CEJ/MAMJ Newsletter Issue 2, May 2026

In Part 1 of this article series in the inaugural News Matters newsletter last month, we discussed setting up capstone projects for student success, which included managing expectations, inculcating the need to provide a long timeline (often more than a single semester), and building benchmarks to help you and your students make sure they are staying on track and meeting deadlines.

In this second and final part of the series we will discuss what kinds of benchmarks are most useful, how to advise students when they have difficulties with their benchmarks, and how best to support students as they near the completion of their projects, which can be the most stressful time for them.

Good Benchmarks–And How to Grade Them

Good benchmarks change throughout the life of the capstone project and should best meet the needs of the project at that particular time. Too little guidance in the early stages can lead a student astray as they formulate ideas about their capstone, leaving them frustrated that they did not get adequate guidance when they started. On the other hand, taking too much control early on often leads students to a kind of helpless dependency or expectation that they do not have to do as much work as they really need to do.

Benchmark assignments do not always have to be large assignments in and of of themselves, especially in the early stages when a good early benchmark assignment is to simply revise their initial proposal to something that you both feel confident signing off on. Updates and progress-to-date reports are also good and relatively easy benchmark assignments to incorporate throughout a semester, allowing you to see how much work has been done so far. I have also found that a good early benchmark assignment is for students to outline a timeline or plan regarding the work they plan to do. This gives both of you something to compare to actual work done as the capstone progresses (or not). It also indicates early if a student is underestimating the time it takes for certain important tasks, such as giving themselves one week to conduct and analyze a survey, do interviews, or shoot and edit their documentary. A good late-stage benchmark is to see a draft of the capstone, well before the final version is due, in order to help students revise as needed.

Grading benchmark assignments can be tricky, especially if you consider how they may weigh on the final capstone grade. Should a student who missed several benchmark assignments but who turns in a stellar capstone project get a lower grade than a student who met all the benchmarks but then has a bad capstone? I tend to weigh benchmark assignments at about 30-40% of the overall grade but generally grade the benchmarks leniently as long as students clearly put effort into them. What’s more, if certain benchmark assignments, such as doing a literature review or annotated bibliography, are completed then they naturally contribute to the capstone so it becomes more about a student utilizing the work they have done to put all the pieces together than having to create everything new for the actual capstone. 

When Students Hit Roadblocks

It is not a question of if, but when they hit roadblocks with their capstones, regardless of whether it is a traditional academic master’s thesis or a multimedia project or long-form magazine piece. Pointing out potential issues that may arise in early benchmarks can definitely help mitigate issues–and can serve as good reminders for what you warned them about earlier if they ignored your advice. Sometimes students see barriers when there may be easy work-arounds, or they hit barriers because they are actually going off track of their initial idea, so steering them back to what they need to focus on is often the most helpful thing you can do. You can also draw from your own academic and professional experiences to provide tips and advice for students, ranging from introducing them to scholarly works or research methodologies they may not be familiar with to putting them in touch with colleagues or people to interview.

Supporting Students

Even for students who have kept up with their benchmarks and have made steady progress on their capstones they may still have difficulties in putting the final pieces together or in polishing the final version. One of the best ways to support students is to follow the advice above about having benchmarks and offering steady advice throughout the life of the capstone rather than waiting to see something only toward the end of the process. As the capstone project nears completion, students tend to be divided into two main categories–those who are in great shape but are overly worried and anxious about completing it, and those who blithely think everything is fine when it is not. 

This second category morphs into a third type as the threat of maybe not passing comes into focus, and they often try to catch up with work they should have been doing earlier. These students tend to be the hardest to work with for a number of reasons, not least of which is because sometimes they look to blame poor advising or guidance for the situation they are in. Again, this is where the benchmark feedback is useful as you can point to either missed deadlines or ignored advice if they try to pin the blame on you. It can be a difficult balance between giving realistic but harsh feedback or “tough love” when needed and not being a push over and letting a student pass for a capstone that is not actually passing quality.

Last year was one of the deadliest years for journalists worldwide in recent memory, with both physical and digital threats increasing, according to a recent report from Reporters Without Borders. 

At least 67 journalists were killed in 2025, 43% of them in Gaza. Currently, 503 journalists are detained in 47 countries worldwide, with China (121), Russia (48), and Myanmar (47) topping the list. 

In China, a journalist can end up in prison for writing about Xinjiang or Tibet, or simply for using words that don't align with the Communist Party's official narrative. In Russia, using the word "war" alone is enough to get arrested — laws in place since 2022 allow the prosecution of anyone who covers events in Ukraine in the "wrong" way. In Myanmar, following the 2021 coup, the military junta has effectively criminalized all independent reporting; most of those detained are journalists who simply tried to show what was happening inside the country.

