fabric?

Lanc: I started making masks when virus first hit and Bailey needs masks for going back to New York City. We originally found the fabric at Hobby Lobby and when we went back to make more we found a similar pattern off of Etsy. 

Glader: How long have you been sewing and how did you learn how to do so? 

Lanc: I have been sewing since 1966. My husband bought me my first sewing machine. Then, I bought a pattern one day and taught myself. 

Glader: Please tell us about your sewing machine, sewing room and practice of how often you sew? 

Lanc: My sewing machine is called a new home and is in a sewing cabinet with table attached. My sewing room is an all-purpose room and recently I have moved my dogs’ beds in there to keep me company. I only sew when someone in our family needs something hemmed or made for them. 

Glader: Do you read newspapers and, if so, which ones?

Lanc: Yes. Columbus Telegraph, The New York Times, and Lincoln Journal Star.

Glader: What is your perspective on news and information in the U.S., especially local news during your lifetime? 

Lanc: Living in David City area there wasn’t a lot of access to news. From what I have seen things have gotten hectic and is less relaxing to read compared to 50 years ago. You have to keep up with things or else you’re lost. Back then, the sheriff’s department would have a write up every week in the newspaper and it was big news to us. 

Glader: What should friends of The King’s College and McCandlish Phillips Journalism Institute know about you, Bailey and the rest of your family? 

Lanc: I am a middle child of 9. I was a farmer’s wife working side by side with him on our farm. Once the farm crisis hit, we were involved with a bank that went bankrupt so I went to work since they froze our funds which led me to go to Columbus to work in an office. My son, Greg, took over our farm after my husband passed away. My daughter, Brenda, is my first born and Bailey’s mother. When my daughter graduated high school and went to college, she left the farm life and went to Lincoln. My daughter gave me three beautiful grandchildren. I believe everyone should learn how to sew and I have bought my first two grandchildren sewing machines as wedding presents. Bailey is my youngest grandchild and I am so proud of how hard working she is and chasing her dreams in New York City. She has been involved in sports, academics, and fashion. She studies Business Administration and minors in Media Studies. 

Glader: What message would you like to offer to journalism students (and other majors) at The King’s College as we head into the holidays and 2021?

Lanc: Be safe and wear a mask!

Glader: In your hometown, what is the situation like regarding Coronavirus infection rates and carefulness with masks? 

Lanc: It is pretty bad out here. Lincoln is bad, but some of the smaller towns are worse. These small towns around us do not take it as seriously and some of the people here in the city. I refuse to go out to eat in any of those towns since some of the servers do not wear masks. 

Glader: How are you doing managing health and safety for you, your friends and family during this pandemic? 

Lanc: I don’t see my family often. I have my dogs and will take them for walks out at the acreage instead of city. I just had my yearly checkup and so far, at my age, I don’t take any pills and am perfectly healthy. My social life is down to zero except for the occasional phone calls to my sisters or Bailey. I keep my mask on me at all times and will rarely go to the grocery store, but when I do I pick up necessary items. 

Glader: What did you think of Bailey’s decision to attend The King’s College in NYC? And what do you think of her decision now that Bailey has studied here for a while?

Lanc: This was a big opportunity for her and I knew I’d miss her all the time. When she first told me that she was going to go to continue to play soccer in New York City I was excited for her! It’s not like I could drive up and visit her. I love New York so much and wish I could just live with her. Since she has been there for a while I have always worried about her from what I watch on the news. I know she will never come back to Nebraska to live and I will miss that but it is an opportunity to go wherever she desires. Bailey is a smart and determined girl whatever she chooses to do she is committed and puts her all into it. 

Would you like a mask of your own? Donate today:

• With donation of $75 you will receive a newspaper-printed mask

• With a donation of $250 you will receive a a newspaper-printed mask, and MPJI tote bag, and pen

• With a donation of $500 you will receive a mask and a choice of book (Blindspot, The City)

  Click here to donate and specify MPJI in the dropdown menu: https://www.tkc.edu/donate/

Thank you for supporting MPJI and student journalism!

