The L.A. Times welcomes its Class of 2022 summer interns

Sent on behalf of Assistant Managing Editor for Culture and Talent Angel Jennings and Deputy Editor for Culture and Talent Joseph Serna:

With countless stories out in the world waiting to be told, some with great immediacy and others extra care and nuance, telling them through a critical lens is key to expanding our diverse audience.

So, it is with great pleasure that we announce our first Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting intern, USC graduate student Alexis Timko, who will join the Investigations team.

She joins our second-ever Times en Español intern, Heidi Pérez-Moreno from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and 22 other bright journalism talents who will be working with us for the summer across various departments and desks.

The Times recognizes its role in the journalism ecosystem and is welcoming 29 interns in 2022, including five who joined in the spring from local schools. The Times funded 17 summer internship positions this year and has partnered with universities and outside programs, including bringing in our second intern through the Facebook HBCU News Fellowship program. Jonathan Caleb Scott, who recently graduated from Hampton University, will join the Audience Engagement team. These partnerships will bring our Class of 2022 summer interns to a total of 24.

We selected this year’s contingent from roughly 650 applications from across the country and abroad.

Starting today, the first summer interns will arrive in our virtual newsroom. The Class of 2022 summer interns include emerging journalists who have honed their craft reporting, shooting, editing and designing stories from coast to coast and on multiple continents. They will bring their perspectives to virtually all corners of our newsroom, from our Investigative, Politics, Metro, Opinion and Business desks to Visual Journalism, Multiplatform Editing, Design and Data.

Interns covering local news and sports and capturing California in video and photo will be based in the Golden State. Others will help us find new audiences, tell stories and design graphics from Washington state to New York.

The interns are paid to work and train alongside some of the best journalists in the world. They will be with The Times for 10 weeks.

Over the years, Times interns have landed full-time positions, won awards and been stationed in foreign bureaus. Matt Hamilton, an intern in 2013, went on to win a Pulitzer Prize in 2019 for investigating a USC gynecologist accused of violating hundreds of young women. Summer 2017 intern Leila Miller was part of the team that was a Pulitzer finalist in 2020 for the Conception boat fire and is now a correspondent in Mexico City. Those are just a few examples, as interns have gone on to work in nearly every department, including the masthead.

We’re excited to continue this tradition of nurturing and developing talent.

Please join us in welcoming our 2022 summer class:

Alexis Timko is a Long Beach native who recently graduated from USC with degrees in journalism and law, history and culture. She will return to USC in the fall to finish her master’s degree in public diplomacy. At USC, Timko founded the investigations desk at Annenberg Media, where she wrote about issues related to sexual assault and corruption at the university. She has also worked at the International Rescue Committee and Human Rights First to aid in legal assistance and resettlement for Afghan refugees. She is passionate about the intersection of human rights and journalism and wants to use her work to hold institutions of power accountable for the communities they affect. She joins The Times through a partnership with the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting as an investigations intern June 13. @AlexisTimko

Anabel Sosa is a graduate student at UC Berkeley’s School of Journalism and holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Vermont. She came to the West Coast all the way from New York, her hometown, where she worked as a reporter for the East Hampton Star, the New York Post and “Inside Edition.” Most days, she can be found talking to strangers, cooking or contemplating swimming in the ocean. She joins The Times as the Sacramento bureau intern May 31. @AnabelRsosa

Anastasia Dextrene S. Johnson was born in Toronto and raised in Montreal. She holds an honors bachelor of arts degree from the University of Toronto, a master of fine arts degree from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and, most recently, a master of science in journalism from Columbia University. Johnson’s focus on multimedia, broadcast and entertainment business journalism led her to receive a Dow Jones News Fund Award this year. As a former newsletter editor at the Senate of Canada, Washington Square News staff writer and Billboard-featured singer-songwriter and actor, Johnson’s unique experiences deepen her work across the board. She looks forward to joining The Times and soaking in the Los Angeles sun as an intern on the Multiplatform Desk starting June 13 through the Dow Jones News Fund. @AnaDextrene

Anthony De Leon is Fresno-born and raised, earning an associate degree in journalism from Fresno City College and a bachelor’s degree in media, communications and journalism from Fresno State. In junior college, he served as sports editor of the student newspaper, the Rampage. At Fresno State, he was elevated from sports editor to editor in chief at the Collegian. After graduating, De Leon worked for the Clovis Roundup, covering breaking news and city affairs. As a media innovation master’s program member at the University of Nevada, Reno, he is an instructor for introductory media writing. A native Californian, he is excited to return to his home state, working for one of the most prestigious newspapers in America. He will be joining The Times on June 13 as a Business intern through a partnership with his university. @IJustInstruct

