Press welcomes new summer interns

Summer might be a great time to relax for hard-working college students, but not for the three newest members of The Riverdale Press team.

Sean Browne, Zefei Dong and Remi Kumar started at the newspaper this past week, earning college credit by helping Riverdale share its many stories in the pages of the local paper.

Dong, a graduate student at Fordham University, will spend time as a marketing intern. He studied international journalism in college, even working for a local newspaper back in China. 

“I always believe a community-oriented newspaper can better serve a community than national news outlets,” said Dong, who also did work with Uber in China. “In the age of political polarization and online trolling, the local practice may be a crucial point for bonding a community.”

Browne and Kumar will participate in the editorial side, along with Sarah Fineman, who starts later this summer.

Kumar was born and raised in Riverdale, attending The David A. Stein Riverdale/Kingsbridge Academy — named for the founder of The Riverdale Press — and later the Bronx High School of Science.

Kumar is an incoming junior at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, majoring in film and media studies.

Kumar is no stranger to The Press, writing an opinion piece for the paper in 2008 when he was just in fifth grade. He’s a member of the Tufts club tennis team, helping the school make an appearance at nationals.

Browne is a native of Mount Kisco, and is an incoming senior at Pace University in Pleasantville. There he is working toward a digital journalism degree with a minor in public relations. 

Browne was the news editor of his school paper, The Pace Chronicle. In the fall, he’ll be the publication’s editor-in-chief.

“National and world news is important, but the best — and most important — stories are right here at the local level,” Press editor Michael Hinman said. “We have a responsibility as a community to grow our journalists of tomorrow. And there’s no better place to ignite those futures than right here in Riverdale.”