In the community

Fund drive continues to bring journalism interns to rural Malheur County

 

This summer, the Malheur Enterprise plans to bring on two college students as reporting interns and we need your help to do that. We’re in the middle of a campaign to raise $10,000 through tax-deductible contributions to cover the costs of training those who will be among the next generation of journalists to bring you the news.

Among the potential interns:

A college junior who interned at a major daily newspaper last year and spent part of this year studying in Denmark. He wants more “one on one” coaching.

A college senior who once worked as a field hand and feels “especially sympathethic” to rural communities. He likes how the Enterprise is “directing conversation towards the good of the community.”

A college junior with reported for the local NPR affiliate who wants to use multimedia skills to expand the Enterprise’s reach.

A college senior who studied overseas in Jordan and is fluent in Arabic. A summer at the Enterprise would be an “immersive experience.”

A college sophomore majoring in criminology and psychology. He believes holding public officials accountable is “the highest calling” and “the truest purpose of the free press.”

A college sophomore who speaks Spanish and once worked on a political campaign. He wants to learn more about rural Oregonians and “further my understanding of their lives.”

A college sophomore who returned to school after a tour in the Marine Corps and who grew up in Eastern Oregon. “To be accurate, show commitment, and be accountable for my work is a duty,” he said.

At the Enterprise, we believe our country needs well-trained journalists more than ever.

That means reporters skilled at gathering information, at finding truth.

That means reporters who are ethical at every turn.

Interns will work from Vale, Oregon, serving one of the state’s most impoverished counties. They will report on rural issues and the challenges that face Americans everywhere — affordable housing, schools, poverty, drug addiction and economic stagnation.

How can you help give these students a chance at learning to be ethical journalists?

Send a check: Oregon Newspapers Foundation, 4000 Kruse Way Place, Bldg 2, #160, Lake Oswego, OR 97035“Malheur Enterprise intern” on the notation line or in a cover note.

Give online if you don’t care for the tax deduction: malheurenterprise.com/support to donate online.

(Thanks go out to those who have donated already, including: Candy A., David Z., John H., Pete O., Jo T., Bob H., Jeff K., Ione D., Brenda G., Stan H., Susan S., and others who prefer not to be named.)

We expect to select the interns by March 1, so please contribute soon if you can.

One student will be awarded the Edward Engelberg Internship for Investigative Reporting, sponsored by Stephen Engelberg of ProPublica to honor his father.

What do you get from helping?

You help college students get real world experience under the guidance of veteran journalists.

You help society gain well-trained journalists who are ethical and dedicated.

You help provide one of the most impoverished counties in Oregon access to more news that matters.

You will get occasional updates about what the interns are doing.

And, of course, you get that tax deduction.

 

Les Zaitz: [email protected]; 5412-473-3377; twitter: @leszaitz