New Paltz students, alumni produce timely journalism for The River Newsroom

June 12, 2020 Christina Williams

Faced with social unrest and the complicated nature of covering a pandemic remotely, The River Newsroom—a project of Chronogram Media—has been relying on the talents and contributions of journalists throughout the Hudson Valley and the Catskills to inform and engage the local community.

Among the publication’s contributing writers are many SUNY New Paltz alumni and students, who are practicing community-focused journalism during this time of uncertainty and change.

“Chronogram Media highly values our connection to the College, especially the journalism and communications programs,” said Editorial Director Brian Mahoney ’96 (English). “We’ve hired many New Paltz students and view the College as a vital source for talented job candidates.”

This spring semester, The River had the help of five SUNY New Paltz journalism students: Abby Foster ’20, Nadine Cafaro ’20, Emma Misiaszeck ’20, Annemarie Durkin ’20 and Erica Ruggiero ’20. Two New Paltz interns, Nikki Donohue ’21 (Journalism; History) and Cerissa DiValentino ’23 (English), are working with the publication this summer.

“When I reflect back on the five interns we had this spring, I was amazed by how talented they were coming in the door,” said Mahoney. “COVID-19 had just struck and we were pulling out all the stops on reporting the various ways the pandemic had affected life in the Hudson Valley. The interns were seamlessly integrated into our pool of reporters and their reporting was part of the vital information that we were supplying to our readers daily. It’s work they should be very proud of; I know I am.”

These early-career journalists have contributed to articles addressing the most pressing issues of our day. Examples include Durkin and DiValentino’s contributions to recent reporting on Black Lives Matter protests, and “Lost in Translation during the Coronavirus Crisis,” a submitted piece by recent graduate Valeria Pereyra ’20 (Journalism; Sociology) emphasizing the need for language justice for non-English speakers in the Hudson Valley.

“Editors at The River were very responsive and receptive to my idea,” said Pereyra. “The River gave me a chance as a young journalist, not even out of a college yet, to write about an issue that is important to me and others. I am so thankful for that.”

The River covers the region from Newburgh to Hudson and supports the community through its citizen, boots-on-the ground journalism practices. Headquartered in Kingston, New York, Chronogram Media publishes content viewed by over 2.5 million readers throughout the Hudson Valley, Berkshires, and the tri-state area.

Founded in 1993, Chronogram Media is a local media company that publishes content and produces events that engage the community through its brands—Chronogram, Upstate House, Upstater, Explore the Hudson Valley, Rural Intelligence and The River Newsroom.