Students in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s advanced reporting class worked at the Seward County Independent June 25 through July 6, writing articles and helping cover the Fourth of July festivities. They are, from left, Denise Muñoz, Meghan Straub, Megan Crain and Trev McDiffett.
Four interns from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln spent the past two weeks writing about and photographing events, people and places in Seward County. Here’s what they thought about the experience.
by Megan Crain
The two weeks I’ve spent working in Seward have practically flown by. It feels like I was just rolling into town, not knowing at all what to expect.
I’d never been to Seward before. I’ve been to towns like Seward in my home state of Illinois, but I’d never spent more than a few hours in them. I had never worked at a newspaper in an area I was unfamiliar with, and I was kind of nervous about it.
But, as usual, I shouldn’t have worried. Everyone I encountered in Seward was friendly and helpful. Most everyone asked me where I was from, what I was studying and if I liked Seward so far. The answers were always Illinois, sports media and journalism and yes, I did.
And then they’d asked if I was going to be here for the Fourth of July. And the answer was always yes, I am.
I had heard that Seward on the Fourth was a big deal, but I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I was fairly surprised when I saw the list of activities on America’s birthday in Seward. There seemed to be hundreds of different things to do, and a little something for everyone. I wasn’t totally sure how it was all going to be pulled off.
When I got to Seward on the morning of July Fourth, there was already a lot going on. The craft fair was in full swing, events at the bandshell were about to begin and the streets were already packed with people.
Everyone was happy to be there, and the energy in the air was exciting. And I was right: there really was something for everyone.
The highlight of my day was a lecture given by Jerry Pfabe about early crimes in Seward County. As someone who is kind of obsessed with true crime, this was right up my alley.
I have to say, Seward, I’ve spent multiple Fourth of Julys in Illinois and “une fête nationale” (one Bastille Day) in France, and I’ve never seen an Independence Day celebration quite like this one.
It ended up being a long, hot, sweaty day for me, but my Fourth of July in Seward is certainly one I will never forget.
Megan Crain of Springfield, Illinois is heading into her junior year at UNL this fall. She’s double-majoring in sports communication and media and journalism, and minoring in sociology. When she graduates, she would like to work in social media content creation for a sports team, athletic department or sports media outlet.
by Meghan Straub
When I first enrolled in this class at the beginning of this year, I knew I would be writing stories and covering the Fourth of July in Seward, but I wasn’t expecting all the valuable experiences and knowledge I have gained.
Upon arriving in Seward two weeks ago, I was welcomed into the town and introduced to many members whom I would use as contacts for my future stories. They were willing to help me and my fellow classmates by answering questions we had and providing us with contact information for someone who might know more.
The couple of stories I worked on before the Fourth of July festivities took me to the town and rural parts of Beaver Crossing. It is a town I had never previously visited and one I really came to enjoy.
As our days continued at the newspaper, we began our preparations for the Fourth. We were told multiple times how popular it was and how much fun we were going to have, but I didn’t truly believe it until I saw it for myself. Fourth of July in Seward was as popular and crazy as they said it would be.
My fellow interns and I spent the day taking pictures, interviewing visitors and covering specific events. It was hot and very crowded, but I greatly enjoyed meeting new people and witnessing the apple pie eating contest and the fire department water fights for the first time.
As I am reflecting on my time in Seward, I am grateful I could experience what it’s like to be a journalist, while still being helped by my teacher and editors at the paper. I was also able to see my articles in the papers, which my Grandma really enjoyed!
Meghan Straub from Lincoln will be a senior at UNL majoring in journalism and secondary English education. After graduation, she hopes to continue to graduate school and work as a sports journalist.
by Trev McDiffett
From the time I was about 7 years old to the time I graduated from high school, trips to Seward had been a part of my summer routine. Every Fourth of July my parents and I would load up my dad’s truck and leave our home in Central City to celebrate our nation’s independence.
