For the first time in Linfield University history, two students from the journalism and media studies students (JAMS) department were accepted into the Charles Snowden Program for Excellence in Journalism. Tori Schuller, also majoring in political science, and Mariah Johnson, minoring in anthropology, will represent Linfield at newspapers across the state. The program accepts 20 total students from Oregon and this is the first time since Linfield’s seen more than one student accepted in a single year.

Johnson and Schuller will spend 10 weeks in this paid internship The Snowden Program honors Charles Snowden, a longtime editor at the Oregon Journal and The Oregonian. Snowden retired in 1986 and passed away in 1997. Johnston will be heading off to Roseburg, Oregon, and Schuller will be off to Pendleton, Oregon, for their respective internships.

The pair of Linfield juniors each shared a great enthusiasm for getting accepted into the program.

“It means the world to me that I was accepted. Since the internship is based in Eugene, being selected from a small school feels like even more of an honor,” Schuller said. “Working in a professional environment for 10 weeks feels like an insight into what my future career could be. I couldn’t be more excited to start this journey and I am thrilled to see what I can learn.”

Both students are extremely grateful for the opportunity. “It is such an honor to be accepted into this internship. I can only thank my professors who have taught me everything I know and encouraged me to apply for this internship,” Johnson said. “I am also so excited to spend my summer doing visual reporting, a job I really want to do. I will be learning from experienced journalists, and that in itself is extremely valuable.”

Schuller and Johnson work for The Linfield Review as editors. Johnson is the current life and culture editor, and next year’s managing editor. Schuller is the news editor, and the incoming editor-in-chief. Each of them shares a love of journalism, yet how they came across this affection was quite different.

For Schuller, initially a political science major, journalism wasn’t on the radar until she took JAMS 150, Intro to media studies. “Taking JAMS 150, I realized how interested I was in not just journalism, but media in general. I loved learning about the effects media has on everyone, it still continues to interest me today,” Schuller said.

Johnson’s path looked a little different, gravitating toward JAMS for the appeal to her creative side. “I’ve always been a semi-creative person, but realizing what I could do with JAMS was eye-opening. It is truly a major that feels like a choose-your-own-adventure,” Johnson said. She has an “Extreme passion for photography,” which developed through taking the photojournalism class last Spring. “The hands-on learning classes definitely complement what I am passionate about.” she said.

Schuller’s time at The Linfield review has broadened her horizons. “It is a wonderful experience to be a part of something independent from my majors,” Schuller said.

In addition, Schuller is the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) representative for the golf team, and she values being a part of the golf team. “[it] gives me a space to clear my head… and is a nice break from some of the stressful parts of life,” Schuller said.

Within JAMS, Johnson and Schuller each enjoy expressing their voice by engaging with material they both have a passion for and are interested in. Johnson’s love of JAMS resulted in getting one of her pieces published in McMinnville’s CRUSH magazine.

Regardless of how either came to be involved in JAMS, Johnson and Schuller are grateful to prove their merits in the field this summer. Schuller wanted to thank her mother for her support. “She pushed me harder every day in school, and encouraged me to apply for this internship in the first place. Without her, I would not be in this position,” Schuller said.

Johnson wanted to thank a professor within the Linfield community. “say thank you to Lindsay Schnell, an adjunct professor here at Linfield who teaches in the fall. I took feature writing and reporting with her, and that is where I have done some of my best writing.”