Q & A with Alumna and New York Time's Fellow Reporter Sydney Franklin

By Paul Glader

Sydney Franklin is a reporter covering design, architecture and real estate in the fellowship program at The New York Times this year. Earlier in her career, she attended Milligan College in Tennessee, which is a partner school to the NYC Semester in Journalism (NYCJ) program. When she was an undergraduate at Milligan, she spent a semester at the Washington Journalism Center, which closed in 2015 to merge with NYCJ and reboot in NYC. Sydney is one of the more than 300 alumni of the two programs from 41 partner schools of NYCJ, a program that helps bring students from diverse backgrounds and geographies to learn and intern for a semester in the nation's largest and most important media market. We caught up with Sydney to hear more about her journey to The Times and into her niche covering design, architecture and real estate.

Tell us about your fellowship at the NYT and what beat you are covering

I'm a reporter on the Real Estate desk. The fellowship program aligns fellows with the desks most suited to their backgrounds. For me, real estate made the most sense after spending several years in design media covering architecture and cities. I consider the beat to be the missing link in my tool kit in terms of writing about the built environment, so I’m here trying to learn as much as I can about how selling and buying real estate affects the socioeconomic landscape of the city.

Photo submitted by Sydney Franklin

There are 35 of us total in the fellowship class and we all are having wildly different experiences at The Times (think photography fellows jetting off on Air Force One vs. me calling real estate CEOs from my kitchen). We'll be here for a year then the next class will take over. Unfortunately, until there is a vaccine, I won't have the pleasure of working at The New York Times in-person… inside one of the coolest buildings in the city and of course, one designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano...my dream!

Please explain your journey to Milligan College and Syracuse and into your coverage area now at the New York Times?

Photo taken by Lauren Turner

After taking an undergraduate course on the intersection of media, the arts and religion, I decided I wanted to become an arts journalist. I knew Syracuse's Newhouse School had the first program in the country dedicated to this specialty, so I made it my mission to get in. Once there, I narrowed down my focus even further to architecture and design reporting, studying mostly in the School of Architecture to begin my education in this very dense, complicated field. My program had previously graduated alumni doing big work in New York, some of them in communications at major architecture firms and others serving as editors at the top design magazines. I followed in their footsteps in some ways but broke out into mainstream news this past year with the fellowship at NYT. I've always wanted to find my way back to newspaper reporting so I could use my depth of knowledge on cities to help tell the kinds of stories that locals need to know about the place they live...and in a pandemic where interest rates on mortgages and apartment rents have dipped to record lows, there are so many important real estate stories to share out there.

How did your semester at WJC help you in your career journey? How important was it for you to study in a major city like DC or NYC?

My semester at WJC in Washington, D.C. was the foundation for everything I'm doing today. It sparked my love of major cities and my interest in politics at the local and national levels. I interned for Street Sense Media, which reports on homelessness in D.C. and empowers people experiencing it by allowing them to take part in the organization's business model. Folks who are homeless are as much part of a city's fabric and future as anybody else and I learned how to pay attention to their stories through my beat.

What advice do you have for NYCJ students from our 41 partner schools who are spending a semester in NYC in an internship and classes?

My advice is to learn how to take micro risks. You’ve already done something big by making the decision to move to New York for this program. From here, keep building on that by making small moves every day to reach your goals, whether you want to report a certain story, meet an influential editor, or secure another internship or job. Reaching those goals will require a series of somewhat calculated and bold risks. People want to help you in this industry, so don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.

We see a challenged media industry but also an innovative one. What hope do you think exists for young people in high school or college or are considering a career in the news media today and in the future?

One of the redeeming qualities of the news industry right now is that it’s made up of people from all backgrounds, veritable experts in their own unique life experiences. You don’t have to climb the traditional ladder of journalism to get to an editorship at a major paper. Yes, you need the reporting and editing experience, but you can pursue other passions in tandem with your writing goals. One of my fellowship colleagues has a Ph.D. in immunology and is our science reporter at The Times. Let that inspire you for the future. There are some really smart people out here making the industry more innovative simply by existing in the space. There’s space for you, too.

What do you do for fun in NYC?

