Isobel Bartels is an incoming junior at Miami University studying business analytics in the Farmer School of Business. She has worked on a variety of multimedia and marketing projects, including videography with the university’s marketing department, where she helps tell the stories of campus life through a creative and data-driven lens. Originally from Toledo, Ohio, she is excited to return home this summer and contribute to the region that shaped her.

Outside of academics, she enjoys anything that gets her moving and outside, whether it’s working out, doing pilates, or spending time in nature with friends. She also loves documenting life through video and exploring how stories can influence perspectives.

With Midstory, she hopes to explore the power of media in highlighting untold Midwest narratives and to collaborate on storytelling projects that blend data, design and community.

Bonus Fact: She’s been making videos since she was little and has a life-long archive to prove it.

Martin is a senior at Syracuse University studying advertising and data analytics. He’s from Cleveland originally, but spent the last decade living in the Toledo area. He loves writing, watching movies and complaining about Ohio sports teams.

With Midstory, he hopes to combine his passion for storytelling with his experiences in data analysis to help paint a better picture of the community that he calls home. Martin hopes to broaden his skills in the mediums of graphic data visualization, video production and nonfiction writing.

Bonus Fact: His great-great uncle was the original voice of Peter Pan and played him on Broadway.

Tenzin is a sophomore CS major at Princeton University in New Jersey. Tenzin is passionate about data analytics, mostly in relation to ecological and environmental phenomena. On campus, he works to organize Princeton’s flagship hackathon and serves on the Sustainability Committee, where he pushes environmental initiatives. Outside of academics, Tenzin plays indoor volleyball with the Princeton Men’s Club Team and grass volleyball in the off-season.

Tenzin looks forward to working hands-on with real-world data while at Midstory and is excited to collaborate with fellow interns on interdisciplinary projects. He hopes to explore opportunities to apply his technical skills, including data visualization or interactive tools, to support Midstory’s research and storytelling efforts.

Bonus Fact: Tenzin got rid of his pollen allergy after going an entire spring without using allergy medication.

Sasha is a senior at Oberlin College, majoring in creative writing and sociology and minoring in English. She has lived in Metro Atlanta most of her life, and is beyond excited to delve into Midwestern culture and communities. She has prior experience in literary journalism, and she is especially interested in studying entertainment, education, the arts and pop culture in a sociological context. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing fiction, drawing and learning guitar.

With Midstory, Sasha hopes to write and learn all about specific cultural histories of the Midwest, and looks forward to improving her skills in visual storytelling as well!

Bonus Fact: After writing her last piece for Midstory, Sasha has been trying to take a photo of herself in every shopping arcade she can find.

Indra is a rising senior at Northwestern University from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. She is pursuing a journalism major with a minor in data science and a certificate in integrated marketing communications. She serves as a managing editor at North by Northwestern University, where she produces multimedia stories. In her free time, Indra loves to watch Dodgers baseball, doodle comics and bike with friends.

With Midstory, Indra hopes to cover Midwest stories through engaging multimedia mediums such as videos, podcasts and interactives.

Bonus Fact: Indra shares the same birthday as Chicago's Millennium Park!

Brynn is an incoming senior at Bowling Green State University, majoring in media production and minoring in music industry. She's interested in media studies, sociology and history, and has worked with PBS and BGSU Falcon Media. She's from Toledo and enjoys going to local concerts, playing guitar, shooting photography and cooking.

With Midstory, she's looking forward to shooting, editing and learning more about production. She's hoping to improve her research and writing skills while learning more about the history of her hometown.

Bonus Fact: She shares a birthday with two of her childhood friends!

Quan Harris-Holley is a senior at Kenyon College majoring in film and English from Charlotte, NC. He’s interested in sports documentaries and the influence of athletics on the cultural perception of the Black community.

He has worked as a writer and editor on various documentaries, including ESPN’s “Inside the CFP,” Prime Video’s “All or Nothing,” and Amazon Prime’s “Soul Power” series. He enjoys engaging with poetics and has served on staff at the Kenyon Review for the past four years. Off set, Quan enjoys collecting records, cooking southern cuisine and agonizing over Tottenham Hotspur matches.

