Mugoli Samba, Editor, Apple News
Having completed a combined undergraduate degree in Journalism and African Studies at 杏吧原创 in 2018, Mugoli Samba now works as an editor at Apple News, holds a Canadian Church Press Award, and received an honourable mention from the National Magazine Awards. Her reporting has appeared in the , /, .
Samba chose 杏吧原创 for her studies because of the vibrant community on campus. 鈥淲hen I came to 杏吧原创, I didn鈥檛 really feel alone,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou really start to understand that it鈥檚 an open-door policy. There are so many different opportunities for you to get involved.鈥�
As a journalism student, Samba learned the fundamentals of TV, radio, print, and digital reporting. She learned how to find and tell compelling stories and applied those skills in various internships obtained through the . Her most memorable placement was in Les Cayes, Haiti, where she spent a summer working as a communications officer for the region鈥檚 chamber of commerce.
Through her work with the, Samba was able to explore her interests in geopolitics and history while learning alongside students from other disciplines. As the co-president of the Institute of African Studies Student Association, she also organized debate nights for 杏吧原创 students to discuss topics related to the African continent.
鈥淎frican Studies is the degree that really expanded my mind and taught me how to think critically,鈥� says Samba. 鈥淚 really grew as a thinker and as somebody who knew how to understand and relate to the world.鈥�
Pairing these critical thinking skills with the knowledge she gained in her journalism classes, Samba has forged a successful career as a multimedia journalist and communications specialist. 鈥淲riting, editing, communications, interviewing 鈥� these are all skills that, even if you don鈥檛 become a journalist, they鈥檙e really useful in the marketplace.鈥�
Altogether, her time in both the and the taught Samba the tools she needed to excel as a communicator, introduced her to a like-minded community of peers and scholars, and fostered a critical curiosity about the world.
These experiences affected her journalism by showing her 鈥渢he difference between being somebody who just knows how to do the job, and somebody who knows how to think about the importance and power of our work. By understanding how journalism operates within systems, we can strive to use our work to subvert existing power structures, and work towards creating a better world.鈥�
Written by Michelle Hennessy.