Ashley Cai is a 5’4” puzzle-enjoying question-asker pursuing graphic design, computer science and public policy through the Brown University-Rhode Island School of Design dual degree program. At the two institutions, she finds family in the Brown Political Review’s data team, the Brown Daily Herald and board game nights with friends. Her perpetual fascination with narratives has drawn her to explore and publish animated films, comics and visual journalism. She is currently obsessed with wonder, the color green and enlightening investigative data stories. As a California native, she loves warm late-night walks, has strong feelings about public transit and is incredibly excited to join The Times as a design intern June 13 from the Bay Area. @afishley_png

Carin Dorghalli is a first-generation daughter of immigrants who was raised in Chico. She obtained bachelor’s degrees in media arts and journalism from California State University, Chico, and spent two years as a photojournalist at her hometown newspaper, the Chico Enterprise-Record, after graduating. She covered the Camp fire in 2018 and the Bear fire, which burned her family’s business to the ground. That experience taught her how to be a more compassionate and sensitive storyteller. After that fire, she went on to win two California News Publishers Assn. awards: first place in the writing category and second place in the photo essay category. She is now a master of fine arts candidate in film and television production at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. She was recently selected to direct an advanced documentary project in the fall semester, the highest level achievable in her graduate program. She joins The Times as a video intern May 31. She likes to go by her nickname, Care (like Care Bear). @caredorghalli

Carolyn Burt is a recent graduate of California State University, Northridge, where she majored in journalism. While at CSUN, she worked at the Daily Sundial. She first joined the publication as social media editor, then became its managing editor the following semester, where she oversaw the staff of the Daily Sundial and launched and designed the publication’s weekly newsletter. Prior to working at the Daily Sundial, Burt was the editor in chief for the Corsair, Santa Monica College’s award-winning student publication. She credits her time at the Corsair for transforming her from a journalism major to a journalist. As a California native, she enjoys taking in the scenery her home state has to offer, whether it be hiking in the mountains or spending a day at the beach. In her free time, Burt enjoys taking boxing classes as a way to relieve stress. She also likes to dabble with illustrations in various mediums. She is thrilled to join The Times on May 31 as an Audience Engagement intern. @CarolynBurt_

César Rojas Ángel was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia. He’s working toward his master’s degree in journalism at UC Berkeley, where he’s majoring in documentary filmmaking. In Colombia, he majored in journalism and political science at the Universidad del Rosario and worked in Semana, the most important political magazine in the country. During the last three years he collaborated with France 24 in Spanish, a French public network focused on international news. He has reported about indigenous communities, environmental conflicts, migration and the intersection between these issues. He starts with the video department May 31. @cesleo

Felicia Alvarez is a graduate journalism student at UC Berkeley. She grew up in San Diego and is a proud fourth-generation Californian. Alvarez previously spent five years working in local journalism in the Sacramento region, including stints at the Davis Enterprise and the Sacramento Business Journal. Her work has placed her on the front lines of some of the largest issues facing the Golden State, spanning housing, drought, healthcare and the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Alvarez began pursuing her master’s degree with a focus on investigative news. She’s excited to spend quality time with Southern California’s unrivaled tacos and beaches. Alvarez will join the Fast Break Desk as an intern May 31. @ReporterAlvarez

Freddy Brewster is also a graduate journalism student at UC Berkeley. He has been published in NBC News, CalMatters and other outlets across California and worked for the Lost Coast Outpost in Humboldt County. Brewster grew up in the suburbs of Cincinnati and headed west when he was 19 years old. After spending nearly a decade rock climbing in Yosemite National Park and on other public lands, he returned to university to pursue journalism. Brewster, who has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Humboldt State University, will join the Washington, D.C., bureau June 13. @freddy_brewster

Heidi Pérez-Moreno was born and raised in Miami. She is a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she studies journalism and serves as editorial managing editor for the Daily Tar Heel. Her love for telling stories and writing has driven her to become a reporting fellow at the Texas Tribune in Austin, Texas, and a Spanish reporter and translator for the Chatham News + Record’s bilingual reporting project, La Voz De Chatham. In the fall of 2020, she transferred to UNC from Miami Dade College, where she graduated with an associate’s degree in journalism and communication. There, she served as editor in chief and social media director for MDC’s student newspaper, the Reporter. Pérez-Moreno is most passionate about enterprise and narrative journalism. On her best days, you can find her drinking her third latte of the day at the nearest coffee shop, spending money she does not have at thrift stores and reading on her porch. She is beyond excited to do all of these things in L.A. when she joins as the Los Angeles Times En Español intern June 13. @heidi_perez02

