Multimedia Journalist
Charles Snowden Program for Excellence in Journalism
Senior, Journalism and Political Science Major
Snowden Intern, Oregon Public Broadcasting, 2017
Most important thing about hands-on learning: Learning how to engage with other people on the platforms that they’re using. That was big part of digital strategy that I don’t think I could have learned in a lecture hall.
Plans after graduating: Video internship in Brooklyn, New York, with the digital magazine Slate
Snowden internship: As a Snowden intern, Kaylee played many different roles at Oregon Public Broadcasting: reporter, producer, editor, social media strategist, photographer, videographer, and more. That meant research and writing, photography, video, and audio—hours in the editing suite and days out in the field. But it was all about storytelling.
“It was really great,” she says. “There was a little bit of everything that I could do. They gave me opportunities to pursue whatever medium I was interested in.”
On some days, Kaylee was responsible for keeping tabs on social media and the news—for example, checking the status of catastrophic wildfires or calling for updates about the infamous truckload of slime eels that spilled on an Oregon highway.
Out of the office, Kaylee covered music festivals like Pickathon, track meets, and other events—for example, the Red Door Meet, a gathering of Portland car enthusiasts. She tackled every aspect of video production for her capstone project about the history of Portland’s Chinatown. Kaylee also got to interview award-winning documentarian Ken Burns—“Terrifying, but really cool.”
“It was fantastic. I got to learn what it was like to work in a newsroom that’s transitioning to digital.” — Kaylee Domzalski
Competitive Internships Give Students Hands-on Experience
For aspiring journalists, getting a Snowden internship is a pretty big deal. The highly competitive Charles Snowden Program for Excellence in Journalism gives students opportunities to gain practical experience and learn from mentors—the ideal way to bridge the transition from college to career.
Snowden interns also get a crash course in journalism ethics. They apply theory to real-world scenarios and learn how to make important decisions in the field (in part by asking professionals in the field). This emphasis on ethics is unique among journalism internship programs. It’s also a priority for the School of Journalism and Communication.
The summer internship program honors the life and career of Charles Snowden, a longtime editor at the Oregon Journal and the Oregonian. Interns are chosen based on their potential for successful media careers, as well as experience, commitment to ethics, and a passion for journalism.
In addition to practical training, Snowden scholars also gain the confidence that they’ve made the right career choice. Because you can’t always be certain that a professional path is right for you until you’ve tried it out. As you might expect, though, many of these students end up as successful journalists.
Snowden interns have landed jobs at top media outlets throughout the country (and the world), including the Associated Press, The Oregonian, the Seattle Times, CNN, the Los Angeles Times, the San Jose Mercury News, and Slate.com.
Charles Snowden Program for Excellence in Journalism
What Our Alumni Are Saying
“The Snowden internship at Mail Tribune was my first nonstudent journalism gig, so it taught me a lot. Since we were trying to put out a daily paper in addition to being full-time students at the Emerald, it was refreshing to just focus on reporting and not attend class.” — Mat Wolf
BA '12 (Journalism)
Charles Snowden Intern at the Mail Tribune
A freelance journalist for CNN, VICE, the Huffington Post, Al Jazeera, and Daily Beast, Wolf has covered women’s rights in the Middle East, Syrian refugee camps in Jordan, the 2013 overthrow of Mohamed Morsi in Egypt, and the ISIS conflict in Iraqi Kurdistan. He’s been on the front lines facing violent riots, mortar shells, and car bombs to get the story.
