Meet our Journalism Master's Program Alumni

Students in our one-year professional master's program learn how to tell stories that inform the public and inspire change—skills in high demand at media outlets, nonprofits, and businesses across today’s competitive economy. Our graduates apply what they learn to a variety of fields and disciplines, from science, environmental, and health writing to sports broadcasting and immersive media. Graduates from our recent cohorts have landed internships or jobs at NPR, High Country News, Oregon Public Broadcasting, Newsday, and the East Oregonian. Meet some of them below.

Sierra McClain ’19 had always been drawn to journalism, so she applied to the one-year Journalism Master’s program. She has already made some impressive progress in her career.
Jackie Gutierrez, MA ’21 (journalism), is the founder of Women Kick Balls, an independent media company focused on authentic storytelling centered around women’s soccer.
Yordanos Tesfazion honed her storytelling and communication skills through the Journalism Master’s program. Now she works for NPR podcasts, adding humor and empathy to discussions about race.
A lifelong fan of “the beautiful game,” Jackie Gutierrez parlayed her SOJC Journalism Master’s degree into a website that covers women’s soccer at the highest level.
U.S. Army veteran Jeff Dean saw the impact of photography while serving as a medevac crew chief in Iraq. Then he realized his dream as a professional photographer via a Journalism Master’s degree.
Thanks to the hands-on journalism experience she obtained at the SOJC, Emily Olson is now a digital producer and journalist for the North American Bureau of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.