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Eight new paid interns joining KUT News and KUTX 98.9 for spring 2025

The KUT News and KUTX 98.9 spring intern cohort (from top left): Katrina Spencer, Alejandra Jaime, Nina Banks and Russell Crawford (from bottom left) Kendall Barnes, William Whitworth, Sarah Brager and Isabella Zeff
The KUT News and KUTX 98.9 spring intern cohort (from top left): Katrina Spencer, Alejandra Jaime, Nina Banks and Russell Crawford (from bottom left) Kendall Barnes, William Whitworth, Sarah Brager and Isabella Zeff

Hiring managers sifted through a record number of applications to choose the eight new interns joining KUT News and KUTX 98.9 for spring 2025.

Most interns began onboarding in late January and have quickly become integral members of their teams. They are actively contributing by pitching ideas, writing stories for both on-air and online platforms, and gaining firsthand experience in the fast-paced environment of a community focused radio station.

University of Texas at Austin junior Nina Banks is getting a head start as her role required her to hit the ground running with the beginning of the 89th Texas legislative session. A political communication major, Banks is based at KUT News as the legislative reporting fellow for The Texas Newsroom. She’s previously interned with KXAN’s investigative department and was a reporting fellow for The Texas Tribune.

Political journalism assignments are likely also awaiting "Texas Standard’s" spring interns. The statewide weekday news show is following the impacts of a new Trump Administration as well as the state legislature – and celebrating 10 years on the air.

"Texas Standard" intern Katrina Spencer is a UT-Austin graduate student in journalism and media. Before reaching UT, Spencer served as the editor of Vinegar Hill Magazine, where she continues to freelance. Spencer’s professional background is in academic librarianship. Spencer also studies Brazilian Portuguese at UT as a foreign languages and areas studies (FLAS) fellow.

Sarah Brager is also joining the "Texas Standard" newsroom as a spring intern. She’s a senior journalism major at UT and will also graduate with a certificate in public policy studies. Brager has previously worked for "Texas Monthly," "Community Impact," The Drag and "The Daily Texan."

KUT newsroom interns work with both on-air and digital staff to tell the stories of Central Texas. Interns also often contribute to its crowdsourced storytelling project: ATXplained.

Spring KUT News intern Alejandra Jaime just completed her MFA in communications at California Institute for the Arts. She is originally from Corpus Christi and earned her undergraduate degree at Texas State. Jaime previously worked for VaynerMedia as a social media coordinator and is hoping to bring her “media flare” to the team.

Isabella Zeff is a journalism senior with a minor in media studies at UT-Austin. She previously interned at "Texas Monthly" and has served as a senior news reporter and projects editor at "The Daily Texan." Zeff says she has always been passionate about telling stories and looks forward to further connecting with the Austin community through her work at KUT.

Audio production intern Kendall Barnes will work with the engineering team to set up sound equipment and record sessions for both KUT News and KUTX 98.9.

Barnes recently graduated with a masters in audio engineering from Belmont University in Nashville. Her undergraduate degree is in percussion performance. While studying at Belmont, Barnes had the opportunity to assist with studio recordings of local bands and campus ensembles and is excited to be back in the state of Texas and to be a part of the KUT/KUTX audio production team.

Multimedia interns Russell Crawford and William Whitworth will also work with staff at both radio stations with their original still photography and videography.

Crawford is a recent graduate from UT-Austin. He began to pursue a career in photography after traveling to the Czech Republic to study documentary photography under the distinguished Dennis Darling. Crawford says he is motivated by a desire to capture history, no matter how small or significant the moment.

Whitworth is completing his final year in the Master of Advertising program within the Texas Creative Sequence at UT-Austin. He is a photographer for "Texas Connect," the Steve Hicks School of Social Work, and the assistant photography director at "SPARK Magazine." Passionate about connecting with others, Whitworth says he uses photography to tell people’s stories and capture their unique experiences.

Paid internships in the newsroom and KUTX 98.9 are offered in the summer, fall and spring. They’re made possible thanks to support from members. Applications for summer 2025 internships are due March 2. Anyone is welcome to apply. For more information, look for the posting at kut.org/jobs.

Laura first joined the KUT team in April 2012. She now works for the statewide program Texas Standard as a reporter and producer. Laura came to KUT from the world of television news. She has worn many different hats as an anchor, reporter and producer at TV stations in Austin, Amarillo and Toledo, OH. Laura is a proud graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia, a triathlete and enjoys travel, film and a good beer. She enjoys spending time with her husband and pets.