Journalism major Madison MacArthur, '20, has learned through many experiences in 91ֿ’s College of Communication and Information (CCI), what it means to be a storyteller. This summer, she will work in Washington, D.C. as a Juniors Fellow with the Library of Congress. She is the first CCI student to be selected for a Library of Congress internship.
For the internship, MacArthur will be working with the Rare and Special Collections archiving the works of American artist, painter, papermaker and poet, Walter Samuel Hamady. MacArthur will be processing Hamady’s archive of manuscripts, drawings, sketches, pulls and final printings to create a guide to allow researchers to access them in the future.
“This opportunity means so much to me,” MacArthur said. “This is a new way for me to develop as a storyteller by bringing back history in a way to make it relevant.”
MacArthur will serve as editor of the 91ֿr in Fall 2019. She talks about her journey and where she plans to go from here.
Professional-in-Residence Stephanie Smith has commended you as an excellent contributor to her media and movements classes: the Opioid Epidemic Seminar last spring and the Childhood Trauma Seminar this semester. In these courses, CCI students work in multi-disciplinary teams on a public education/awareness campaign for a client. Can you talk about what motivates you to participate in classes like these?
When I heard about the Opioid Epidemic Seminar (Spring 2018), I interviewed with Professor Smith to see if I’d be a good fit for the course. I spoke to her on how as a journalist I wanted to tell stories about people, ones that aren’t always told. She gave me this smile and pointed to a poster behind her that said, “Be a voice for the voiceless.” That quote is what motivates me. I write that in almost all my notebooks to remind myself of why I’m doing the work I’m doing.
What was your biggest takeaway from those classes?
I went into these courses preparing for just public relations, and instead these courses have showed me what it means to be a storyteller, beyond the news stories. I took away how to work on a team, how to conduct research and develop interviewing skills. I’d say that my biggest takeaway is that I’ve learned more about how to be an advocate and what that means.
Where do you see yourself after graduation?
If you asked me this question three months ago … I would have said I’d wind up working in a newsroom maybe working on stories or eventually becoming an editor. I haven’t lost that image, but it’s expanding. I have the title of journalist, advocate, poet, daughter and more, but above everything else, I’m a storyteller. I hope to continue to pursue this path, wherever it takes me. MacArthur would like to thank her parents, her uncle Charles, her cousin Christopher, and her professors for their support throughout this process.