At Midstory, Quan hopes to write articles chronicling the history of people of color who helped build Toledo’s artistic scene and assist the documentary team with pre- and post-production.

Bonus Fact: In his gap semester, Quan worked as a commis chef at Charlotte Country Club. Ask him about any state in the South! He’ll have a restaurant recommendation.

Kailey is a junior at Princeton University majoring in computer science and minoring in finance. She was born and raised in Southern California and is passionate about the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Club and Princeton Racing Electric, where they build a car entirely from scratch.

This summer, Kailey is most looking forward to collaborating with other fellows and exploring Midwestern culture.

Bonus Fact: Kailey speaks three languages.

Kiran is an upcoming senior at Syracuse University studying magazine, news and digital journalism and biology. She’s originally from Washington state, about 45 minutes outside of Seattle. She’s very interested in environmental biology and anything related to the outdoors. Outside of work, she does competitive gymnastics and loves to read, hang out with her dog and play guitar.

With Midstory, she’s most looking forward to reporting on environmental issues in the Midwest, especially learning more about the Great Lakes ecosystems. She’s also excited to dive into data journalism and visualizations.

Bonus Fact: She’s good at solving crossword puzzles, and her record time for the NYT mini is 10 seconds.

Arjun is a senior at Anthony Wayne High School and has lived in Northwest Ohio for as long as he can remember. He is planning on majoring in Engineering in college and has a particular interest in sustainable engineering. Outside of school, Arjun enjoys running for his cross country/track teams, traveling, trying new foods, and watching his favorite football team, the Detroit Lions.

With Midstory, Arjun hopes to research both serious topics (such as sustainable initiatives like national nuclear energy initiatives) as well as more lighthearted topics (such as the effects sports teams can have on their fans). No matter what he writes about, he hopes his writing can inspire the reader to view the topic from a novel perspective.

Bonus Fact: Arjun is a huge fan of Taco Bell, his go-to orders are the Spicy Potato Soft Taco and the Black Bean Crunchwrap.

Rajan is a rising senior at Duke University from Atlanta, majoring in public policy and biology. He is particularly interested in health policy, specifically in exploring barriers to healthcare delivery. On campus, Rajan conducts research in a cell biology lab and works as a tour guide. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, playing tennis and watching Duke basketball.

With Midstory, Rajan is looking forward to exploring Midwest communities like Toledo and improving his storytelling skills. He is also excited to collaborate with a motivated team who all bring their own unique experiences and skillsets.

Bonus Fact: Rajan speaks German and has been learning the language since middle school.

Siyeon is a rising junior at Princeton University from Seoul, South Korea, majoring in history and minoring in journalism and African American studies. She is interested in how literature, journalism and humanistic computing challenge positivist ideas of historical and mathematical objectivity, and how writing shapes sociopolitical narratives on race and imperialism. Outside of school, Siyeon enjoys drawing and overanalyzing movies on her notes app.

With Midstory, Siyeon hopes to advance her interest in narrative journalism through writing features on Midwesterners impacted by the housing crisis. She is also interested in reporting on the Midwest's urban/rural political divide, transportation infrastructure and environmental pollution.

Bonus Fact: Siyeon survived a harrowing hotel fire on a trip with her friends during her senior year of high school.

Vivian is a rising junior majoring in math and economics at the University of Chicago. She is interested in the overlap between economics and sociology, and how math and economics can be used to help everyday people. Last summer, she worked as a data analyst intern with GHY Impact Capital, a startup to help more Americans afford homes. She spends most of her free time on art, running, reading, food and music.

As a native Chicagoan, Vivian is excited to learn more about the Midwest and how she can impact the Midwest community through working at Midstory.

Bonus Fact: Her favorite kind of pizza is margherita.

