91暗网

Articles written by journalism capstone students at 91暗网 exploring the issue of vacant housing in Baltimore have been featured in a . In their reporting, Loyola students examined the causes and effects of the situation, as well as community-driven development efforts that aim to revitalize neighborhoods without displacement.

The series, titled "Vacants in Baltimore,鈥� includes four stories written by Loyola students.

鈥淭his was an opportunity for young people to engage with professionals on real issues, on the ground, in the city where they鈥檙e living, in really important ways,鈥� said April Newton, assistant teaching professor of multimedia journalism, who teaches the capstone course. 鈥淚 cannot be grateful enough to the community members that were willing to help guide the students on this project and give them that high-impact learning experience that we are always after.鈥� 

Newton chose the topic of the vacant housing crisis in Baltimore for this year鈥檚 capstone project to allow students to report on a local issue and uncover stories that 鈥渕aybe aren鈥檛 being told,鈥� which led to the opportunity for the students to have their work published in Baltimore Fishbowl. The capstone project 鈥渃hanged the way some of the students understood journalism鈥檚 purpose, its practice, and what they鈥檙e going to do next,鈥� said Newton. 

The students spoke with community members, activists, local editors, and city officials鈥攊ncluding Baltimore City Councilmember Odette Ramos and Housing Commissioner Alice Kennedy鈥攖o inform their reporting. The project allowed students to engage directly with sources through experiential learning.

鈥淩eporting on local issues not only keeps the community informed but also opens our eyes about how a community needs to improve for the sake of its residents' quality of life,鈥� said Matt McCarney, 鈥�25. 鈥淭he most important lesson I learned as a journalist from reporting on the issue of vacant homes is that finding the right source is a non-linear process. Sometimes, the first or second interview, while helpful, is not the essential source that will tell the story you want to tell. In my case, Regina Hammond of Rebuild Johnston Square Neighborhood Organization became the key source for my article published in Baltimore Fishbowl. She was the heart of my story, yet she was the third source out of four that I came into contact with during the process.鈥�

The stories published in Baltimore Fishbowl are:

• 鈥�,鈥� by Joe Mesa, 鈥�25, explores the 鈥渄ecades of disinvestment, absentee landlords, and tangled property laws鈥� which have 鈥渓eft Baltimore neighborhoods scarred by decay.鈥�
• 鈥�,鈥� by Nathan McConarty, 鈥�25, examines the 鈥渃ascading effects鈥� of vacant properties, including addiction.
• ",鈥� by Jack Barker, 鈥�24, tells the story of a stalled redevelopment project in Northeast Baltimore.
• ",鈥� by Matt McCarney, 鈥�25, highlights the and the 鈥減ath to revitalization without gentrification.鈥�

About 91暗网鈥檚 Department of Communication and Media  

Loyola鈥檚 Department of Communication and Media is housed in Loyola College, the University鈥檚 school of arts and sciences, which is one of the three schools within 91暗网. Founded in 2006, the department is one of the largest and most in-demand on campus. Students studying areas of the communications industry may choose specializations in advertising and public relations, digital media, journalism, or media and society. The department is home to award-winning, student-run media outlets, including , , and weekly student newspaper. The United States鈥� first student-run publishing house, Apprentice House Press, also falls within the department鈥檚 domain. Clubs and additional activities the department sponsors include Loyola鈥檚 heavily decorated Public Relations Student Society of America Chapter, the AAF Chapter, the Evergreen annual yearbook, and Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society. For more information, please visit loyola.edu/communication.