Pakistan to Chicago

My commitment to a career in video and photojournalism has led me from the developing country of Pakistan to the bustling streets of Chicago, where I am pursuing a master’s degree in journalism at Columbia College Chicago. My college studies, experiences in the field and passion for photo and video journalism makes me an ideal candidate for this scholarship.

Currently, I am a photo intern at the Chicago Sun-Times. I was recently the senior multimedia editor for the national award-winning Columbia Chronicle, where I have polished my digital journalism skills. In April, I had my work reviewed as part of the annual New York Times Portfolio Review, a globally competitive program. In May, I was part of a two-week internship program at The New York Times Journalism Institute. My work also has been published in Al-Jazeera America, the Huffington Post, The News (Pakistan) and The Daily Times (Pakistan).

I also recently worked for Walkabout Films, a leading South Asia documentary filmmaker, where I gained hands-on experience in the fields of documentaries and photography. Walkabout has made documentaries for National Geographic, Adventure One, Discovery Channel, BBC Natural History Unit, and UN agencies.

Given this opportunity, would add a great deal to my growing portfolio.