SBU’s Marie Colvin Center Sends Students to Berlin and Washington, D.C.

Image from "The Kiss: From Comrades to Gay Icons at the Berlin Wall," a story by Adriana Tardugno that can be found in the Journalism Without Walls Berlin 2026 Substack.

Standing at the Berlin Wall with cameras in hand, interviewing sightseers about the changing meaning of a "kiss," visiting a top hospital to discover why fewer women die in childbirth in Germany than in the U.S. and boarding Europe's newest eco-friendly train - these were just some of the exciting experiences this summer for student journalists at Stony Brook.

A total of 19 students participated in two outstanding international reporting opportunities. Both trips were supported by the Marie Colvin Center at the School of Communication and Journalism.

This year's prestigious Journalism Without Walls program sent nine students on a fully-funded trip to Berlin to investigate the city's culture, art and politics. They spent the spring semester identifying stories, researching and cultivating sources before conducting on ground-reporting in Berlin from May 23-June 6, 2026.

The students produced joint and individual multimedia projects ranging from the rise of the far right and German rearmament to Berlin's vibrant jazz, street art and thrifting scenes. Visit the Journalism Without Walls Berlin 2026 Substack to view all of the students' work.

"I had such an amazing time reporting in Berlin, and it was an unforgettable experience," said Ava Shea '26. "Getting to do something I've spent so long studying felt like a full circle moment in my journalism career. The added challenge of reporting overseas showed me the value of international journalism as well as sparking a change for me to want to pursue that as a career." Shea reported on new challenges to the legalization of sex work in Germany.

Journalism Without Walls students celebrate their SoCJ awards with Sarah Baxter (far left) and Ivana Stolnik-Lourie (center-right).

The students on the trip were Angelina Livigni, Adriana Tardugno, Miles Reese, Liam Hinck, Lily Miller, Ava Shea, Michelle Grisales, Quincy Brigham and Viyang Hao. Sarah Baxter, director of the Marie Colvin Center, led the trip with Melanie Formosa, the Center's communications and strategy officer.

"The Journalism Without Walls program provides a unique opportunity for our students to experience life as a foreign correspondent. I am so impressed with the quality, originality and range of their stories in Berlin," said Baxter. "They are true professionals."

Travel and accommodation expenses for the Berlin visit were provided by a Journalism Without Walls fund established for the Colvin Center by Ivana Stolnik-Lourie '16. Thanks to her generous support, the program also sent 10 students to Sweden last year. Next summer's destination will be announced in the fall.

"As someone whose life has been shaped by crossing borders I know that the most meaningful education happens when we leave what is familiar," said Stolnik-Lourie. "I wanted these students to experience a world that cannot be learned from textbooks: to stand where history happened, to speak with people whose lives are different from their own and to discover that every headline has a human story behind it. My hope is that they return not only as stronger journalists, but as more thoughtful, compassionate people."

SBU journalism students at the 2026 CSIS Journalism Bootcamp in Washington, D.C.

The Colvin Center offered an additional reporting opportunity for 10 student journalists in May 2026 in partnership with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a renowned foreign affairs think tank.

The students connected with policy experts and multimedia specialists to report on global issues during a week-long CSIS Journalism Bootcamp in Washington, D.C. Their long-form multimedia investigation, At Arm's Length: Military Technology Cooperation Within The Russia-Iran Partnership, explored the evolving military-technology cooperation between Russia and Iran, and its geopolitical implications.

Pablo Calvi, associate professor in the School of Communication and Journalism and associate director of the Colvin Center for Latin America, served as faculty adviser.

"It was an invaluable experience for our students to produce and write and publish their work on international reporting from the indisputable center of world politics," said Calvi. "They got to experience not only a fast-paced professional environment but also the nuances of politics and the debate of ideas in Washington, D.C."

The students were Amit Ben-Bassat, Amir Browne, Brian Chen, Layla Duran, Amen Ruth Galinato, Nadia Islam, Joshua Lee, Jasmina Pepic, Anjolique Powell and Aisha Sulemana.

All travel and accommodation expenses were funded by the CSIS.

- Melanie Formosa