About Me
Writer, Photographer and Copyeditor
Writer, Photographer and Copyeditor
Writer, Photographer and Copyeditor
Writer, Photographer and Copyeditor
Writer, Photographer and Copyeditor
Over the past several years, I've fallen in love with the art of feature writing. Having the ability to implement immersive storytelling into local news coverage not only furthers my passion for writing, but also helps show others why such stories matter. I am eager to apply my experience toward covering local communities at a news publication. There, I aspire to help share the stories of those who cannot share them themselves.
Experience
Contributor - Dallas Observer (Jan 2024 - Present)
- Produce 3-4 articles per week writing content for music, culture and news sections, covering a wide range of topics
- Photograph local businesses, events and figures across Dallas-Fort Worth
Music and Culture Intern - Dallas Observer (Oct 2023 - Jan 2024)
- Produced a top-five social media performing story each month of internship
- Covered local figures and groups, including the Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas Museum of Art and Dallas Zoo
- Photographed local musicians and events, including Night of the Stars 2023 fashion show’s guest speakers Alicia Silverstone, Christian Siriano and Tyson Beckford
- Completed mentorship, developed pitching under Music and Culture Editor Eva Raggio
Managing Editor - North Texas Daily (July 2023 - Dec 2024)
- Edited and published 280+ stories, led staff of 140+ members and 15-member editorial board
- Co-produced investigative campus story that became the most engaged social media post and article of 2023
- Doubled Instagram and website engagement over the course of six months
Arts & Life Editor - North Texas Daily (May 2022 - Aug 2023)
- Have edited and managed 200+ stories across 30+ weekly print and digital issues
- Manage, instruct and assign content to 20+ writers
- Have written 60+ assignments covering Denton arts community and pop culture media
South by Southwest reporter - North Texas Daily (March 2023)
- Competed with major entertainment publications to produce 10-day coverage of the Austin, TX media festival
- Edited and coordinated coverage of 4 reporters
- Co-compiled a multimedia story/review of "Joy Ride," interviewed director Adele Lim, producer and writer Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Oscar-nominated actress Stephanie Hsu
- Photographed and reviewed the world premiere headliners "Swarm," "Problemista" and "Self Reliance," featured session speakers Robert Downey Jr., Jake Johnson and Allyson Felix
Senior A&L Writer - North Texas Daily (Jan - May 2022)
- Edited and published 200+ stories, led a section of 20+ writers
- Doubled the amount of section writers over the course of a semester
- Created and grew online engagement for the Daily’s Dose Podcast
Intern News Reporter - Dallas Morning News (May - Aug 2020)
- Published multiple individual and collaborative stories online and in print
- Profile on local activist published as print cover story of the Sunday Metro section
- Completed mentorship, developed storytelling craft under DMN reporter Charlie Scudder
Awards and Scholarships
2020 Best of the Best Award of Excellence (National Federation of Press Women)
Named overall winner out of a group of 22 first place ranking high school students from across the country. Categories spanned across print and digital writing, design, photography, videography, and audio reporting.
2020 Pacemaker Award Newspaper Finalist (National Scholastic Press Association)
High school news publication, The Marquee, was recognized by the Pacemaker Awards, the unofficial "Pulitzer Prizes of Student Journalism," under my leadership as Editor in Chief. It was the first time The Marquee was recognized by the Pacemaker Awards throughout its 34-year history.
2019 Superior in National Student media News contest (Journalism Education Association)
Awarded first place in a live, in-house writing competition at the National High School Journalism Convention in Washington, D.C.
2019 Tops in Texas Award - Print News Writing (Interscholastic Press League Conference)
Named overall winner in the state of Texas out of a group of first place contestants from state districts 1A though 6A. Awarded for a published print news story in a high school newspaper or newsmagazine.
Copyright © 2023 Samantha Thornfelt - All Rights Reserved.
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