In pre-pandemic times, one of my favorite things to do was go to concerts. Nowadays, I'm enjoying watching the seasons change by going on longer walks in my neighborhood or even hikes outside the city. I also coach youth lacrosse in my spare time, which is something I've continued to do this fall but socially-distanced.

As someone who writes about urbanism and architecture, what are three of your favorite locations or neighborhoods in NYC?

Photo submitted by Sydney Franklin

I love this question. One of my favorite vantage points in New York is the view of FiDi from the Staten Island Ferry. I also love driving on the West Side Highway where you get a quick glimpse of all sorts of big architecture all the way from the George Washington Bridge down to Tribeca. Cycling on the Greenway works, too! My favorite building is the Bank of America Tower by Bryant Park. One time, driving home from a hike, my friend pulled out a special app that allowed us to change the colors of the antenna from our car. It was like magic.

For others who enjoy reading and thinking about urbanism, what publications - magazines, websites and newspapers - do you like to read (besides the NYT)? What related authors and thinkers do you recommend on the topic?

I highly recommend following Curbed, which now operates under New York Magazine. Justin Davidson is one of the funniest and most accessible critics out there, as well as Alexandra Lange (find her books too). I am on the advisory board of an online publication that highlights the stories of women in architecture called Madame Architect. It's so inspiring.

Paul Glader is director of the McCandlish Phillips Journalism Institute and co-director of the NYC Semester in Journalism (NYCJ). If you are a journalism professor or student interested in the program, email pglader@tkc.edu.

Fall ‘20 NYCJ Students Use Internships to Cover Elections and COVID-19

NYCJ Fall 2020 students Destinee Evans and Marlena Lang having a lunch meeting with Prof. Paul Glader and Prof. Clemente Lisi

Students who are part of the NYC Semester in Journalism (NYCJ) program have had plenty of success in their internships this Fall, covering the recent presidential election and the ongoing pandemic for a number of news organizations.   

This semester’s students followed in the footsteps of past NYCJ classes by participating in the unique semester-long, off-campus study program operated by the McCandlish Phillips Journalism Institute at The King’s College in NYC.

“I am most proud of two articles that I wrote for my internship at Newsweek. The first was my very first article about mail-in ballot controversies around the nation,” said Marlena Lang, a Biola student who is part of the magazine’s newly-formed fact-checking team. “I was proud of this article because not only was it my first, but it is also the longest one I have completed after spending two days researching and writing it.

Lang said the other piece she is most proud was about the Pfizer vaccine “because I pitched them the idea and then completed the research and wrote the article.”

Destinee Evans and Marlena Lang in Battery Park

Destinee Evans, a student from Olivet Nazarene University, said her internship at the New York Daily News allowed her to cover COVID-19 and its impact on the Big Apple.

“During this internship, I have been able to interview families of people who may have just lost a loved one but getting to tell amazing stories about the people they love has been rewarding,” she added. “It can be a lot to take in sometimes but getting over the fear of talking to new people is something I will take with me throughout my career.”  

Students taking part in the eleventh NYCJ cohort that chose to come to New York in person this semester took advantage of TKC’s hybrid model, a mix of both online and in person classes as well as their internship. The students are enrolled in classes including Entrepreneurial Journalism with Prof. Paul Glader and a course called The City taught by Anne Hendershott. The City course – required of all NYCJ students – also serves as an elective for King’s students.

Under the guidance of Prof. Clemente Lisi, a former editor at the New York Post and New York Daily News, the students work 20 hours per week in a New York City newsroom, earning six academic credits and pursuing bylines.

Being able to live and work in New York City remains a huge appeal to students.

“Living in New York has been an amazing experience that I was worried would not happen,” Evans said. “Getting to go different places in the city with new friends has been fun. I know it’s not the same as semesters in the past but it is still something that I will cherish.”

The New York City Semester program partners with 40 universities and colleges across the nation and globe. Apply to become a partner school by contacting Paul Glader at pglader@tkc.edu. Apply to join us as a student for a future semester by clicking here.

