Newsroom

CORVALLIS - Four Oregon State University students have earned spots as Charles Snowden interns in newsrooms across the state this year - a record for the university.

Charles R. Snowden Memorial Internship Program honorees from OSU include: Dan Traylor, a junior in political science from Milton-Freewater; Brian Gjurgevich, senior in history from Wilsonville; Peter Chee, senior in new media communications from Honolulu; and Raju Woodward, senior in history from Salem. All four are staff members of The Daily Barometer, OSU's student newspaper, and plan careers in journalism. Internship locations will be assigned later this year.

Ten to 12 interns from schools across the state will participate in this year's Snowden program, which is administered by the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. Interns are selected on their potential for successful newspaper careers.

The program was established in memory of Charles R. Snowden, a former editor of The Oregon Journal and The Oregonian, to honor his commitment to ethical journalism and good writing.

"The Snowden Committee, which selected the interns, was incredibly impressed with the applicants from OSU, and we are thrilled to have them participating in such great numbers this year," said Pam Cytrynbaum, adjunct instructor and Snowden internship coordinator at the University of Oregon.

"They're doing terrific work at the Barometer and in their writing classes, and that experience clearly pays off," she said. "Our program is open to students around the state, so we're excited to continue fostering good relationships with OSU and all the other universities and community colleges in Oregon."

This is the first year since the program's inception in 1997 that Oregon State students have filled so many of the positions, participants said.

"The main thing I'm happy about is that the Barometer is so well represented," said Gjurgevich, who serves as Barometer editor. "This is the first year that Oregon State has filled so many slots in the program. This is really a prestigious honor."

"This is a reflection of not just the hard work we put into The Daily Barometer as individuals, but the effort we put into this as a team," said Woodward, Barometer sports editor. "It's remarkable that four of us were chosen for this program and OSU doesn't even have a journalism program."

Barometer Campus Editor Brenna Doheny, a senior in biology from Shalimar, Fla., and writer Jenny Moser, a junior in microbiology from Medford, were named alternates if another intern cannot fulfill obligations.

"The OSU students who were named Charlie Snowden interns are most deserving of the internship and the honor of being recognized for their hard work at The Daily Barometer," said Frank Ragulsky, University Student Media director.

"We thought OSU would get at least two or three Snowden internships - but, this is a grand slam home run for the staff at The Daily Barometer. And, the best part is that we'll have the services of at least two or three Snowden's with professional newspaper experience next year at the newspaper," Ragulsky said.

Snowden interns spend 10 weeks getting practical experience of every kind: covering city hall, education, police, the courts, business, sports and other assignments.

"We really get to get in there in a professional newsroom and right away we're thrown into the fire," Barometer news editor Traylor said. "That's the biggest benefit - getting a hands-on look at what really happens inside a newsroom day-by-day."

"The Snowden competition is really tough," said Chee, Barometer city editor. "And we're here because we managed to do really well putting out a daily newspaper and with a lot less resources than many other universities. We've done really well this year."