Isaac Lozano is a rising sophomore at Stanford University, where he is studying political science. His passion for journalism started in high school with his school newspaper, the Crusader. He is passionate about a diversity of subjects, including inequality, education, progressive politics and the working class. As a freelancer, Lozano has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, Guardian, Wall Street Journal and HuffPost. He is also a regular opinion contributor for his city newspaper, the San Diego Union-Tribune, and he is a reporter for Stanford’s newspaper, the Stanford Daily. Lozano is thrilled to join The Times as an Editorial Pages intern June 13, based in Southern California. @isaacalozano

Itzel Luna is also a rising sophomore at Stanford University and a native of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. She plans to study public policy and is also interested in Chicanx studies and journalism. Luna works as a beat reporter for the Stanford Daily and as a College Journalism Network fellow for Cal Matters. Her passion for journalism centers on activism and representation, which has led her to report on a variety of beats, most recently including higher education. In the summer of 2021, she interned with KTLA, a Los Angeles-based TV newscast. When she’s not writing, Luna enjoys reading, binging TV shows and discovering new delicious coffee spots. She is excited to join The Times as an intern on the Fast Break Desk starting June 13 through Stanford University’s Rebele fellowship. @Itzel03Luna

Jasper Goodman is a rising senior at Harvard College, where he studies government and serves as managing editor of the Harvard Crimson. A proud native of Waterbury Center, Vt., Goodman has previously interned for the Boston Globe, the Hill and VTDigger, a nonprofit investigative news outlet in Vermont. Before Harvard, he covered high school and college sports as a correspondent for his local daily paper, the Times Argus, and co-hosted a weekly radio show about his beloved Boston Red Sox. At Harvard, Goodman served as a staff writer for the Crimson’s news and sports sections for two years before taking over as managing editor in December 2021. An avid East Coast skier and hiker, Goodman is also a leader for Harvard’s first-year outdoor program. He is excited to join The Times as a politics reporting intern in Los Angeles on June 13. @Jasper_Goodman

Jessica Benda is a journalism student at Cal State Fullerton, where she previously worked as the editor in chief of its student newspaper, the Daily Titan. She spent time on the paper as news editor and social media editor, and she has written 150 articles while on staff. Her work has been recognized by the Associated Collegiate Press, California College Media Assn. and the California News Publishers Assn. She was selected as a NBCU Academy fellow last year. Benda is thrilled to join the features and lifestyle desk May 31 and will be based in Fullerton. In her free time, she loves being with friends and wandering Target, usually at the same time. @jess_benda

Jonathan Caleb Scott is a graduate of Hampton University who majored in journalism and hails from Brooklyn, N.Y. Scott is a third-generation Hamptonian and a veteran of the United States Navy. While on deployment overseas in Greece and Dubai, he realized the impact that media had on people’s lives and how important representation is for every walk of life; these experiences were the driving force to pursue journalism. While attending Hampton, Scott worked closely with its athletics and the athletic marketing departments and assisted as a host and announcer. He was also an anchor, writer, producer, technical director and executive producer for Hampton’s student-run newscast, WHOV-TV. During his final undergraduate year, Scott worked with “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” as a social/digital intern and was chosen as a HBCU Classic intern with Warner Media/NBA on TNT. He joins the Audience Engagement desk June 13 through the Facebook HBCU News Fellowship program. @_MediaJonny

Katie Licari is a lifelong resident of Southern California and recent graduate of UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism, where she focused on data journalism and open-source investigative methods. Before her education took her up to the Bay Area, she studied political science and journalism at Santa Ana College and UC Irvine. She was a finalist for an L.A. Press Club SoCal Journalism Award in the news feature category for her work at the Daily Pilot. More recently, she won an SPJ NorCal James Madison Freedom of Information Award for her reporting on election misinformation for CalMatters. When she is not reporting, Licari can be found tending to her garden or bouldering in Joshua Tree National Park. She joins the Data and Graphics desk June 13. @katiemlicari

Myah Taylor is a recent graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied journalism. Taylor spent much of her time in college covering sports for the Daily Texan, UT’s student newspaper, where she served as sports editor and managing editor. Her work there earned her internships with the Austin American-Statesman and Yahoo Sports, as well as a spot in the Sports Journalism Institute’s class of 2021. Taylor also worked as a writer and managing editor for Afterglow ATX, a campus music publication. Taylor enjoys telling stories about the intersection of sports and society, in addition to writing commentary about cultural phenomena and the arts. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, reading, running and spending time in the sun. She’ll miss Austin, but she’s already got a Spotify playlist ready for all of the L.A. adventures she’ll take during her stint as a Sports intern with The Times starting May 31. @t_myah

