About Maggie Messitt

Maggie Messitt's avatar image

MAGGIE MESSITT is an American writer and editor focused on narrative and immersion journalism in middle America & southern Africa. She lived in rural Africa for more than six years and split her life between two continents for two more. Maggie returned to the US as a full-time resident in early 2011, and she currently resides in Athens, Ohio, where she continues to write and teach.

When Maggie gets back to southern Africa, she reports from rural communities in Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. She also continues her work as a media educator and newspaper consultant in underserved regions. Maggie lived in Limpopo, South Africa, from 2003-2011, during which time she was the Founding Director of Amazwi, a non-profit media arts organization for African women, editor of it's community newspaper and magazine, and a freelance international correspondent.

Maggie holds a BA in Journalism & FPJ (an interdisciplinary human rights program) from Boston College; a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction from Goucher College; and a forthcoming graduate certificate in (developmental manuscript) Editing from the University of Chicago. Maggie is also a Writing Fellow at Ohio University where she is working toward her doctorate in Creative Writing (Nonfiction).

>> When Maggie attended KDMC, she was the EngageWisconsin Web Producer & Community Engagement Media Manager at Wisconsin Public Television, a network of 6 stations with an audience of 538,000 households p/week. Her responsibilities included producing online storytelling projects, managing WPT’s College Correspondent Program, and establishing a new online media engagement initiative.

 

Stories

Digital media stories published elsewhere by Maggie Messitt:

  • EngageWisconsin [edit]
    EngageWisconsin is an online community engagement portal created by Wisconsin Public Television. Spearheaded by a 2010 KDMC Fellow, the site is focused on: 1) producing multimedia storytelling projects, promoting WPT and PBS documentaries & programming, 2) developing a platform through which WI residents can blog on program-related subjects, and 3) encourage viewer-created content. The site explores how to take viewers behind-the-scenes while also providing an interactive platform through which WI residents can share their stories, learn from one another, and discuss local issues. Ultimately, we see it as a place where Wisconsin residents and their diverse voices connect.

Writing

Content on this site written by Maggie Messitt (includes contributory writing):

  • Projects

    • Redwood Valley Railway
    • The Redwood Valley Railway is a rideable minature steam railway modeled after the classic steam trains. The conductor wears a uniform and a crew of enthusiasts keep the trains going. ...