By Kirstin Heinle
Student Writer

USC Annenberg student Callie Schweitzer (B.A. Print Journalism ’11) is interning this summer for The New York Times’ as a copy editor and has also had the opportunity to write for the Times' blog “The Choice: Demystifying College Admission and Aid,” which explores issues pertaining to higher education.

In her first piece, “California System Sees Rise in Offers of Admission to Community College Transfers,” Schweitzer discussed the increase in community college students who transferred to UC schools last year.

Schweitzer works as a copy editor, fact checking every story that comes her way. One day, she went to lunch with Jacques Steinberg, the reporter who runs “The Choice,” and he mentioned UC system transfer numbers were coming out the following day. “That set the ball rolling,” Schweitzer said of her reporting career at the Times.

More recently, Schweitzer penned a piece reporting on how congressmen and other politicians have been reaching out to constituents to help provide education about financial aid options for college.

The article, titled “Need help with financial aid? Check with your congressman,” highlighted a financial aid forum coordinated by Representative Leonard Lance, a New Jersey Republican. Wrote Schweitzer, "Mr. Lance said he hopes the event will help ‘navigate the maze of financial aid.’"

She went on to describe previous efforts made by other politicians to help the public with their Fafsas, or “Free Application for Federal Student Aid.” “Events held elsewhere have seen mixed success,” Schweitzer wrote.

In high school, Schweitzer juggled theater and journalism, but “ultimately journalism won out.” One experience in particular jump-started her love of the profession.

“In my sophomore year, I was a staff writer for the high school paper, and one day an editor gave me an assignment to interview David O. Russell, the director of I Heart Huckabees, who went to our high school,” Schweitzer remembered. “I jokingly suggested he come visit our school. He ended up arriving at the back of my school in a stretch limo the next day. The story was my first-ever front page piece, and the interview I got with him filled an entire inside page.”

After that, Schweitzer said she knew she was meant to be a journalist.

After making the trek from Larchmont, New York to USC in Los Angeles, Schweitzer was quick to immerse herself in Trojan culture. She joined the sorority Alpha Delta Pi, landed a position at the Daily Trojan as a beat writer and is proud to be an "Annenberg Ambassador" — a group of USC Annenberg students who volunteer for school-related activities.

“I like to consider myself one of Annenberg’s biggest cheerleaders,” Schweitzer said. “The people I’ve met, the classes I’ve taken, the events I’ve attended — they have all affected me and are experiences I will never forget. To me, Annenberg is the epitome of the Trojan family.”

Schweitzer’s goal is to "work as a journalist for as long as possible," whether it be for a mazagine, newspaper or Web site. Her hope is to further explore each outlet in her remaining time at Annenberg and at her New York Times internship.

"The future of journalism is changing every second, and it's exciting to be a part of that," she said.

California System Sees Rise in Offers of Admission to Community College Transfers
Need Help With Financial Aid? Check With Your Congressman