A barbeque at the home of Andy and Julie Christensen was always a part of our tradition. While our dads talked about their teaching days in Big Springs, their son Callen and I took part in whatever kind of shenanigans we could get into.
After so many trips to Seward, I was determined to see a side of the town I had never seen before. This was easier than expected.
In the days leading up to our trip, my classmates and I were given a list of story ideas to cover. I skimmed the list and looked for the right story. For no particular reason I ended up putting a star by two names – Roger Hanneman and Troy Hiser.
I had never heard of either of these men, but all I knew was Roger was a retiring sexton in Friend and Troy made trophies.
My interview with Roger was full of firsts. I had never interviewed a sexton, I had never interviewed someone in a cemetery, and I had never conducted an interview while sitting on a lawn mower. I was able to check all three of these off of my bucket list in one day.
One of the most fascinating people I met in Friend came from an unplanned assignment. One morning I was sent to the Friend Country Club to cover a youth golf camp. There I met Briana Werner, a 24-year-old golf instructor who has started her own golf academy. The way Briana talked about her faith and her goals for the camp inspired me.
Troy was another inspiring person I met. Not only does he work for the railroad, but he also has a nonprofit that assists kids in need. It is called Seward Foster Friends; I highly encourage you to check it out. Troy still finds time to do what he loves with his business, The Dirty Dane. He is the only person I know who could take an old supply box off of a tractor and turn it into a Bluetooth speaker.
The most exciting experience came when I visited the home of Troy’s parents, Vicki and Tom Hiser. I was starting to wrap up my interview with Vicki, when I asked where she was from. She replied, Norton, Kansas. My jaw dropped. My grandparents lived in the same town. However, this was not the most surprising fact. Vicki Hiser is my grandpa’s first cousin.
In utter shock I turned off my recorder and swapped family stories for another hour.
This instance supported my theory that everyone in Nebraska knows each other in one way or another.
Seeing Seward from a different side was truly a special experience. This time there were no barbecues or driving my parents insane, wondering what trouble I was getting into. I talked about life and death with a sexton, I connected with a family member and learned your age should not set a limit on your goals.
Trev McDiffett is going to be a senior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He majors in journalism and advertising/public relations. After graduating in the spring of 2019, he hopes to find a job.
by Denise Munoz
Throughout the past two weeks in Seward, I believe I have had the opportunity to get out of my comfort zone. Journalists often do things outside of their comfort zone, so I’m glad I had the chance to.
I’m from Los Angeles but have lived in cities like Omaha and Lincoln over the years. I’m not accustomed to small towns, so it has been quite an experience.
Before taking this class, I had never gone out into small towns or interacted with people who have lived in small towns their entire lives.
I’ve had the opportunity to explore Seward and Dorchester. Something I’ll always remember is getting lost on my way to Dorchester. I drove on a dirt road for about 30 minutes and I was freaking out because I was also low on gas and in the middle of nowhere.
It was quite the experience. However, once I found the Saline County Museum in Dorchester, I was pleased with the hospitality. Everyone was incredibly nice. I spoke with the people at the museum and learned so much about history of Saline County, a place I had never been to in the past.
Now I could probably discuss random facts about the towns in Saline County. Towns I have yet to visit.
Another thing I appreciated about Seward is the experience. I interned at the Lincoln Journal Star last spring semester and have experience in reporting. However, I reported in Lincoln, a city I am familiar with.
Before this class I had never been to Seward, so I was dealing with a lot of unknowns. Again, it was out of my comfort zone which is good because that is what journalism is all about. I also brushed up on a lot of skills. I had not been out reporting events in quite some time, about a month. It doesn’t seem like a lot of time but constant practice is important.The Fourth of July in Seward was also one to remember. It was fun, but sweaty.
Denise Munoz is a junior global studies, broadcasting and journalism major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. After graduation, she dreams of attending film school. In the future, she would like to film documentaries as well as work as a reporter covering global issues like the humanitarian crisis along the borders and war zones.
