Bloomsburg MediaWise campus correspondent combats misinformation 

A media and journalism and political science double major at Bloomsburg, a Commonwealth University, hasn’t just been writing the news; recently, his work has been in the news.  

Kobe McCloud, a senior from Whitehall, recently delivered a workshop on internet falsehoods at Howard University in Washington D.C., just one of many he’s delivered as a part of his work with MediaWise.  

McCloud started working with MediaWise last year as one of their campus correspondents at the suggestion of his former professor, John-Erik Koslosky. Following the conclusion of his time as Head of Design with humanID, a non-profit which developed a bot-resistant identity authentication service, in December 2021, McCloud wanted to find a place where he could continue working to combat misinformation and disinformation in the media. Working with MediaWise would allow him to continue following this passion.  

“I decided to take on this fantastic opportunity because it would be beneficial to my career development and the very democracy we live in,” said McCloud. “As elections attract attention and influencers internationally, people of all demographics must understand the content, information, and media they are fed daily so they can determine its validity. This way, we can preserve the ideals of a free press and journalism that play a significant part in defining a healthy democracy.”  

One of McCloud’s major responsibilities as a Campus Correspondent involves teaching at other colleges and universities to share media research, studies, Open-Source Intelligence tools, and fact-checking tips with students and professors. “It’s such a great experience to engage in this diverse environment where you can understand different ideas and approaches to the subject and how it relates to ordinary people my age,” said McCloud. “It makes me feel good knowing we can influence someone to reread or verify questionable content that could lead them down the wrong path of thought or action.”  

After graduation, McCloud will pursue his Master of Science in Counterterrorism and Homeland Security with a minor in Russian Language and Arts at American University. Following his internship with Development Monitors LLC in Washington D.C., McCloud fell in love with the city.   

“I realized how happy and passionate I was about working and living in such a diverse international hotspot,” explained McCloud. “I realized here that American University would be the next chapter in my academic and professional career. It’s beautiful and close to so many cool areas and provides the key to bringing my majors together.”  

As he prepares to continue his educational career, McCloud reflects on how Bloomsburg prepared him for his future.

“I not only learned how to preserve a solid mentality and sustain good character, but how to persevere and keep tackling new challenges despite hardships. Despite this chapter ending, it is a book that will be memorable for years to come,” said McCloud.  

McCloud says he wouldn’t be on his current path without the support of the media and journalism and political science departments. “These departments are home to some of the finest academic professionals in the world,” said McCloud. “As we enter through some challenging years internationally, their work is crucial for the future of democracy.”