This summer, the Local Media Association team is excited to welcome summer intern Camryn Allen, a rising senior at Villanova University studying communications, global studies, and peace & justice studies. Camryn will support LMA across multiple projects with a focus on philanthropic and collaborative journalism initiatives including The Fund for Local Journalism, NewsFuel, and the Oklahoma Media Center, among others.

Camryn Allen

Camryn has deeply developed interests in human rights, communications, and policy-making. She’s skilled at collaborating with others to improve representation, access, and opportunities with underserved communities. Fundraising, organizing events, social media, and community outreach all fall within Camryn’s background. The Middletown, Del., native said she is excited to gain insight into the impact of LMA and local media on communities and causes she is passionate about. Here’s a little more about Camryn.

How do you want to use your degree after graduation?

My aims are to use my degree towards social justice and human rights initiatives in Washington, D.C., in order to help overlooked and abused communities uplift themselves and restore what has been lost.

What has been your most exciting coursework so far?

My most interesting coursework so far has been postcolonial approaches to communication, wherein I studied how postcolonialism and communications studies intersect and can be used jointly to analyze some of the most pressing geopolitical issues of today.

What is your interest in local media?

Without local media, we would endure unacceptable erasures of experiences, voices, and events that diversify the public sphere. Moreover, stories about our communities told by people near and dear to these communities provide alternative forms of storytelling with inclusive and insider perspectives that help weave society together.

What are you reading or doing this summer other than your internship at LMA?

I am currently reading fiction and memoirs by authors of the African diaspora, including Marlon James and Audre Lorde. Additionally, I am expanding my network with Villanova alumni via phone calls on a weekly basis, and am now gardening squash and tomatoes part-time with my dad.