From Santa Fe to Silver City and beyond, University of New Mexico communication and journalism students are making headlines — literally.
The New Mexico Local News Fellowships and Internships program has named its largest and most geographically diverse class to date, with nine UNM students and recent graduates earning spots for the 2025–2026 cycle. In total, the program will place eight fellows and 11 interns across the state, helping local newsrooms strengthen their coverage and invest in the next generation of journalists.
The expansion comes thanks to a $300,000 investment from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, alongside ongoing support from the New Mexico Local News Fund. With that support, the program will introduce several upgrades, including new newsroom partners, increased pay, and stipends for professional development.
“This larger cohort and expanded reach will pay long-term dividends in communities across the state,” said Rashad Mahmood, the New Mexico Local News Fund executive director. “We’re grateful for the strong bipartisan support from the Legislature, including Sens. Jeff Steinborn, Peter Wirth, Carrie Hamblen, and Rep. Nathan Small.”
Housed in UNM’s Department of Communication and Journalism, the program launched in 2019 to address the growing crisis in local news. Since then, 63 fellows and interns have been placed in 35 newsrooms across 13 cities.
“This talented group of young reporters will give a major boost of energy to news organizations across the state,” said Gwyneth Doland, program manager and professor of practice at UNM. “I’m especially grateful for the faculty at NMSU and WNMU who helped us more than double the number of applicants from outside Albuquerque.”
This year, the program is placing UNM fellows at five outlets:
- Lily Alexander at The Santa Fe New Mexican
- Mia Casas at KUNM News
- Micaela DePauli at KRQE News 13
- Marcela Johnson at Silver City Daily Press and Independent
- Elizabeth Secor at The Albuquerque Journal
Additional fellows:
- Regina Barnett, WNMU at El Defensor Chieftain (Socorro)
- Abigail Salas, NMSU at KRWG Public Media (Las Cruces)
- Andrea Vasquez, NMSU at The Independent (Edgewood)
“The fellowship has taken care of my biggest post-graduation worry—having a job,” Secor said. “Plus, it’s a job in the field I love and now I get to contribute more coverage to the vibrant Albuquerque area.”
Interns from UNM will also join respected newsrooms and nonprofit journalism organizations:
- Adelina Blea at Journalism and Women Symposium NM
- Florian Knowles at Chalkbeat
- Abigail McDonald at The Paper
- Nicole Osborne at New Mexico Jewish Journal
Additional interns from other schools:
- Allison Brady, NMSU at The Las Cruces Bulletin
- Samantha Daitz Labarrere, NMSU at KSFR Radio
- Diego Gallegos, NMSU at the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government
- Paola Garcia, NMSU at New Mexico Local News Map
- Marshall Mecham, NMSU at Artesia Daily Press
- Azure Mitchel, NMSU at Hobbs News Sun
- Ben Schlittler, NMSU at KOB 4
The program also welcomed its first participants from Western New Mexico University and placed interns in Hobbs and Artesia for the first time. Darren Phillips, a retired NMSU professor and program coordinator, worked with more than 50 faculty members statewide to recruit students from underserved areas and smaller campuses.
In addition to newsroom placements, this year’s cohort will contribute to a statewide collaborative reporting project and receive stipends to attend national journalism conferences. Pay for interns and fellows has also been adjusted to reflect rising living costs.
With students now placed from Las Cruces to Socorro and everywhere in between, the program is aiming to do more than fill newsroom jobs — it’s helping shape the future of journalism in New Mexico.
To learn more, visit the New Mexico Local News Fellowships and Internships program.
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