The Upstart is a publication created by and for Michigan Interscholastic Press Association student journalists’ to share their work. We’re covering the 2023 summer workshop at Michigan State University. As it happens. With gusto.
Our staff blends professional, college and high school journalists working side-by-side all week. We’ll put everything on this snazzy website custom built by Aaron Olson that uses WordPress 3.0 and HTML 5. We’ll use Twitter, Instagram and Facebook too. (#MIPA2023 is the hashtag to follow.)
That’s the easy part. Journalism isn’t about tools. It’s about telling stories. And compelling storytelling – whatever form it takes – is what we’re striving for. We’ll use the site to showcase the Sparty-winning stories, photos, designs and videos created at camp.
After that? We want Michigan’s student journalists to submit their storytelling to the site all year. Use our resources page to find know-how and inspiration. (Advisers, this goes for you too. Got a presentation, handout or webinar you’re willing to share? Submit it.)
Questions? Email us at theupstart@mipamsu.org, or at any of our personal emails.
Staff
Our staff this year consists of seven graduated seniors. We hail from L’anse Creuse, Troy, Ann Arbor, and East Lansing. The staff is advised by Dylan Schwartz, a graduate of the University of Missouri and current reporter for the Big Rapids Pioneer.
Zachary Balcoff
MIPA Upstart Fellow
Zachary Balcoff will be attending Michigan State University for journalism & theatre design. He was previously the two time editor-in-chief of the Gladiator yearbook for Troy High School. Balcoff has been a part of journalism since 7th grade and has won 20 journalism-related awards on the state and national level. He also won the Sparty Award for the Best Theme Ever Class when he first attended MIPA in 2022.
Ridhima Kodali
MIPA Upstart Fellow
Ridhima Kodali is a graduate of Huron High School in Ann Arbor, where she was co-editor-in-chief of The Emery newspaper. She was an apprentice at the Detroit Free Press in summer 2022 and was Michigan’s representative in the national Journalism Education Association Journalist of the Year contest this year. She will be studying journalism at Michigan State University this fall.
Zachary Phelps
MIPA Upstart Fellow
Zach Phelps is from Ann Arbor and he’s working to become a sports writer. He worked at the award-winning newspaper at his high school, The Huron Emery, and he’s going into his freshman year at Michigan State University, where he’s be continuing his journalism pursuit. Go green!
Adan Quan
MIPA Upstart Fellow
Adan Quan is a graduate of East Lansing High School, where he was the co-editor-in-chief for the newspaper, Portrait. He will be attending Northwestern University in the fall, studying at the Medill School of Journalism. He has lived in East Lansing his whole life, but enjoys traveling all over the country and world.
Alexis Schmidt
MIPA Upstart Fellow
Alexis Schmidt is an incoming freshman at Michigan State University majoring in journalism with a broadcast minor. Her work has been featured on sites such as Forbes and PBS NewsHour. She is excited to work with everyone at MIPA!
Brianna Schmidt
MIPA Upstart Fellow
Brianna Schmidt is an incoming freshman at Michigan State University studying journalism with a minor in broadcasting. She enjoys all things video-related. Her work has been featured on PBS NewsHour, Forbes Magazine and more. She is thrilled to be a part of MIPA and to work with everyone!
Conner Williams
MIPA Upstart Fellow
Conner Williams is a graduate of Huron High School in Ann Arbor, where he was a member of the yearbook staff.
Dylan Schwartz
Media Specialist/Coach, The Upstart
Dylan Schwartz is a graduate of the University of Missouri with a degree in investigative journalism. He is working for the Big Rapids Pioneer, a Hearst newspaper, covering arts and entertainment as well as news. In his free time, he plays video games, the drums, makes music, hangs out with his cat, April, cooks Asian food and rides his longboard.
Code of Ethics
A journalists’ responsibility is to seek the truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently and be accountable. We’ll strive to abide by the guidelines set forth by the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics.
Usage policies
Student-run publications may use content produced by The Upstart journalists at no cost if they retain the journalists’ bylines. If you’re using our content online, we’d appreciate some link love (let folks know they can find us at theupstart.mipamsu.org).
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License.