#LifeasaJStudent Blog

SOJC students showcase what it's like to be a student with personal stories about their experiential learning adventures in their own words, photos, and videos.

Randy newnham
Life as a nontraditional J-student
Story by Randy NewnhamPhotos by Cheyenne ThorpeMy name is Randy, and I am a nontraditional student majoring in public relations. The first time I took a class at the University of Oregon was the summer of 1997, a full 21 years ago.
Oxford fellowship students
Working for human rights on an Oxford fellowship
Post by Srushti KamatPhotos courtesy of Srushti KamatYou’ve probably heard about human rights organizations, but do you know what they do? What constitutes a “human right”? What do people who work in the human rights field do? How can you get involved?
View of Paris from a boat ride down the Seine
4 tips for making the most of your study-abroad experience
Story and photos by Bella BarilatiMy desire to study abroad was so strong, I built my college experience around making that happen — right down to my university choice.
Students outside at Hoodoo Ski area
The story of a river
Editor’s note: This student blog post is the third in a series of three written by UO School of Journalism and Communication and environmental studies students who attended a special field trip with Dennis Dimick in April. Dimick, former picture and environment editor for National Geographic and founder of Eyes on Earth, visited the SOJC to deliver the school’s 2018 combined Robert and Mabel Ruhl and Richard W.
Group of students walking through the Willamette National Forest
Seeing the river through the eyes of a science journalist
Editor’s note: This student blog post is the second in a series of three written by UO students who attended a special field trip in April with Dennis Dimick, former picture and environment editor for National Geographic, founder of Eyes on Earth and the speaker for the SOJC’s 2018 combined Robert and Mabel Ruhl/Richard W.
Students standing with Dennis Dimick
Telling the stories of the McKenzie River’s declining snowpack
Editor’s note: This student blog post is the first in a series of three written by UO students who attended a special field trip in April with Dennis Dimick, former picture and environment editor for National Geographic, founder of Eyes on Earth and the speaker for the SOJC’s 2018 combined Robert and Mabel Ruhl/Richard W. and Laurie Johnston  lecture. Story and photos by Brian Amdur
Hayden Skoch sitting at table during portfolio review
An open letter to all PR seniors: 5 truths about Portfolio Reviews
Post by Nikki Kesaris Photos by Jeff Collet Dear Public Relations Senior,
Leonard Henderson
How to light your videos like a pro
Story and photos by Bryan RodriguezOne of many things I’ve learned as a student in the UO School of Journalism and Communication is that lighting can make the difference between a professional-looking video and an amateurish one.With that in mind, I decided to check out a lighting kit from the equipment cage to work on a portfolio project. I opened it up, peered inside and immediately closed it.  There was a lot of intimidating gear in there, and I had no idea what to do with it.
Filming a Portland resident walking down the street using a crutch
Grad students capture Portland residents’ walking experiences for PedPDX
Multimedia Journalism Master’s students teamed up with the Portland Bureau of Transportation to create a video series featuring differently abled residents’ experiences walking in Portland.