He might be a familiar face around town already, but he has some new duties and responsibilities this summer.

Kyle Nelson, who already freelances for Stow Patch and Cuyahoga Falls Patch, started a 10 week internship with Patch Monday.

You may know Kyle's writing in the food column The Meat Beat, where he reviews restaurants in Stow, or the stories Patch runs on Whiz Kids.

Nelson, who lives in Cuyahoga Falls, has been freelancing for Patch since January and now as an intern, he will contribute a variety of content including videos, photo galleries, features and news stories. 

Patch provides internships for college students focused on community journalism. It's a chance for the student to learn, gain experience and to offer even more content for Stow and Cuyahoga Falls Patch readers.

"I feel like journalism can make a difference by shedding light on issues otherwise wouldn’t be known by those in the community," said Nelson, who will be 26 in July.

Nelson is a student at Kent State University studying newspaper journalism. He is scheduled to graduate in May 2012. He has written for his college's newspaper, The Daily Kent Stater, and was an intern for Record Publishing Co. from September through December last year.

"It's different for me," said Nelson about working for an all online company. "I’ve always been a proponent of print journalism ... I’ve lamented the fact that newspapers are dying, but I understand the industry is changing. [Patch] offers a different way to communicate, and in some ways ... a better way."

Although Nelson's internship ends in August, he plans to continue to freelance for Stow and Cuyahoga Falls Patch.

"I'm looking forward to covering a lot of the summer activities happening in both cities," he said. "It's a great opportunity because I will have more experience in a practical setting, one that is different than just working at a school newspaper."

Have a story idea you'd like to pitch to Kyle Nelson? Send him an email at kyle.nelson@patch.com!