INL Scholar follows media ethics

Imogen Crispe, an AUT University Bachelor of Arts honours graduate with a double major in philosophy and French, has a passion for ethics.

She is the inaugural recipient of the Indian Newslink Scholarship for Postgraduate Journalism. In formally receiving her award at the recently held School of Communication Studies awards function, she acknowledged Indian Newslink for a scholarship that is seen as generous because it is open and not restricted on race, regional or other grounds.

She was apprehensive in the beginning and was not keen on applying for the Scholarship, assuming it was for “Indians only,” because of the sponsor.

However, her search of the criteria for the Award convinced her that she qualified and hence should pursue her dream of becoming a journalist.

Imogen said she had an interest in writing, researching and talking to people. This was evident with the blog site she used to run.

While studying for philosophy at Auckland University, she developed her interest in ethics and feels strongly about ethics in media.

She sees herself as repeating the feats and travel history of her forbears.

In the early 1950s, her grandparents were on overseas experience in Britain while her father was born in England to Kiwi parents.

At the age of three, her father moved over with her grandparents to New Zealand. Some three decades later, Imogen’s parents found themselves in England, where she was born (Surrey).

When she was three, her parents moved to Dubai where her father works in the construction industry. At the age of 13, she moved to New Zealand as a boarding student at Auckland Diocesan School for Girls.

She never felt lonely because of her caring grandparents, uncles and aunties in Auckland and Rotorua.

Imogen’s area of study and her interests go together. While initially somewhat in doubt if she would enjoy journalism, her enthusiasm was quite evident and visible when she said she made the right choice.

So did the selection panel in picking somebody who is not only rooted in philosophy and ethics but also widely travelled from an early age.

As part of her one-year scholarship, she is studying for the Postgraduate Diploma in Communication (Journalism). She enjoys all aspects of journalism studies such as print media, online, TV, radio and photojournalism.

Thakur Ranjit Singh is a postgraduate Communication Studies (Journalism) student at the AUT University and our columnist. A detailed report about the first recipient of Indian Newslink Scholarship appeared in our December 15, 2009 issue.

Photo: Imogen Crispe (Picture by Thakur Ranjit Singh)