Desiree is a rising sophomore from the Bay Area. She is studying journalism, political science and French at Northwestern University. As a reporter for The Daily Northwestern, she covers arts and entertainment, local businesses and sports. She particularly enjoys writing features. Outside the newsroom, Desiree loves visiting bookstores, updating her Letterboxd and cheering on Bay Area sports teams.

With Midstory, Desiree hopes to write longform stories about the Midwest’s hidden gems, focusing on city infrastructure and the arts. She also looks forward to gaining experience with data visualization and graphic design.

Bonus Fact: Desiree loves broccoli.

Lenox is a senior graphic designer at Bowling Green State University. She and her family are from a small town called Southington, which consists of farm land and is a 20-minute drive to the nearest grocery store. Her experiences as a marketing major introduced her to design, where she fell in love with storytelling and research. Design has given her the opportunity to learn, unlearn and relearn. Education is something she’s always valued, so she appreciates the opportunity to educate others.

With Midstory, she hopes to create visual storytelling pieces that communicate the importance of community and representation within Toledo, or any relevant town. She’s looking forward to collaborating with the research and writing teams this summer on various projects!

Bonus Fact: When she’s not designing, she’s enjoying time with her beloved dogs and searching for a new horror movie.

Kaustuv, from Northville, MI, is a senior at Princeton majoring in operations research and financial engineering and minoring in architecture. He enjoys all things data science, specifically using statistics with a qualitative lens. He has a passion for education through various mentorship projects.

He is excited to dig deeper into data-driven narratives at Midstory this summer. Outside of academics, Kaustuv enjoys playing many sports and volunteering.

Bonus Fact: His highest score in bowling is a 212!

Anavi is a sophomore at Northwestern University majoring in journalism and social policy and minoring in data science. She is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is interested in education policy and amplifying student voices, which she does by reporting on Evanston’s public schools for The Daily Northwestern. Most recently, Anavi served as a multimedia managing editor and audio editor for The Daily and a reporter for the Medill Investigative Lab. Outside of academics, Anavi enjoys exploring Chicago, watching Bollywood movies and adding things to her bucket list.

At Midstory, Anavi is excited to research and report on youth initiatives, education and public transportation in the Midwest. She is also looking forward to using multimedia storytelling to create an immersive experience for Midstory’s audience.

Bonus Fact: Anavi went to grade school in three countries: India, Canada and the U.S.

Joshua Repp is a junior at Colgate University majoring in political science and Asian studies. He was born in Indiana but grew up in Toledo, Ohio. On campus, Joshua contributes to and edits for the arts and features section of the student newspaper and has contributed design and marketing skills to university publications.

This summer, he is excited to turn his attention to an area he grew up in to write articles, contribute to ongoing multimedia projects and discover regional narratives previously overlooked.

Bonus Fact: In 2024, Joshua spent a summer in Beijing for a language program.

Helena is a rising senior at Princeton, majoring in English and minoring in creative writing, dance and computer science. She especially enjoys reading and writing fiction, practicing and teaching ballet and investigating the historical forces that shape the way we tell stories. She is passionate about long-form journalism and arts education. Her favorite pastimes include hiking, indulging in research rabbit holes and cooking with her family.

With Midstory, Helena looks forward to exploring topics ranging from art history to environmental justice. She is particularly excited to hone her long-form reporting skills and to help craft accessible multimedia stories using data visualization and graphics.

Bonus Fact: Helena has lived in Phoenix, Arizona, for eight years, but she also spent portions of her childhood in Fairbanks, Alaska and Cairo, Egypt.

Grant grew up in Toledo, Ohio, where he is currently studying at the University of Toledo. He is a sophomore majoring in environmental science with minors in data science and German. He’s passionate about education and making environmental resources more accessible for those in his community who may not have the means to attend college. His academic interests are urban restoration and public health. Outside of class, he enjoys tending the University vegetable garden, exploring Toledo's nature preserves and catching up on popular television.

He has volunteered throughout Toledo, conducting work alongside the organizations Toledo Excel, Leadership Toledo and later UT. He values hands-on work that gets a person out there and involved with their community. This summer, he’s looking forward to his partnership with Midstory because he sees what they are doing as good work that raises the voices of others.

