Sealy studies Communication and International Media at the University of Colorado Boulder. Originally from small-town Kerrville, Texas, Sealy is interested in intercultural communication, multiculturalism, and race relations. At Boulder, Sealy is a Peer Advisor for First Year students, and while she’s not completely sure what she wants to do yet, she loves helping freshmen find their path in college.

This is Sealy’s first experience with journalism. She is excited to be part of the first journalism track in South Africa and she is even more excited to develop skills that may lead her to a possible career in the Journalism field. During her first trip outside of North America, Sealy hopes to learn more about herself and find some direction for the future.

Emily Rizzo is a Junior at Skidmore College, where she studies English, Intergroup Relations, and Film and Media. Emily runs her own local public radio show on Skidmore’s WSPN station, contributes to the MDOCS (John B. Moore Documentary Studies Collaborative) Newspaper, tutors audio documentary students, and plays the bassoon. Emily produces audio and film documentaries and will be developing her audio story-telling skills here in South Africa. She is looking forward to staying true to her impulsivity and inquisitive nature to share the truth and some of SA’s sounds!

Jacqueline Flynn grew up in the small town of Charlotte, Vermont and is currently attending Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. At TCU, she studies political science and journalism with an international emphasis. She is spending this semester with SIT in South Africa with hopes that the program will give her some experience with international reporting. She also has a passion for photography which she is hoping to work into her journalism career.

Madeline (Maddie) Harvey is an eager sophomore from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is majoring in Communications and Journalism with a minor in Justice and Peace Studies. At home she volunteers at a shelter for women and children seeking refuge from domestic violence, “Women’s Advocates”, and is a college brand representative for the social organization, “Hippy Feet Socks”, who work to battle homelessness and provide jobs in the Twin Cities area. She is overjoyed to be spending the semester studying social and political transformation in the vibrant cities and the nooks and crannies South Africa has to offer. She is also excited to learn the fundamentals of journalism and grow both educationally and perspectively. She hopes to combine her interests to produce both digital and print media, and take her lessons learned over the next few months to share back home in the States.

Hannah Green is a student at Simmons College in Boston studying Public Relations /Marketing Communications and Journalism. Her work pulls from scientific and political research and centers on topics such as ocean conservation, public lands, and diversity & inclusion.

When she doesn’t have her notepad or camera in hand, you can find her enjoying a long run in the woods or a deep dive in the ocean.

Serena Hawkey is a junior at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. She grew up in Oakland, California, hiking, biking, and rafting in the beautiful hills with her mom, dad, and sister. At school she studies Politics and Government with an emphasis in U.S. politics. She loves travel and telling people’s stories through photography; eventually she hopes to find her home in political or photographic journalism. She came to South Africa to challenge her western-centric mindset and to learn about an entirely different way of life.

Rebecca is a student at Tufts University, happily spending the semester with SIT in South Africa. At Tufts, she studies English and Computer Science and is most interested in how the intersection of these two fields can inform her reporting and journalism work. In the future, she hopes to explore professional opportunities in digital media and data journalism, but for now she’s focusing on learning Zulu and understanding the social and political context of South Africa.