IUPUI Journalism Alumnus Terrence Lambert

Terrence Lambert, B.A.J. ’21, recently finished up a 10-week Indianapolis Press Club Foundation summer fellowship at the Indianapolis Recorder newspaper.

He was one of two Indiana undergraduate college journalism students chosen for the fellowship.

It was a big adjustment to go from being a student journalist to working in a newsroom full-time, Lambert said.

“But I learned so much,” he said. “I was able to pitch stories, experience writing on a tight deadline, and watch my growth as a writer and a reporter. My editor Oseye [Boyd], and [Indy Recorder staff writers] Breanna [Cooper] and Tyler [Fenwick] were instrumental in my growth. Oseye took me under her wing and led me throughout this experience.”

Lambert added that he was glad there were two other interns at the Recorder this summer.

“The newsroom was poppin’,” he said.

Lambert covered a wide variety of topics, including Juneteenth, COVID-19 restrictions, a beauty pageant, and a protest of a city-county council meeting.

“The most gratifying story I did was a profile on a guy named DeVaughn Watts,” Lambert said. “He always dreamed of being a Hollywood music editor so he literally packed up his car and moved to Los Angeles, and now he has worked with some of the biggest names in the film industry. This story was gratifying for me because I just recently moved to New York City to pursue my dream of being a writer and performer.”

Cooper, B.A.J. ’19, enjoyed working with Lambert this summer.

“Terrence is always the most positive person in the room and always willing to step outside of his comfort zone to get the job done,” she said. “His thoughtfulness and attention to detail allowed him to get to the heart of each story and provide new and insightful perspectives for our readers.”

Cooper believes that Lambert’s experience as a social media content intern at IUPUI paid off at the Recorder. He was able to bring his personality to videos covering Media Day at the Indiana State Fair and National Donut Day, she said.

“In just 10 weeks, he made a huge impact on our newsroom, and I can’t wait to see what he does in the future,” Cooper said.

Speaking of the future, Lambert plans to land a journalism job or freelance work in his new city.

“This internship has given me a leg up on what to expect when writing for both print and digital publications,” he said. “You never know, I might be at the New York Times one day.”