Oregon Public Broadcasting Announces Inaugural Recipient of the Maynard E. Orme Internship

Oregon Public Broadcasting is pleased to announce that Andrew James Theen of Medford, a student at the University of Oregon, has been named the first recipient of the Maynard E. Orme Endowed Internship. The internship honors Maynard Orme whose 19 years of leadership as OPB's president and CEO helped the statewide public broadcasting network achieve unprecedented growth and community service. Orme retired last December.

Theen is a junior in the School of Journalism and Communication. He is majoring in Broadcast Journalism and Newspaper Reporting with a minor in Political Science. The focus of this internship is news and public affairs and Theen will work on OPB Radio productions for three months during the fall semester beginning this September.

"It is an honor to have my name associated with this program that encourages the future development of Oregon-produced programming and inspires University of Oregon Journalism and Communication students to develop skills toward careers in telecommunications and broadcast journalism," said Orme. "I am so grateful to those who contributed to the establishment of this endowment that will introduce public broadcasting to some of the University of Oregon's best and brightest students. It's a win-win situation for both the students and OPB."

The endowed internship was made possible by generous gifts from John and Julie Dixon and additional support from donors from around Oregon and Southern Washington.

Candidates for the Orme Internship must be enrolled at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. More information on the internship is available at opb.org/internships or at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Andrea Brambila Awarded OPB's Tuttle Minority Internship

Oregon Public Broadcasting has awarded the 2006 Jon R. Tuttle Minority Internship to Andrea Brambila, a student at Reed College and a resident of San Francisco, CA.

OPB established the internship in 1994 to encourage future generations of compassionate broadcasters and journalists. Historically, the internship enables an outstanding minority student to spend the summer studying telecommunications and broadcast journalism in a hands-on environment. "We are thrilled to offer this internship to such an impressive student," said Debbie Rotich, vice president of Human Resources. While at OPB, Brambila will work in News and Public Affairs. The three-month internship begins in June.

Brambila expects to graduate from Reed in August 2006 with a degree in Anthropology. In her internship application, Brambila said, "There are few internships that would give me more pleasure and learning experience than a position at OPB where I can be part of gathering and distributing important information to the public." She also said that she "...hopes this internship will serve as a stepping stone leading to further study in journalism."

Brambila was selected from a pool of candidates from throughout the nation. The internship is in memory of Jon Tuttle, one of Oregon's most respected broadcast journalists, who died in 1991 after a brief battle with leukemia. Jon Tuttle was a working journalist and a lead producer for OPB's documentary unit. Prior to OPB, Jon worked for KGW TV.

The internship was made possible by a generous grant from the Charles J. Swindells family. Other contributors include the Portland Trail Blazers, the Jackson Foundation, Paula Craig, Patsy Smullin, Muriel Walsh, Madeline Nelson, The Oregonian Publishing Company and PBH, Inc.

For more information on the Tuttle Minority Internship go to opb.org/internships.