About Backpack Journalism

Backpack Journalism at Creighton University is a collaboration between the Theology Department and the Journalism, Media, & Computing Department. It came about because of a theologian interested in social justice and filmmaking and a journalist and an artist interested in filmmaking and social justice.

Each summer, a small group of students travels to a community in search of a story. Led by professors Dr. John O’Keefe, Tim Guthrie, and Carol Zuegner, the students immerse themselves in the communities, interviewing, filming, recording, and writing. When they return to Creighton, they take the stories they have collected and develop them into a short documentary film. The Backpack Journalism documentaries have been accepted at several film festivals, including the Omaha Film Festival. The class has traveled to such far-flung places as the Dominican Republic and Uganda, Bethel Alaska and Nogales Arizona/Sonora. The next project is tentatively planned for Northern Uganda in 2018.

For more information or to apply to participate in the Uganda 2018 project, contact Dr. John O’Keefe (jokeefe@creighton.edu) or Dr. Carol Zuegner (carolzuegner@creighton.edu).

I asked for burger… I got an extra cheesecake

July 5, 20142016 Arizona and MexicoAlaska, backpack journalism, CUbackpack, photographyTony Homsy S.J.

In my first blog, I imagined our project as a combo burger. Actually I had a fatty rich one, I learned a lot in photography (Thanks Tim), journalism(Thanks Carol) and theology(Thanks John). But God is generous and always has surprises for me. He always add an extra addition to my order, this time was an eternal amazing cheesecake that I am enjoying right now. After I finished with my burger, it is time for dessert, the sweetest thing in this magical “restaurant”. Click continue to see the surprise.

I meant by eternal that maybe one day I will forget everything I learnt from this trip, but this group is unforgettable… and I will taste our memories together with joy, laughter and gratefulness. Please click on each photo to enlarge it.

Claire Storey

Morgan Ryan

Mari Heller

Madeline Zukowski

Leah Renaud

Kari Welniak

Hayley Henriksen

Erin Kurvers

Nico Sandi

Nichole Jelinek

Stephanie Tedesco

Scott Prewitt

John O'Keefe — John O’Keefe

Tim Guthrie

Tony Homsy S.J.

TJ Moore

Claudia Brock

Catherine Adams

Carol Zuegner

Hannah Mullally

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