Bonus Fact: He has a wonderful and enormous family overseas in Germany because his grandmother immigrated to the US.

Sandra is particularly interested in video journalism, shining a light on marginalized communities and telling the stories that no one else pays attention to. She was born in Egypt and moved to St. Louis, MO, when she was seven. Her family moved to Dallas, TX, when she moved to college. She’s from a little all over the place, but Chicago is her favorite. Outside of academics, she loves to draw, sing, weight lift and cook.

With Midstory, she hopes to create videos that help explain socioeconomic and other disparities that marginalized communities face and the reasons they face those issues. She’d like to learn more about graphic design and using graphics in videos.

Bonus Fact: She won an Emmy in high school!

Leah is a junior at Northwestern University majoring in journalism and minoring in political science and psychology. Originally from Missouri, Leah has experience reporting in D.C. and Chicago on everything from national politics to community issues. Outside of journalism, Leah enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading and baking.

With Midstory, Leah hopes to contribute to the Midwest narrative by reporting on policies affecting those in the Midwest and interesting demographic and culture stories. She also looks forward to exploring multimedia and data reporting.

Bonus Fact: Leah loves watching baseball, especially the St. Louis Cardinals!

Yasuhiro is a rising fourth-year at Oberlin College, originally from Charlottesville, Virginia. During his entire time at college, he has worked for his school’s newspaper, the Oberlin Review, mostly as news editor, covering news on campus and in the community surrounding it. In the rare moments he is not working at the newspaper, he enjoys bicycling, drawing, reading and exploring new places.

Yasuhiro looks forward to trying out forms of media he is less familiar with, such as audio and documentary, and hearing the stories of interesting Midwesterners this summer. In particular, he is interested in delving into urban planning and development and how these factors shape the lives of people living in the region.

Bonus Fact: His grandmother grew up ten minutes from the Midstory office in Toledo.

Jaren Snodgrass is a 22-year-old Toledo, Ohio, native. Jaren is a rising senior at Miami University, studying a Communication Design major as well as a Games and Simulation minor. He has always had a deep passion for art, nature, paleontology, and wildlife conservation, and he has found multiple ways to blend these passions through his creative projects, both academic and social. When not studying or drafting his next big idea, Jaren enjoys sketching, nature walks, gaming, and playing with his cat.

At Midstory, Jaren hopes to bring more attention to the natural beauty of the Midwest, researching and writing stories about the region’s conservation efforts, biodiversity, and ecological needs. He hopes that in doing this, he can employ his own skills as a graphic designer, as well as better himself as a writer and storyteller.

Bonus Fact: Jaren has seen all 6 Jurassic Park movies and can name the exact dinosaur species that appear in each movie, respectively.

Grace is a rising sophomore at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, majoring in biochemistry and English. She is particularly interested in exploring how economics, public policy and science and technology shape our society. Grace is from the northwest suburbs of Chicago and loves writing poetry and nonfiction, discovering new study spots and snapping photos of unsuspecting squirrels.

This summer, she is excited to learn and write about topics related to the Midwest, and she is especially looking forward to getting to know everyone at Midstory and exploring Toledo.

Bonus Fact: Grace is a huge fan of cartoonified dinosaurs (like the Google dino!) and has a bright green dino plush that sits on her bed, courtesy of her high school fencing team. She also knows four different languages, albeit all with varying levels of familiarity.

Rachel is a rising junior at Northwestern University, studying journalism and environmental policy and culture. Having lived in both New York and Seoul, she is interested in community-informed and advocacy journalism.

This summer, Rachel is interested in reporting about disparities in environmental burdens across neighborhoods in Chicago. She hopes to draw on multimedia storytelling, accompanied by data-driven evidence and graphics.

In her spare time, Rachel likes to read fiction, watch NPR’s Tiny Desk series and explore different parts of Chicago.

Bonus Fact: She loves to sing and is in an East Asian interest performance group at school.