College Journalist from Wildwood Works at ABC News

ABC News national programming in Washington, DC, has a local communications connection behind the desk.

A former Wildwood resident and current University of Missouri School of Journalism senior, Nick Gass, is this year's recipient of the David Kaplan Memorial Fellowship. Based on the $10,000 stipend Gass received, he has been working at the ABC News Washington bureau since Jan. 14.

The fellowship honors David Kaplan, a 1975 Missouri University graduate and producer at ABC News who was killed while on assignment in Sarajevo, Bosnia, in 1992.

Gass is contributing to a variety of programs including Nightline, This Week and World News Tonight during the spring semester.

"I've met many interesting people, and I've had some great experiences. I will be in Washington through the end of April," he said. "The best thing about living here is how easy it is to get around via Metro (Washington Metro Area Transit) or just walking. It's definitely more convenient than living in Columbia. There's always something to do, or somewhere to go."

Gass is dually majoring in convergence journalism and French.  In Columbia, he reported for KBIA, KOMU and Newsy.com. During his first two years at University of Missouri, Gass covered sports for MUTV.

"Nick impressed the faculty selection committee and ABC's Sam Donaldson with his command of current events, and his thoughtful but direct answers to questions about journalism ethics and practices," said Mike McKean, an associate professor who has chaired the Kaplan Fellowship selection committee since its inception in 1992, in a press release issued by the journalism school.

"I personally thought Nick was extremely poised and professional—two qualities that will ensure he represents Mizzou well in Washington."

ABC News' Sam Donaldson created the program with funds that he and his colleagues donated to honor Kaplan. Donaldson also sits on the selection committee. Donaldson was a reporter, correspondent and anchor for ABC News for nearly 40 years.

Gass said he also is participating in the Missouri School of Journalism's Washington seminar program, for which he is earning credit.

"My views on journalism haven't changed, and they've been strengthened by the great work I've been able to do at ABC in my first month. I've worked on Capitol Hill three times for ABC since I started, and I did three different things each time. The first time I blogged, the second time I interviewed Republican Rep. Peter King of New York for WABC, and the third time I helped out the correspondent on a 'quiet' day," said Gass.

However, he said his views on Washington, and the East Coast in general, have changed, though. "People are much nicer here than I had expected."