Aja Witt

(she/her/hers) is the Digital Community Coordinator for Michigan State University’s Alumni Office. She is a former research assistant, ESL instructor, and graduate of the University of Iowa with an M.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication (2021), a B.A. in Journalism (2018), and a B.A. in African American Studies (2018). During her graduate program, Aja's research interests included sports media, mental health, cultural studies, feminist theory, and critical race theory. She is the sole owner and operator of Rodzilla Recap, a sports entertainment website.

WordPress.com •

Eats, Beats, and Team Retreats

The midpoint of an internship — in this case, week five of eight — is probably the best time to unwind and get to know your co-workers in a non-work setting. By then, you’ve had a few weeks to settle into your new role, and the first day jitters — that tend to last a week for me — are likely gone. I’ve been lucky enough to work with a great group of people during my internship with the Iowa City Area Development (ICAD) group, and got to experience my very first team retreat on July 1st.

I’ll be
WordPress.com •

Joining Johnson County’s Annual Banner Project

Since 2015, Johnson County has maintained its Welcoming America Banner Project which embraces newcomers to the area with banners hung throughout Iowa City, Coralville and Kirkwood Community College. As a part of this project, the banners for 2021 will include black & white photographs of everyday Johnson County residents, from students and University professors, to city council members and business owners. The purpose of this project is to foster greater cultural diversity within our communities

Photography

Art & Life in Africa Exhibit University of Iowa (2015)

Malaysian Night at the University of Iowa (2015)

Humanities for the Public Good Internship with ICAD (2021)

(Banner Project and Team Retreat Photos)

Iowa City Downtown Photo Studio

Videos

HPG Internship Discussion at Hancher Auditorium

Water Quality in Iowa City with Senator Joe Bolkcom

(Award-winning Daily Iowan TV package)

Organic in Iowa City with the New Pioneer Food Co-op

Bernie Sanders in Iowa City speaking on Hillary Clinton

In-class edit on Making a Parfait!

Articles

Explore a selection of my written work.

WordPress.com •

Eats, Beats, and Team Retreats

The midpoint of an internship — in this case, week five of eight — is probably the best time to unwind and get to know your co-workers in a non-work setting. By then, you’ve had a few weeks to settle into your new role, and the first day jitters — that tend to last a week for me — are likely gone. I’ve been lucky enough to work with a great group of people during my internship with the Iowa City Area Development (ICAD) group, and got to experience my very first team retreat on July 1st.

I’ll be
WordPress.com •

Joining Johnson County’s Annual Banner Project

Since 2015, Johnson County has maintained its Welcoming America Banner Project which embraces newcomers to the area with banners hung throughout Iowa City, Coralville and Kirkwood Community College. As a part of this project, the banners for 2021 will include black & white photographs of everyday Johnson County residents, from students and University professors, to city council members and business owners. The purpose of this project is to foster greater cultural diversity within our communities
Tell Magazine •

Kareem Speaks…

NBA legend and long time civil rights activist, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar visited Hancher auditorium at the University of Iowa to discuss political activism, the Take A Knee Movement, and the ‘68 Olympics, on Sunday, March 25.

Hearing about the event, I knew I had to be in attendance. For one, it’s Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. I’ve known of him since childhood, when I first attempted his trademark “skyhook” (it didn’t work out too well because… uncoordinated). For two, I’ve been researching the Take A Knee M
Tell Magazine •

Policing the Mind: Police Brutality and Mental Health

There’s a video of Philando Castile being murdered in front of his fiancée, and her four year old daughter floating around the internet.

CNN, Fox News, and NBC News have all displayed the execution in their newscasts; MSNBC includes a soundbite from Castile’s mother following the 2017 “Not Guilty” verdict. If you remember, Castile was shot seven times in St. Anthony, Minnesota in July of 2016 by police officer Jeronimo Yanez during a traffic stop. He slumps over in his driver’s seat, his left a

Check out this this website I helped to create with ICAD and the University of Iowa's School of Planning and Public Affairs - covered in The Gazette and by KWWL News!

Aja Witt is the sole owner and operator of Rodzilla Recap, a sports entertainment website founded in 2022.