Nicole Kagan is a New York City native and rising junior at Duke University, pursuing an interest in journalism. Currently, she is a staff writer at the 9th Street Journal, where she has covered topics ranging from the Durham County courthouse to local barbecue restaurants. She also contributes to Durham’s alt-weekly, Indy Week. Kagan gravitates toward long-form journalism and has an affinity for profiles. When she’s not lost in the pages of her reporter’s notebook, she can be found fruitlessly teaching her 9-year-old dog new tricks, re-watching “Breaking Bad” or making seasonal Spotify playlists. She also loves puzzles, hot sauce and asking questions. Kagan is thrilled to relocate to Los Angeles this summer, where she’ll join The Times on May 31 as a lifestyle and features intern through a partnership with Duke University. @nicolekagan_

Rebecca Schneid is a Duke University student, born and raised in South Florida. She’s studying English, journalism and gender studies and works as a writer for the 9th Street Journal and Form Magazine, photo editor at the Duke Chronicle and DJ at WXDU-FM (88.7) radio station on campus. She has also published articles in Indy Week, Durham’s alt-weekly, the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Elle and the Guardian. She has a fervor for creative writing and poetry, for which she has won an Academy of American Poets University Prize. When she’s not writing, she can be found rock climbing, reading reviews on Letterboxd, playing ukulele or doing a paint-by-numbers. She is beyond excited to join the Metro team in L.A. when she starts May 31 through a partnership with Duke University. @becca_schneid

Steven Vargas (he/him/his) recently graduated from USC with a master’s degree in specialized journalism in the arts after previously graduating in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in theater and journalism with a minor in dance. While at USC, he co-founded the Equity Board through a Poynter Media Project grant, cementing a newsroom entity dedicated to helping reporters respectfully cover underrepresented communities. He also penned the board’s Guide to Equitable Reporting and Newsroom Style. He has written for publications including USA Today, E! News, BuzzFeed News, Dance Magazine, the LA Sentinel and more. When he isn’t in the newsroom, he is onstage or in the studio as a dancer and actor. He joins The Times as an Entertainment and Arts intern June 13. @Steven_Vargas_

Sumeet Kulkarni (he/him) is a PhD student in physics and astronomy at the University of Mississippi. Born and raised in Pune, India, he moved to the U.S. in 2017 to study gravitational waves, tiny ripples in the fabric of spacetime generated by dancing black holes and detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) experiment. He is passionate about increasing the public engagement of science through various forms of science communication, which include writing for Astrobites, a student-run blog on the latest astrophysics research, running a science cafe in Oxford, Miss., producing its accompanying podcast called “Ssippin’ Science” and engaging schoolkids with the LIGO science outreach activities. As an amateur astro photographer, he loves clear skies that let him capture various celestial jewels to add to his collection. Which is another reason why he is beyond excited to spend the summer in the city of stars to be a science reporter starting June 6 through the American Assn. for the Advancement of Science mass media fellowship. @Sumeet_kul

Surya Hendry is a rising senior at Stanford University, where she studies political science. She’s originally from the Seattle area (Everett), and she was introduced to podcasting by KUOW’s phenomenal RadioActive program. Since then, she has created podcasts for WBUR’s “Here & Now,” Stanford Space Initiative’s “This Week In Space,” Bruegel’s “The Sound of Economics” and YR Media. She’s passionate about longform narratives, archival audio and environmental reporting. When she’s not editing sound waves and adjusting mics, she spends her time painting, reading, hiking and playing Stardew Valley. She’s excited to join the Audio team as an intern May 31, based in Los Angeles. @suryahendryy

Wesley Lapointe grew up living and photographing in the Maine outdoors. Next year, he’ll graduate with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oregon. He also earned a photography diploma at South Seas Film School in Auckland, New Zealand, before studying multimedia communication at Portland Community College. Lapointe’s work explores the intersections of community, environment and the arts, and has appeared in outlets including the Washington Post, Vice, Allure, Portland Monthly, Ms. Magazine and Willamette Week. He interned as a photojournalist at Willamette Week in 2019 and as an outdoor reporting intern at the Statesman Journal in Salem, Ore., in 2021. He spends his free time looking for birds, falling off his skateboard and cooking breakfast foods. Lapointe joins the visuals team as a photo intern June 13. @WesleyLapointe