Mexico has become the second most dangerous country for journalists, with 9 killings recorded in 2025, while Latin America accounts for around 24% of all killings. In total, 135 journalists are missing across 37 countries, 28 of them in Mexico and 37 in Syria. Around 72% of journalist disappearances are concentrated in the Middle East and Latin America. 

Despite the many active conflict zones today, research shows that journalists are primarily targeted within their own countries, as they can fall victim to domestic political persecution. When covering conflicts — particularly the Israel-Palestine issue — they often face not only physical danger but also smear campaigns, online harassment, and hate campaigns.

In addition to growing physical violence against journalists, the rise in online harassment and gender-based violence is also a particular concern. According to police reports compiled by UN Women, a United Nations agency that works toward empowering women and gender equality, online violence against female journalists have doubled since 2020, and one in four female journalists has reported experiencing anxiety or depression as a result of these attacks. Online violence includes threats, systematic harassment, and smear campaigns that often aim to silence women in the public and media sphere. This phenomenon not only has serious psychological consequences but also contributes to a rise in self-censorship, deepening the growing pressures on press freedom.

Another important yet often overlooked dimension is journalist mental health and professional trauma. Journalists — not only in war zones but also in their everyday work — are constantly exposed to traumatic events as they cover violence, disasters, killings, sexual and domestic abuse, and political crises, which can have a cumulative traumatic effect on their mental health. This issue is often not discussed adequately within the media industry, although there have been some small, positive steps in handling trauma among journalists. 

In recent years, the concept of "trauma-informed journalism" has begun to gain traction, though covering trauma has always been part of journalistic work — from natural disasters to wars and mass atrocities. This issue is especially relevant in the Armenian context, as the country has gone through war in recent years; journalists were forced to work from conflict zones and later cover the aftermath — including the stories of people displaced from Artsakh, the grief of families who lost loved ones, and complex political topics. Stories can have a serious impact on journalists' mental health, yet this dimension still does not receive adequate attention, especially in Armenia and the region 

At the end of the day, behind every statistic in this report is a person who chose a profession because they believed information matters and they believe in the journalistic mission to inform the public of relevant issues. Some paid for that belief with their freedom, some with their mental health, and some with their lives. As long as that remains the reality, press freedom cannot be treated as an abstract value — it has to be actively defended, both globally and in every local newsroom that is still standing. 

Students from the MAMJ program officially launched their news website, The Brief, on April 22. The platform is the result of months of collaborative work, bringing together the skills and knowledge they have developed throughout the program.

Developed entirely by the students from the ground up, The Brief reflects a comprehensive, hands-on learning experience. From designing the logo and visual identity to establishing editorial guidelines and producing original reporting, students were actively involved in every stage of the process. Beginning in the summer 2025 semester and continuing through the spring, they worked closely with faculty to build a functioning newsroom that mirrors real-world journalism.

Working on The Brief allowed students to move beyond theory and experience what it is like to be part of a real newsroom. Each student took on a specific role—ranging from reporters and section editors to copyeditors, managing editor, and editor-in-chief—taking responsibility for different stages of the editorial process.

This structure also gave students the opportunity to rotate through roles and understand the newsroom from multiple perspectives. “The Brief gave us a newsroom before we even graduated,” said Lori Ishilian, who was the initial editor-in-chief in the first three-week cycle and who oversaw much of the behind-the-scenes coordination.  “As editor-in-chief, rotating through different roles, I got to apply everything at once: leadership, decision-making, and working under pressure. It’s exactly the kind of experience that prepares you for real journalism.”

The platform currently features a wide range of content across categories such as News, Arts & Culture, Reviews, Features, Opinions, Lifestyle, Environment, and Science & Tech. Each section reflects the students’ commitment to covering diverse topics while maintaining strong editorial standards.

Faculty advisors, including Dr. Shawn McIntosh, MAMJ program chair and director of the Center for Excellence in Journalism, emphasized the value of this immersive approach. “The kinds of hands-on learning students get to do as they have been involved in creating and running a news website has been invaluable,” he noted. The project was also supported by Maria Titizian, founder and editor-in-chief of EVN Report.

While the website currently focuses on written stories, the team plans to expand into multimedia formats, including newscasts, podcasts, and audio storytelling. As it continues to grow, The Brief stands as both a learning tool and a professional stepping stone, preparing the next generation of journalists for the demands of the industry.