Will New York City Survive? A Q & A with Anne Hendershott

By MPJI Staff

Anne Hendershott, writer and visiting professor at The King’s College, will be returning this semester to teach a course on “The City,” which will be a core course for every student who attends the NYC Semester in Journalism (NYCJ) program and an elective for students at The King’s College. Hendershott has written many books including Renewal, Status Envy, The Politics of Deviance, The Politics of Abortion, Moving for Work, and The Reluctant Caregivers.

What will a student enrolled in The City learn?/What do you most hope students learn?

The goal of the course is to help students discover exactly what it is that made New York City the vibrant and exciting place it still is today.  We take what is called in urban studies an “ecological approach” to understand how New Amsterdam — a sleepy trading post — became the thriving metropolis it is today. 

The ecological approach looks at four different variables including Population, Organization, Environment and Technology to help us understand why New York – and not Philadelphia, or New Orleans, or any one of a number of cities—became the premier city in the country.  I allow students to conclude for themselves which of the four variables they see as “most important” in helping to explain how New York became New York. Many of them choose environment as the explanatory variable because of our deep water harbor and access to the hinterlands but I would argue that it is the people of New York City – from the earliest days — that made the access to the hinterlands possible by building the Erie Canal.  And it was the people of New York that actually created the deep water harbor.  Just a few steps away from King’s College is Pearl Street – it was called Pearl Street because at one time Pearl Street was just a big oyster bed—that filled with water.  The people of New York used technology to dig and create the deep-water harbor that facilitated trade.  To me, the people and the culture they created is what makes New York City what it is today.

How does the past relate to current issues?

Throughout the course we look closely at the people and events that shaped New York as a place for business, the arts and the media. For example, we begin with the Dutch who brought the capitalist spirit — the need the develop a trading post that would rival all others. I am Dutch — my father was part of an early Dutch family in Manhattan — so I guess I give a bit more attention to the early Dutch settlers here than most others. We look closely at Peter Stuyvesant and his role in creating New Amsterdam’s governance. Then, we move on to the Revolutionary War and the pre-Revolutionary role of journalist, John Peter Zenger—an immigrant from Germany who became a printer and publisher in the City.  We maintain that Zenger singlehandedly “won” for us, the freedom of the press. Zenger did this by printing the New York Weekly Journal—an early tabloid that was used in the pre-Revolutionary times to poke fun at the English leaders of the new colony.  Zenger published irreverent cartoons of William Cosby, the royal governor of New York — depicting him as assorted farm animals — in order to protest his policies.  In response, Governor Cosby had Zenger imprisoned.  But, with the help of very smart lawyer from Philadelphia, Zenger was released and the freedom of the press was officially established.  Zenger is still a symbol for the freedom of the press—and we are still debating today how much freedom the press should have.

Throughout the course, we look at the important role that Christianity has played—and continues to play—for the City. While the Dutch did not get around to building a church in New Amsterdam for more than decade, that did not mean that they did not worship and thank God for bringing them to this beautiful island. It was just that the Dutch believed that to honor God they needed to work hard and provide for their families in this new world. Establishing a flourishing trading post enabled them to later build a church and hire a minister for their fledgling colony.

How will we respond to calls for police reform?

The Black Lives Matter movement has great resonance for us in this course.  Since we take a socio-historical perspective, we will look at other periods in our City’s history when there were similar calls for police reform. As each wave of immigrants came to the City, there were calls for police reform as each new immigrant group experienced what they perceived as discriminatory practices by those who came before them.  When the Irish immigrants arrived in large numbers, they were treated harshly by those earlier immigrants who were charged with law enforcement. The word “Paddy Wagon” came from the fact that Irish criminals were far more likely to be arrested and put into the police carriages than any other ethnic group.  The Irish came to power eventually by becoming police officers, politicians and priests — and then they were able to determine who would be arrested and incarcerated.  The Irish then were viewed as discriminating against the next ethnic group to arrive in the City — the Italians and the Eastern Europeans—who were barred from jobs with the police department and were more likely to be arrested and incarcerated than the Irish.

This demographic imbalance on the police department became a problem in July, 1863, during the New York City Draft Riots when the anger of working class New Yorkers over a new federal draft law during the Civil War sparked five days of riots in the City. African Americans were often the target of the rioters’ violence — some were lynched, many were murdered and some of the perpetrators were on the City’s police force.

