AZPM Student Employee Awarded Prestigious Fellowship from RIAS-Berlin Commission

Arizona Public Media (AZPM) is proud to announce that student employee Sophia Hammer, a member of the radio, news, and Arizona Spotlight teams, has been awarded a fellowship from the esteemed RIAS-Berlin Commission. Hammer, who will graduate this year from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and International Studies from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, will attend the Commission's three-week student program in Berlin in May.

"Sophia's selection for this fellowship underscores the exceptional talent emerging from AZPM's student workforce," said Christopher Conover, AZPM News Director. "We look forward to the knowledge and insights she will acquire from her time in Berlin."

Founded in 1992, three years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the RIAS-Berlin Commission fosters cross-cultural journalism exchange between U.S. and German media professionals. This program offers a unique opportunity for emerging journalists to develop their skills while learning from peers and mentors across the Atlantic.

"Sophia has the traits we seek in RIAS participants: keen, curious, and a commitment to building transatlantic relationships. We are excited to welcome her to the RIAS-Berlin Commission family," said Christoph Jumpelt, executive director of the RIAS-Berlin Commission.

As part of AZPM's ongoing involvement in the RIAS network, the newsroom will also host three German student journalists in March, following the visit of two German professional reporters in October 2024.

Conover, who also hosts AZPM's award-winning radio program "The Buzz," and Tony Paniagua, reporter and producer for Arizona Illustrated, are alumni of the RIAS program. Conover, along with former producer Ariana Brocious, subsequently won the RIAS Radio Award in 2020 for excellence in reporting on German-American issues for the episode of The Buzz that focused on German perspectives on immigration.