Tamica Jean-Charles/Assistant Entertainment Director
Instead of finalizing ideas for their senior projects, journalism students in New York City and Washington D.C. are expected to return to Miami.
The four students stationed in the South Florida Media Network bureau in NYC were ordered to self quarantine after a worker in another section of the building where the students normally meet tested positive for COVID-19, after being infected by a spouse.
Now, after consideration, the students will be returning home later this week.
“This is all unprecedented so we’re still in the process of figuring out exactly how our class is gonna go from here,” said NYC student Pablo Alvarez, a graduating senior majoring in journalism.
The decision came just moments before FIU transitioned to remote learning on the same day.
Over 700 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in NYC, while only 18 cases have been reported in Washington, D.C. thus far. Both cities have closed schools and limited social gatherings as much as possible in the past couple of days.
Students in both the NYC and Washington D.C. bureaus will no longer participate in on-field assignments or return to their physical classrooms.
The students and instructors spoke with the Brian Schriner, dean of the College of Communications, Architecture and The Arts, and Charles Strouse, digital director for SFMN, about potential plans of action.
CARTA offered to pay for any travel costs for the students’ return.
“We decided to stay in New York just so we don’t risk infecting our families down in Miami,” said Alvarez.
The three Washington D.C. students have also been in talks with the Schriner and Strouse on what to do next. Two of them are expected to return March 17.
“I think I’m going to choose to go home, if class and all of that is remote, I’d be saving a lot of money by [going] home,” said D.C. student Sabrina Patruno, senior studying broadcast media.
D.C. students had until March 13 to decide whether or not they wanted to stay in D.C.
“Everyone’s super nervous, but I’m honestly chilling,” said Patruno. “I just know to be a little more careful than normal.”
Strouse says it’s been a puzzle coming up with a plan for the students. The department is scrambling to come up with virtual lesson plans and at-home assignments.
“We’re trying to balance keeping them safe while having them report,” said Strouse. “Keeping all those plates spinning is not easy.”
D.C. instructor Patricia Guadalupe says both bureaus are in the midst of figuring out how the students will finish the semester remotely.
“It’s too bad because the internship depends on person to person interaction,” said Guadalupe. “… If you’re not not here, you’re not going to have the whole D.C. experience.”
Although no D.C. workers have come in contact with a positive COVID-19 person, Guadalupe says all workers have been advised to work from home for the next couple of weeks.
NYC instructor Kirsti Itameri suggested the students take on remote stories or at-home assignments, such as vlogs, in the meantime.
Have a story? Think we should look into something? Know a person or club that has a story worth telling? Let us know. You can remain anonymous. Email editor@fiusm.com
About Post Author
