Public Affairs Reporting

"I would not have the job I do today without PAR. Having that experience inside the Illinois Capitol...and getting to work with some of the best in the business helped shape me into the journalist I am today. I CANNOT say enough good things about the PAR program and will forever be grateful for what I learned and the lifelong friends I made during my time in Springfield."

"For any aspiring reporter who wants on-the-ground training, I cannot point to a better program than PAR. It did more to prepare me for the real world in one year than four years of undergrad. The classes are designed to be specifically relevant to public affairs and what you’re later covering. The real experience working in the Capitol is invaluable."

"The PAR program at UIS is, hands down, the best training ground for journalists who are serious about learning how government works and why it impacts everything we do. I've worked in four states and the knowledge I gained during my time at UIS has always helped me hit the ground running." 

"(PAR's) individualized career guidance, exposure to readership and future employers, source building opportunities and the ability and platform to dig deep into real-life issues at a professional level is unmatched. I wouldn't be where I am today without the resources and experiences I gained through my time in the PAR program."

Learn more: PAR Alumni