Today, the NYPD demographics have changed dramatically as white police officers are in the minority.  Of the 35,783-member police force, only 47% are White, and 53% are Black, Latino or Asian American. Still, the perception remains that the NYPD does not understand inner-city concerns about what some residents view as unfair treatment of Blacks and Hispanics. We will explore the cultural contributors to that perception in the course.

Are middle class and wealthier New Yorkers fleeing NYC?

While it cannot be denied that COVID has demonstrated to us that we may not have to be physically present in an office in the City in order to get our work done, I just cannot agree with the National Review and NYTimes claims that COVID has “changed” the City forever. We have faced challenges that were even greater in the past – during the Depression of the 1930s, we had more than 25% of the New York City workforce unemployed. The 1970s flight of businesses and jobs out of the City was actually much worse than the current crisis.  I am confident that New York will be back better than ever.  New Yorkers are resilient and even though there are indeed some jobs that can be done remotely, journalists, artists, actors and writers will continue to live and work in the City.  We are still the financial capital and although many businesses may believe they can have their workers relocate elsewhere, New York will remain the heart of the business world.

Have you taken on any new interests since COVID?

I have had much more time to devote to research and writing about the cultural fallout from the COVID lock-down.  And, now during this period of protest, I have been writing and publishing articles in the secular and religious press which attempt to explain our current cultural predicament.

What are you most looking forward to at King’s?

For me, the main attraction to King’s has always been the students. They are among the most highly motivated and talented students I have ever worked with in my more than three decades of college teaching.  I am grateful for their enthusiasm and their optimism – and the many gifts they bring including their great love for God and their desire to know and serve Him. I have had the great privilege to work with several King’s students even after graduation. A few years ago, I co-authored a book with a former King’s student. This student, Christopher White, was my research assistant during his undergraduate years and we stayed in touch and ended up collaborating on several articles that were published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and other newspapers.  Eventually, we co-authored a book that was published by Encounter Books, Renewal. Now that student, Christopher, is a talented journalist for the National Catholic Register, formerly a correspondent for Crux. 

What was your most pivotal moment?

More than 20 years ago, I made a conscious decision to begin writing for a more general audience with my books and articles. Until that time, I had written primarily for a scholarly audience but was reaching very few readers. But, once I published my Politics of Deviance book in 2002—and directly targeted my writing toward readers who wanted to be part of the conversation, it has changed everything for me. Since that time, each book I have published, and all of the hundreds of articles I have written and published in the media is always geared to an educated reader who appreciates fact-based opinion writing.

Which book is most relevant to the times?

My newest book, The Politics of Envy is in the production process and is due to be released in October—before the election. The book, which is written from a biblical perspective on the sin of Envy, argues that when toxic envy grows unchecked, it will inevitably destroy an individual, a family, a society—even a civilization.  I believe that envy today has reached a tipping point, fueling acts of anger, violence, and revenge in America’s cities and corporate boardrooms. In the book, I argue that much of the attraction to socialism is driven by a malign envy that has been nurtured by craven politicians and incited by some in the media.  There is an entire chapter on the role of social media in encouraging envy.

Go-to Advice for student journalists?

Write!  Find a faculty member who loves to write and tell him or her your ideas.  See if they are willing to let you be part of their research or editing process.  I have published several op-eds and essays with undergraduate students.  The important goal is to develop your own “voice.”  When I taught the Persuasive Writing course at King’s several years ago, I would tell students to pretend that you are sitting in your office and you are telling a friend about an event that is occurring and you want that friend to know all of the facts.  And, if you are writing an opinion piece, write like you would want your friend to know what you think of those facts. 

How Does NYC still matter?

New York will always matter for young journalists, theater students, art students or business and finance students because each of these require the kind of human interactions in dense urban environments that only NYC can provide.  While some businesses may have left the City—as they did in previous economic downturns like the 1970s—there will always be newcomers in the years to come.  The course in The City will demonstrate that these newcomers have been arriving on our shores over and over again, from across the country and the world for more than four centuries.  Some are arriving right now and right here at The King’s College.  I share their spirit of adventure and optimism—and I am grateful that they are here! Our City’s history should reassure us that after previous declines, we lifted ourselves from the depths and flourished like never before. 

