After making it through multiple rounds of interviews, a record 11 Iowa State undergraduate students have been selected to participate in the Meredith Apprentice Program for the 2016-17 school year. These students were hand-picked by the Greenlee School’s Meredith Professional-in-Residence Deb Gibson, with input from the 2015-16 apprentices, to complete year-long apprenticeships with Meredith publications.
The record number of ISU apprentices is a result of the recent addition of two digital and social media positions in the program. These digitally-focused apprenticeships are the latest addition to Iowa State’s partnership with Meredith since the company added three graphic design positions in 2008. Each year five students are also selected to fill five editorial apprenticeships with various Meredith titles.
"We are thrilled at the prospect of receiving an additional two apprenticeships, that will focus on the digital and social media aspects of magazine publishing," says Gibson. "As I reviewed the roster of candidates for these positions, I continue to be amazed at the breadth of experience and the academic achievements accomplished by these Iowa State undergraduates. The final decision was a tough one, because we were fortunate to have so many accomplished applicants, but the team we’re sending to Meredith for the 2016-17 academic year is simply outstanding. I look forward to watching them develop even more into young professionals during their time with the Meredith Corporation."
The two new digital apprentices "will learn techniques and tools to find and monitor trending topics online, mine social media outlets like Instagram and YouTube for content, and write up to 20 stories per week," according to a position description from the Meredith Digital News Desk, which will host one of the apprentices. The second apprentice will work with Diabetic Living to develop social media campaigns, produce digital content, including videos, stories and slideshows, and will learn the best search engine optimization practices.
"We are deeply grateful to Meredith for all it has done for the Greenlee School and value the fine work of Senior Lecturer Deb Gibson in the very rigorous process of apprentice selection," wrote Greenlee School Director Michael Bugeja, in a release about the selection of the new ISU apprentices.
The 2016-17 Meredith Apprentices from Iowa State and their publication assignments are:
Editorial Apprentices
1) Miranda Pollitt, Better Homes & Gardens:
Miranda Pollitt serves as editor in chief of Trend, the campus fashion magazine, having previously worked on that title as director of fashion accessories and assistant director for in-studio photography. She worked as assistant editor for the Iowa State Daily style section and just wrapped up a stint as PR and marketing director for the ISU Fashion Show. Last fall, Miranda studied at the London College of Fashion, and she worked as a visual merchandising intern for AKIRA in Chicago last summer. She also has interned for Purely Fashion, and is a brand ambassador on campus for Grandex, Adam Block Design, Krass & Co. and Jadelynn Brooke. The incoming senior grew up in Plainfield, Ill., and is a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority.
2) Jaden Urbi, Kraft Food and Family:
Jaden Urbi, a Cedar Rapids native, will graduate in spring 2017. She currently interns for Discovery Communications in New York City, and is studying at New Jersey City University this semester as part of the National Student Exchange. Jaden has previously interned for the Cedar Rapids Economic Alliance and Youth and Shelter Services in Ames. As an ISU student, she has written for the biomedical sciences department, the College of Design, Ethos magazine and the Iowa State Daily. She also has worked as a reporter for the Iowa State Daily and was marketing director for The Maintenance Shop. In September, Jaden was selected as one of 12 students in the nation to participate in the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association’s student project 2015 in San Francisco, where she was charged with conceptualizing, reporting and writing a news feature later presented at the group’s conference. Jaden is a self-professed "foodie" and follows a multitude of food sites on social media.
3) Allison Luety, Successful Farming:
Allison Luety grew up on a farm outside Clinton, Wis., and has shown livestock across the country since age 7. Last summer she interned for the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Feed & Grain magazine in Fort Atkinson, Wis., and currently works as a reporter and writer for AgSolver, Inc., in Ames. As a beat reporter for the Iowa State Daily, Ali covered stories on the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). She promoted the National Pork Board’s "Real Pig Farming" campaign last year and worked as a butcher and sales person in the University of Wisconsin Meat Lab. She is an active member of the Wisconsin Show Pig Association, represented ISU’s Block and Bridle club at its national convention last year, writes for "CALS Connections" and served on the PR committee for the fall 2015 ISU Bacon Expo. Ali, an upcoming senior, is an active member of the Agriculture Communicators of Tomorrow group and Sigma Kappa sorority. This semester, she is studying in Urbino, Italy, as part of the Greenlee School study abroad program led by associate professor Dennis Chamberlin.
