CoJMC students will use "Global Eyewitness" app to showcase their work in underdeveloped countries

Scott Winter and Bruce Thorson are taking 11 journalism students to New Delhi, India, for three weeks in May where they will train and work in the field with local students and journalists to cover emerging countries in need for the International Center for Journalists.

Winter is an assistant professor of journalism and Thorson and associate professor of photojournalism.

The nine photojournalism students and two reporters will use “Global Eyewitness,” a social engagement tablet app developed for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Through this app, Winter said, the CoJMC will illustrate the challenges and problems of the people who live in a third world country through the still photograph, videos and stories.

“These stories are important,” Winter said, “and the world can be our audience.”

The new app is designed to showcase the work of students who travel to underdeveloped parts of the world.

The trip will take students from large cities to slums and villages to cover child malnutrition, prostitution and other related gender issues.

Additionally the content gathered by the students will be released to international media outlets as well as the college’s photojournalism website. Upon return students will produce a magazine of their best work and share their videos at an event at The Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Theatre.

The trip is part of the photojournalism program that is underwritten by an endowed fund from Howard Buffett, Thomas Mangelsen and Joel Sartore. Students have traveled to Kosovo, South Africa, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan with the goal of documenting the human condition.