How NYCJ Alumna Maria Monteros Landed Prestigious Internships and a Wall Street Journal Page One Story

By Taylor Washington

Four years ago, Maria Monteros was sure she was going to become a doctor. 

Although she always enjoyed writing, the now 21-year-old said pursuing a degree in journalism was not a feasible goal in her native Philippines. 

It wasn’t until her mother got a job offer in the United States that Monteros had the opportunity to study something she was actually passionate about. 

“You have way more opportunities here, and a lot of things are possible, like you can make your own profession possible here. And so, that really inspired me to do what I want in the end,” Monteros said. 

After relocating to Nashville, Tenn., Monteros transferred to Trevecca Nazarene University where she majored in multimedia journalism and minored in marketing because she also wanted to learn about business. 

While she was initially wary about this abrupt change in career path, Monteros said she decided to jump right in. She began writing for Trevecca’s student newspaper, the TrevEchoes, and eventually became an editor. Through Trevecca, Monteros also ended up having the opportunity to write for national publications through Trevecca’s partnership with the NYC Semester in Journalism (NYCJ) program at The King’s College in NYC. 

“I just went in blind, but it ended up being probably the best decision. Is it divine intervention? Maybe, because I mean, if it wasn't for Trevecca then I wouldn't have gone to that New York City program and I wouldn't have gotten the internship at Newsweek,” Monteros said.

Maria Monteros (second from left in front row) with other students in the Spring 2019 class of the NYC Semester in Journalism (NYCJ).

The New York City Semester in Journalism program at The King’s College granted Monteros a semester in the Big Apple where she interned at Newsweek and covered entertainment. She also completed a business journalism course with Prof. Paul Glader at The King’s College that resulted in her final story about a sub-culture of instagram snack food junkies getting published on page one of The Wall Street Journal. 

“It was the first time I’ve seen a story idea from a student that was so original and well-reported that I could pitch it to editors at the WSJ. It’s extremely rare for the WSJ to accept free-lance page one features at all. And it’s more rare to publish a free-lance page one story from a college student. It may be the first time that’s happened,” said Prof. Glader, who is co-director of the NYCJ program at King’s. “It’s a testament to Maria’s creative ideas and rigorous reporting ability.” 

Maria Monteros (second from left) listening to TKC business professor Dr. Dami Kabiawu guest lecture about financial analysis in Prof. Paul Glader’s business reporting class.

That summer following NYCJ in 2019, Monteros interned at Dow Jones MarketWatch where she covered personal finance. This experience cemented Monteros’ passion for business news and she knew she wanted to cover this beat after graduation.

“One thing that I really like about business journalism is it's such an innovative field to work in. There's so many unique beats, like I know someone who covers the space beat, you know, and I think that's crazy,” she said. “I've always wanted to write stories about niche topics and go into depth in it. I want to be an expert in what I'm writing about.”

Her senior year, Monteros was promoted to editor-in-chief of the TrevEchoes where she used her knowledge and interest in business to apply financial angles to campus news. 

“Maria has probably the strongest work ethic of any student I've ever worked with. She is a self-starter, she always meets deadline and she's motivated and ambitious. She takes great pride in her work and doesn't stop until it meets her high standards,” JoEllen Weedman, the newspaper’s faculty advisor and Monteros’ former professor, said.

In addition to improving her reporting skills, Monteros said the job taught her how to collaborate with others and the importance of being a humble leader. When the coronavirus emerged in the U.S. and Trevecca suspended face-to-face instruction, Monteros was still busy reporting remotely. She said this challenging situation taught her how to be tenacious. 

This past year, Monteros was selected to The Dow Jones News Fund business internship program with American City Business Journals. She reported on minority-owned businesses for The Nashville Business Journal in the summer of 2020.

“I’ve always known that this program is very prestigious. And I thought if I want to make it in journalism then this is the program to apply to,” she said. 

NYCJ alumna Maria Monteros (in white striped shirt) listening to The Washington Post business editor Dave Cho speak to Prof. Paul Glader’s business reporting class at The King’s College in NYC.