4) Maggie Jennett, Living the Country Life:
Maggie Jennett also was raised on a farm, hers located outside Blockton, Iowa. Currently, Maggie interns for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences communications office, where she produces content for its website via writing, photography and video. In addition, Maggie writes stories and shoots photos for "CALS Connections." Last summer, she worked as the volunteer coordinator for the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation, and the previous summer she was a news intern for the Mount Ayr Record-News. On campus, Maggie works with and provides tours for prospective students through the ISU Office of Admissions, and she’s vice president of the Stephens Street Team, which promotes events at Stephens Auditorium. She will graduate in May 2017.
5) Audra Kincart, SIM—Copy Editing
Audra Kincart currently interns for the Iowa Resource for International Services in Ames, where she writes a monthly newsletter and weekly blogs and oversees social media and advertising. She also serves as editor in chief of Letters, the magazine for members of ISU’s Greek community. As the Iowa State Daily business reporter, Audra covered Campustown and Main Street enterprises. She also has worked for the ISU Parks Library and served as a physical therapy aide for five years in her hometown of Bloomfield, Iowa. Audra’s extracurricular activities include committee work for the Alpha Delta Pi sorority, Dance Marathon and the ISU Bacon Expo. Starting in the fall, Audra, an incoming senior, will become editor in chief of Veritas, the new campus political magazine.
Digital/Social Media Apprentices
1) Kaili Meyer, Diabetic Living
Kaili Meyer, an upcoming senior, created and works as editor in chief of Happy Strong Healthy (HSH) magazine on the ISU campus. She also is a regular contributor to Thought Catalog. Prior to running HSH, Kaili worked as the health reporter for the Iowa State Daily and as an online content reporter for Ethos magazine. She also volunteers at Food at First in Ames, which provides meals for low-income residents, and is a server at Plus 39 restaurant. Kaili, who grew up in Cedar Falls, is studying this semester at the University of Newcastle in Australia.
2) Bethany Lozier, Meredith Digital News Desk (Celebrity)
Bethany Lozier, a St. Louis native, will graduate in May 2017. Last summer, she worked as the social media/digital communications intern for the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis. She spent fall semester 2015 studying at the International College de Cannes, flexing her second major of French. On the ISU campus, Bethany serves as director of advertising for Trend magazine, co-director of advertising for Ethos magazine and member of the Greek Relations Executive Council. She works as a student assistant at the ISU Writing and Media Center, serves as a campus brand rep for Hollister and is a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority.
Graphic Design Apprentices
1) Madison Finney, Successful Farming
Madison Finney, a senior next year, brings a wealth of design experience to Meredith. The Des Moines native has interned for DirecTV corporate headquarters in Los Angeles (and will return there this summer), as well as for such Des Moines businesses as Cityscape, HyVee corporate headquarters, Easter Seals Iowa and Best Buddies International. She currently works as a production assistant for ISU’s Institute for Transportation and is lead designer for Nightlife magazine. She is a successful fundraiser for Special Olympics Iowa and a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. (An aside: Her mother is Kathryn Kunz Finney, a longtime Meredith art director.)
2) Emma Wilcockson, Diabetic Living
Emma Wilcockson, who hails from Urbandale, will be a senior graphic design major this fall. Currently, she works for the department of biomedical sciences at Iowa State, where she designs a newsletter and creates ads, poster, banners and announcements. She also works as a freelance designer specializing in logos and wedding invitations. She has taught at the Des Moines Art Center and is a member of the ISU Graphic Design Student Association.
3) Megan Anderson, SIM Luxury Homes and Holidays
Megan Anderson will be a senior next fall in graphic design. The Cedar Rapids native currently works as the graphic design intern for the Des Moines Arts Festival, and previously worked as a designer for the Iowa State Daily. Last summer Megan interned for Iron Leaf Press, and has served as an assistant photographer the past two years for Robyn Photography, both located in Cedar Rapids. She is active in the ISU Design Student Ambassador Club, serving as its treasurer.
4) Jessica Johnson, Meredith Digital Paid Consumer Products
Jessica Johnson will serve as art director for Iowa State’s Trend magazine this fall, having served as its assistant design director for the past two years. She also has worked as a freelance designer for Connection Point Engineering in her hometown of Oskaloosa, Iowa. The incoming senior has served as a Destination Iowa State leader during ISU Orientation, she is a member of the ISU Graphic Design Student Association and she holds a leadership role in the Salt Company at the Cornerstone Church of Ames.