Brittany Gibson

Twitter: @brittanyagibson Hometown: Jersey City, N.J. Professor: Mary D'Ambrosio Class: International Reporting Takeaway: In Professor D'Ambrosio's international reporting class, I followed Venezuelan communities in New York and New Jersey, and although I read a lot about Venezuela's recent history and kept up with current events, nothing could have prepared me for the stories people shared with me. The experiences of the Venezuelan attendees added a depth and sense of humanity to their political and humanitarian crisis that I wouldn't have been able to express before this event. I learned that research and statistics can only convey so much, and true connections to a subject are built with personal experiences. To get those anecdotes, you have to ask the right questions, and sometimes uncomfortable ones -- but with confidence, and authenticity toward your interviewee, it can be done.