Six Drake University students have been selected to serve as Dotdash Meredith apprentices for the 2025-2026 academic year. Assignments this year include editorial, social, and graphic design positions with Southern Living, Real Simple, Midwest Living, Eating Well, Parents, and BHG.com.
Dotdash Meredith is the largest digital and print publisher in the country. Students are placed with one of the company’s national brands for the academic year, learning from and working alongside industry professionals locally at the Des Moines offices and remotely with teams in New York City and Birmingham, Alabama.
“The Dotdash Meredith Apprenticeship Program is a chance for students to learn directly from the creative leads of some of the largest media brands in the country, helping them produce audience-focused content that helps readers on a daily basis,” said Jeff Inman, associate professor of Magazine and Brand Media and Drake SJMC’s Apprentice Program coordinator. “It’s an incredibly unique and valuable experience for students in an ever-changing media market.”
Created in 2003, the Dotdash Meredith Apprenticeship Program has provided more than 165 Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication students the opportunity to connect the classroom to the professional world. Participants have worked for many of Dotdash Meredith’s iconic brands, including People, InStyle, Entertainment Weekly, Travel & Leisure and more.
“The opportunities provided by the Dotdash Meredith Apprenticeship Program are incredible,” said Catherine Staub, dean of the Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication. “We’re grateful for our more than 20-year apprenticeship partnership and the decades of support and mentorship Dotdash Meredith leaders have provided for our students.”
Meet this year’s apprentices
Dashae Engler: Midwest Living
Not your traditional student, Dashae Engler served six years as a logistical specialist in the Army National Guard, including a tour in Iraq and Kuwait. After her service, she attended Des Moines Area Community College before transferring to Drake University to finish her degree in Magazine and Brand Media. Engler has written for several of Drake University’s award-winning publications, including Drake Mag, the Times-Delphic, and DUiN, as well as DMACC’s Campus Chronicle. During her free time, she also writes for her personal blog, dashaeengler.com.
Amanda Favazza: Southern Living
When Amanda Favazza left her native St. Louis for Des Moines, she knew she wanted to pursue journalism, she just didn’t know what kind. Her first month on campus she found Drake Mag. She was smitten. Over her three years at Drake, she’s risen from being a writer to being the magazine’s next editor-in-chief. Before she takes the reins, though, she’ll spend the summer interning back home for Mid Rivers Newsmagazine. She’ll graduate in the spring with a major in Multimedia Journalism alongside a minor in Spanish.
Sarah Fey: Eating Well
As a military kid who moved around the globe, Sarah Fey never imagined she would spend most of her school years in Papillion, Nebraska. However, it was here that she discovered her passion for digital media, finding her niche during high school. At Drake University, Fey channeled that passion during her time as creative director of the Times-Delphic. She’s also contributed design and photography to Drake Mag, Drake Political Review, and DUiN, Drake University’s satire publication. Sarah previously worked as a graphic design intern at the World Food Prize Foundation, and this summer, she will begin an internship with Eleanor, a creative agency in Omaha. A rising junior, Sarah is pursuing degrees in Digital Media Production and Advertising with a minor in Graphic Design.
Melanie Kure-O’Reilly: Parents
Thanks to growing up in both the U.S. and her native Copenhagen, Melanie Kure-O’Reilly brings a touch of Danish hygge to everything she writes. As a critic for the Times-Delphic, she highlights the newest buzzworthy TV shows and movies. This summer, doing the same for the best and tastiest food stands at the Des Moines Farmers’ Market as the Greater Des Moines Partnerships’ Events Intern. With two semesters to go, she will be leaving Drake with degrees in Magazine and Brand Media and Rhetoric and Media Studies in the spring.
Natalie Onkst: Real Simple
Whether it’s writing and editing for DUiN, where she will serve as editor-in-chief next year, or covering local businesses for CityView magazine’s Business Journal, Natalie enjoys exploring a range of tones that highlight her authenticity, creativity, and humor—when warranted. An Oklahoma native, Natalie is headed to New York City this summer as an ASME intern with Inc. magazine. She’ll graduate next year with a major in Magazine and Brand Media and minors in Advertising and French.
Kylie Petty: BHG.com
Since her first semester at Drake, when Kylie Petty joined the Drake Mag staff as a writer, she found her calling. She’s been an integral part of the publication for three years, even serving as its managing editor. She has also flexed her writing muscles during her time working with Disability Support International and Beaverdale Books. Over the summer, Petty will intern for DSM magazine. She’llgraduate in Spring 2026 with a major in Magazine and Brand Media and minors in French and Sociology.