The Community News Service is a student-powered partnership with local community papers and media outlets run out of UVM’s Center for Community News. We are a professionally-edited reporting service that pairs student reporters with outlets to provide community content at no cost. Go to vtcommunitynews.org to see our latest stories.
With a focus on hyper-local and local news, the project has two primary goals:
- To educate and engage students in journalism and build citizenship skills
- To provide local content to community newspapers
Enroll in the appropriate section of CAS 3922 to join the Community News Service!
- CAS 3922 A – For students who are new to reporting and/or would like to grow their skills.
- CAS 3922 B – For students working directly with editor Justin Trombly (registration override required).
The Student Experience:
Cover a wide range of community-interest topics such as local government, arts & music, education, the environment, sports, police and crime, and elections and campaigns. Gain hands-on reporting and story-telling skills in multiple media formats. See your work published in our partner publications.
Credit Information
The Community News Service counts as elective internship credit. If you are minoring in Reporting & Documentary Storytelling, this course counts as your required internship.
The course is variable credit, so you can enroll in 1 credit for every 40 hours you work with CNS over the semester. Please reach out to your section instructor for more information.
Community Impact:
Students in the program provide local and hyperlocal news content (print, audio and video) to local community papers in Vermont at no cost, helping to eliminate news deserts in our state. Some students who are interested in more state-wide stories will also have the opportunity to pursue those interests via this program. Run by experienced journalists and editors, the Community News Service matches talented student reporters with the needs of media platforms across Vermont
We also coordinate the web pages and electronic newsletters for the Hinesburg Record, Waterbury Roundabout, Winooski News.
CNS in the News
- UVM Student Tracks the Vote
- UVM student-journalists develop absentee ballot tracker-map – WCAX
- Boston Globe
- UVM Students Pursue Reporting and Storytelling Curriculum
- Media Note: Student-Run Publication Launches in Winooski
- Community News Project Kicks Off in Waterbury
- UVM Journalism Project Expands to Castleton University
- Full Disclosure: New Class Prepares Community Journalists to Report the News
Justin Trombly
Community News Service Editor
Justin is the lead editor of the Community News Service. He coordinates with our media partners, workshops stories with student reporters and helps build CNS’ effort to strengthen Vermont journalism. He’s been a reporter at VTDigger, the Tampa Bay Times, the Buffalo News and local papers in upstate New York. Email: jtrombly@uvm.edu
Carolyn Shapiro
Community News Service Instructor
Carolyn is a freelance journalist and longtime reporter and writer at daily newspapers from upstate New York to southeastern Virginia who teaches section A of the Community News Service program. She has penned stories for The New York Times, Boston Globe, Seven Days and FedTech magazine. She also teaches advanced journalism at Champlain College in Burlington. She loves to talk about journalism and, when she’s not doing that, walking her her two boxers and eating Vermont cheese. Email: carolyn.shapiro@uvm.edu
Meg Little Reilly
Managing Director, Center for Community News
Meg has been working at the intersection of civics, journalism, and higher education for more than twenty years. Previously, she served in the U.S. White House and Department of the Treasury under President Barack Obama. She led communications at Convergence Center for Policy Resolution and has been a speechwriter to several university presidents. Meg began her career in public radio. She is a regular Forbes contributor. Email: Margaret.Little-Reilly@uvm.edu
Still have questions?
Email cas.interships@uvm.edu — our team would be happy to assist.
