Holly Scholz ’00, who now writes and edits special projects for The Springfield News, was a 1999 Snowden Intern with the newspaper.

Alumni have gone on to positions at The Los Angeles Times, The Oregonian, Chicago Magazine, and The Seattle Times, among others.

Pam Cytrynbaum, UO visiting professor and internship coordinator, administers the Snowden program, recruiting students from schools statewide. She said that a Snowden candidate succeeds for two reasons: passion and hard work. Administering the program has shaped Cytrynbaum’s view of the importance of internships.

"It has reinforced my belief that every student should have several internships before graduating," Cytrynbaum said. "I see how incredibly successful the Snowden interns are, how they’re going on to get great internships and great jobs. It’s proof that this kind of excellent, real-world experience can make all the difference."

The Snowden family created the program in 1998 to honor husband, father and longtime Oregon Journal and Oregonian editor Charles R. Snowden. Snowden, who died in 1997, is remembered as a top-notch editor with a commitment to ethical reporting and as a mentor to young aspiring journalists.

"My husband started as a reporter at a small paper and would often get questions on how to get into the newspaper business,” said Julie Snowden.

In memory of Charles Snowden the family gives new journalists a stepping-stone in the form of the 10-week hands-on internships, which take place each summer at the following participating Oregon newspapers: Albany Democrat-Herald, The (Bend) Bulletin, Corvallis Gazette-Times, The Daily Astorian, The Dalles Daily Chronicle, East Oregonian, (McMinnville) News-Register, The (Roseburg) News-Review, Springfield News and The (Salem) Statesman Journal.

Tricia Duryee ’00, who was one of the first Snowden interns, is now a reporter at The Seattle Times, where she covers the venture capital beat. She got a first-hand look at newspaper reporting as a Snowden intern with The Bulletin in Bend.

"I covered cops, forest fires and business," Duryee said. "The internship introduced me to the community of newspaper reporters."

After her summer internship, Duryee went on to get other internships at The Oregonian and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. "The Snowden internship at The Bulletin made the difference in getting the Oregonian internship, which made the Seattle Post-Intelligencer internship possible, which got me to where I am today," said Duryee. "The Snowden internship totally jump-started my career."

Andrew Adams, Snowden Intern reporting for (Pendleton) The East Oregonian.

"The people were great. I felt like one of the staff," said Ayles.

Ayles’ next stop was The Oregonian. "I couldn’t have gotten the internship at The Oregonian if it hadn’t been for the Snowden internship at the Corvallis Gazette-Times," Ayles said. "The Snowden program created an easier bridge."

Jessica Blanchard ’02, who was a Snowden intern last summer, has been selected for the prestigious Dow Jones copy editing internship and will spend the upcoming summer at the Kansas City Star. In the fall, Blanchard will be the editor of the campus newspaper, the Oregon Daily Emerald.

Blanchard’s Snowden internship at The Dalles Daily Chronicle was perfect for her.
"They let me do everything from photography to writing, design and copy editing," she said. "I felt like a regular member of the staff."

Jeremy Lang, who is wrapping up his past year’s work at the Oregon Daily Emerald as the student activities editor, worked at the Albany Democrat-Herald for his Snowden internship last summer.

"It was an amazing professional experience," said Lang. "It solidified my desire to be a news reporter."

This coming summer’s class was recently chosen and includes students from the University of Oregon, Oregon State University and the University of Portland. The Snowden family has been pleased with the results.

"It is an impressive group of young people," said Charles Snowden’s son Richard Snowden. "We’re just happy to help the kids out."