The 2023 group of student fact checkers
Photo courtesy of Louis Jacobson
BY: GANNON HORNING, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
PolitiFact is a news fact checking organization that reviews articles and rates them on a scale of false, mostly false, mostly true or true. Students at St. Bonaventure University intern with PolitiFact writing fact checks for its New York-specific site. St. Bonaventure works with Politifact New York, meaning students fact check statements made by officials from New York or relating to New York
Advised by Jandoli School of Communication professor Rich Lee and PolitiFact senior correspondent Louis Jacobson, students are able to gain professional experience.
“Every spring semester [students] produce for PolitiFact as if they are full reporters.” Lee said.
This workshop has existed since the spring of 2020
Jacobson added, “The main idea is to give them real life experience producing the same exact kind of articles that our own staff does.”
The usual demographic for this workshop is upperclassmen, but some underclassmen have been invited by Lee as well.
“Students must be invited– typically students known for being good writers,” Lee said.
Classes are usually on Zoom because Jacobson is not local to the Greater Olean area. He flies to Bonaventure at least once per semester to meet students in-person.
“I come for about three or four days to get a chance to meet the students in person,” Jacobson said. “We usually start the work ahead of time, so when I come up, it is helpful to have the students there.”
Lee said he believes that interning for PolitiFact is very prestigious and an amazing opportunity.
“PolitiFact is one of the top fact checking organizations and can be very prestigious. You are going to build great skills, and it is going to look good on your resume,” Lee said.
horningl21@bonaventure.edu