Having called Nashville home for four years, the recent graduate said she was excited to cover local businesses there. While she said her mission to find the truth motivates her reporting, there is another motivation that influences her strong work ethic. This fall, she will be interning at Bloomberg News.

“I'm a first-generation immigrant,” she said. “And so, just seeing my mom putting her best and trying to give me an education makes me want to work harder.”

- Edits and Updates made by MPJI staff.

Students interested in NYC Semester Program at The King’s College can apply here.

The King’s College, NYC, To Host Week-Long High School Summer Academy Online with Journalism and Finance Tracks

High school students will earn one college credit for a week of virtual study in finance or journalism this July.

This July, The King’s College in New York City will host two week-long summer sessions for high school students to earn college credit studying with finance and journalism faculty and industry leaders.  

Each week includes interactive classes with professors and field-trip style sessions virtually exploring New York City institutions. The King’s College is a Christian liberal arts college, and professors bring a biblical perspective to their areas of expertise.

This is the college’s sixth year offering Summer Academy and the first hosting the program virtually. Summer Academy Online is offered at the highly discounted rate of $200 for one week or $350 for two weeks. Dates and track options are as follows:

• July 12–17: Faith and Finance

• July 26–31: Sports Journalism | Arts and Culture Reporting

Paul Glader, track leader for Arts and Culture Reporting, will take students on a virtual visit to Newsweek magazine and on virtual visits of MoMA, Pace Gallery and the David Zwirner Gallery. “The arts world has long wrestled with digital categories,” says Glader, a former reporter at The Wall Street Journal who also edits the award-winning web-site ReligionUnplugged.com. “And this year their ability to make, show and demonstrate art in that new format is very important.” Students will explore this digital trend and consider how it will shape the future of the art world. They will discuss NYC as a hub of book publishing, fashion, art, film / tv, music and many other parts of culture. They will also consider how Christians can think about and approach culture. And they consider how Christians are working in the world of art and culture at a high level.

Clemente Lisi, track leader for Sports Journalism, will give students hands-on writing experiences to hone their craft, including an examination of how society engages with sports on TV, apps and the Internet as well as in person. This is even more relevant during a year in which pro sports and college sports are adapting to Covid-19. Lisi is a former deputy head of news at The New York Daily News and a sports journalist who covers major league soccer and the World Cup. One element of the course covers the life of Jackie Robinson and features a virtual tour of Brooklyn locations that highlight the famed baseball player. "Robinson is the kind of historical figure that transcends sports. He broke the color barrier to become the first African-American to play in the major leagues in 1947," Lisi says. "He was also a devout Christian and remains a role model for so many Americans seven decades after he played baseball."

In the Faith and Finance track, Dr. Kimberly Reeve and Prof. Michael Hrynuik will lead group activities and discussions to teach students the economics, instruments and institutions of financial markets using New York City as a case study. As Christian finance practitioners, they will discuss how Biblical principles are applicable to everyday operations at a financial institution. Dr. Reeve has an MBA and a PhD and has worked as a managing director at Cathedral Consulting Group. Hrynuik has an MBA from Yale University and has worked in finance at Lehman Brothers, MUFG Securities and Queensboro Capital. “We start with the very roots of capitalism in New York City,” Dr. Reeve says. They plan to cover an overview of money from seashells and gold to cryptocurrency. And Hrynuik says they aim to help students answer the question: “Is it possible to be a Christian leader within the world of financial services and to find a way to glorify God?" 

Students can apply and submit their enrollment fee at www.tkc.edu/sa. Applications due by July 8 for the finance track and by July 17 for the journalism tracks. 

The King’s College (www.tkc.edu) is a Christian liberal arts college in New York City’s Financial District founded in 1938. It chooses to engage American culture at its heart, providing students with opportunities they won’t find elsewhere. The College’s Core Curriculum gives students a robust intellectual foundation for principled leadership throughout society. Under the mentorship of its faculty, students learn to seamlessly integrate their faith and morality into their lives and careers. King's is not a college for the faint of heart — it calls students to be good, brave and ready.