Jake Wachtel returned to school mid-career, after working successfully in a variety of entertainment jobs. He chose USC Annenberg’s MS in digital social media program, which allowed him to take his prior experience and blend it with new knowledge. This created more professional opportunities for him moving forward.

PBS NewHour journalist, Lisa Desjardins spoke to USC Annenberg students and alumni on Oct. 22 as part of the R. Rebecca Donatelli Expert-in-Residence in Political Analysis and Media series. She was interviewed by Christina Bellantoni, director of the USC Annenberg Media Center and they discussed everything from job tips to the current political climate. This is a quick highlight of their discussion.

Eighteen journalists from around the nation will be at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism this week to take part in the Center for Health Journalism’s 2019 Data Fellowship. The highly selective program, which runs from Oct. 23-26, helps reporters gain investigative data skills through an intensive four-day series of workshops. It also provides six months of one-on-one mentoring by some of the best data journalists in the country and grants of $2,000 to help underwrite reporting and data acquisition.

In Sasha Anawalt’s JOUR 599 Food Culture Journalism course last Spring, students in the Master of Arts in Specialized Journalism (The Arts) program focused on food journalism. Students were exposed to the vast array of food offerings in Los Angeles. In meeting and speaking with a variety of guest lecturers, they learned about urbanization, culture, health, and much more. View some of their final pieces and other USC Annenberg graduate student journalism work at ampersandla.com.

When Jessica Flores had the opportunity to report on the recovery from Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico one year after the storm, she knew what topic she wanted to pursue.

Ed Cray, prolific author, expert in American folklore and beloved professor emeritus of journalism, died on Oct. 8 at the age of 86. An award-winning writer and mentor to faculty and students alike, Cray was esteemed for his nonfiction work, including biographies of folk singer Woody Guthrie and Chief Justice Earl Warren.

Kyle Le was living in Saigon, teaching history and producing YouTube videos about food and travel, when he got an unusual request.

After World War II, when the Japanese American community returned to Los Angeles after having been forced into internment camps, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Koreatown opened its doors to those who had nowhere else to go. Now, thanks to some committed Trojans, the church is once again opening its doors — this time for college students who don’t have a place to sleep at night.