Imagining New Ways Forward: First-Year Grad Student Terra King on Journalism

In Emerson’s online Journalism and Media Innovation MA program, students learn contemporary journalistic skills from expert faculty. Emerson students focus on multimedia storytelling, audience-specific writing, global community reporting, and so much more. The program’s fully online and asynchronous format gives students flexibility in location, scheduling, and elective options, including courses in photojournalism, data visualization, and creative writing. The program even offers students one-on-one mentoring from a professional in the field who can help contextualize classroom knowledge with career guidance. 

We interviewed a current student to learn more about how Emerson’s Journalism and Media Innovation MA is shaping the writers of today.

Can you recall the first moment or experience that made you realize you wanted to pursue journalism?

“I was living in Upstate New York last year, helping a retired journalist prepare 25 years of archives and research for a book about the history of Saratoga Springs. I remember flipping through one of her magazines and finding an article she wrote. While reading, I heard her voice narrating the words. I’ve been line and copy-editing memoirs over the last few years, and this sometimes happens when I know the author well. In that moment, I was struck by how clear her writing was. It was no-nonsense and yet so varied, full of quotes, historical narrative, and random facts—did you know we used to have 5- and 10-thousand-dollar bills? I went home that day and started researching master’s programs in journalism, inspired to learn the building blocks of nonfiction writing.” 

What made you want to pursue a master’s degree in Journalism and Media Innovation at Emerson specifically?

“I was immediately struck by Emerson’s emphasis on innovation—it’s one of three key words in the program title. A lot of the journalism programs I applied to felt regimented and proscriptive. I’m not interested in learning a tried and true formula of doing journalism. In fact, the old model is clearly failing and proving to be quite flawed. When I first read the program’s description, I felt uplifted by its supportive invitation for students to pioneer unique careers. Journalism is a very competitive industry, and after doing more research, I felt sure about my decision to enroll with Emerson because of how its faculty was curated with a breadth and depth of experience and success in the field. I deliberately took my time before returning to grad school, and having professors with real-world experience and connections was important to me.”

What’s the most exciting project or piece you’ve worked on in the program, and how has it changed your approach to journalism?

“Right now, I’m working on an article about the intersex community. Being intersex fundamentally disproves the current administration’s claims that gender is binary. Writing and researching a topic that is so politically and socially charged has surprised me by giving a lot of energy back to me. The openness of the people willing to speak with me has blown me away. Last semester, I was super nervous about representing myself as a journalist while connecting with sources on a basic, human level. Talking with sources about this topic has felt energizing and easy in part because I’m tapping into a historical and systemic issue that has caused immeasurable pain for this community and really needs to be addressed.”

As a fully remote student, how has your experience in this program been so far? How do you build a sense of community with your cohort, and how do you stay engaged with homework and projects?

“While I never imagined going to grad school as a fully remote student, pursuing my master’s online was the affordable and sensible choice. Since part of my motivation for returning to school was to build connections, I’ve made an effort to attend optional, community-building Zooms where our cohort can talk more casually about our struggles or larger journalistic goals. I’ve been running my own storytelling business for the last five years, and so staying engaged in projects and homework while meeting deadlines has been a non-issue. I was lucky enough to attend the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference in Austin, Texas, this spring through the School of Communications, which was a fun and fulfilling way to connect with other Emerson students.”

Where do you envision yourself and your career in five years? What goals do you hope to achieve, and what kind of work do you see yourself doing?

“As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been running my own storytelling business since 2020. I provide a range of multimedia services to businesses, artists, publishing houses, and authors, and I wanted to go back to school to take my storytelling skills and client base to the next level. My non-conventional career has taught me that there will probably be many twists and turns ahead and that the unexpected can provide the biggest gifts and growth opportunities.

“In five years, I’d like to be working for a long-form, multimedia journal or outlet aimed at educating and increasing the empathy of the general public. I don’t have a specific beat I want to cover but instead hope to find a niche where I can travel and interview normal people living their normal lives. I’m passionate about solutions-oriented journalism that goes beyond simple reporting. I’m hopeful about being part of an organization that uses storytelling to create tools for individuals and communities to learn from and imagine new ways forward.” 

Read answers to more frequently asked questions about Emerson’s Journalism and Media Innovation MA program here!