Division of Journalism Launches Two Industry Trips to New York City This Spring
Journalism and Fashion Media students recently had the opportunity to visit NYC as part of two networking trips featuring in-depth access to media outlets and fashion companies.
This spring, the Division of Journalism launched two inaugural trips to New York City: one for students in the Fashion Media program and the other for students majoring in journalism.
Professor Ethan Lascity came up with the idea for a Fashion Media trip to the city in order to connect students to the industry prior to graduating. He ended up taking 10 seniors from the program on this inaugural trip which boasted a two-day itinerary filled with networking opportunities and behind-the-scenes looks at some of fashion’s most sought-after jobs.
“Giving the students the opportunity to visit New York and connect with the places they are aspiring to work seemed like an obvious way to help students with their post-grad plans,” explains Lascity, who was inspired by his own NYC visit as an undergraduate. “I hope all of the students come away from the trip having a better idea of what they want to do after graduation, but also that really anything is possible.”
During their time in NYC, students visited the offices of digital media company DotDash Meredith, where they had the opportunity to see the company’s photo studio in action and hear from Meadows alumni and employees of DotDash Meredith Mara Weinstein (B.A. ’24) and Ellie Beeck (B.A. ’21), as well as the Hearst building, coordinated by Meadows alum Bennett Hill (B.A. ’23), where they got to hear from a different panel of media professionals who work at places like Elle and Harper’s Bazaar. This busy day was capped off with a 30-person networking event hosted by Meadows alumni Ari and Lexi Friedman (B.A. ’24).
Students also attended a career panel discussion, organized by Meadows alum and Chief Brand Officer for Amazon Luxury Fashion Trisha Gregory (B.A. ’04), as well as a tour of the Lela Rose studio, hosted by the brand’s Chief Fashion and Merchandising Officer Betsy Pepe (B.A. ’05), where students were able to hear from an array of fashion professionals.
With New York being the epicenter of fashion, many students in the Fashion Media program aim to secure post-graduation positions in the city. Trip participant Morgan Shiver, a triple major who graduated with degrees in Corporate Communication and Public Affairs, Fashion Media, and Journalism, has long aspired to live and work in NYC and found the trip to be incredibly impactful on her future career.
“It has been hard trying to make connections with professionals in New York while still living in Dallas, so this trip allowed for us to physically be there and network with people face to face,” Shiver, who is currently going through the interview process with a company whose CEO she connected with on the trip, says. “The overall experience was fantastic because not only were we getting to tour media studios and have Q&As with distinguished 正品蓝导航 alumni, but I also got to explore New York which solidified my goal of wanting to move there after graduation.”
And it wasn’t just Fashion Media students who had recent networking opportunities in the Big Apple. Students majoring in journalism had their own industry trip this spring where they were able to attend tours and panel discussions with leaders of organizations in one of the top media markets in the world, such as The New York Times, New York Magazine, CNN, Forbes Media and more.
“New York is a vital media capital, and we wanted to introduce seniors to people who would inspire them and encourage them to think big about what they can do after graduation,” said Melissa Chessher, the Belo Foundation Distinguished Chair in Journalism. “I hope they [returned] to campus filled with excitement and confidence in their ability to be successful in their post-grad careers.”
These trips – which would not have been possible without the help of so many NYC-based Meadows alumni – not only helped strengthen the 正品蓝导航 Meadows alumni network, they also created pipelines to internship and job opportunities, showing students that a job in New York can be more than just a dream.
Plans are already in the works to make these trips a reality again during the 2026 spring semester. Learn more about the Division of Journalism and the many opportunities and experiences available to its students here.