BY OBSERVER STAFF
AUBURN/OPELIKA — Samantha “Sam” Vise, a senior at Auburn University, has joined The Observer team as a summer intern.
Originally from the Birmingham suburb of Trussville, Vise began her college career at the University of North Alabama then transferred to Auburn University in 2023.
She initially pursued a bachelor’s in apparel merchandising with a minor in journalism; however, she said her involvement with the AU student newspaper, The Auburn Plainsman, reminded her of her passion for writing. Vise said she fell in love with the newsroom environment and being part of a news team so much that the experience ultimately led her to change her major to journalism.
Vise honed her journalism skills through a series of roles at The Auburn Plainsman, including culture writer, community reporter and her most cherished position, assistant culture editor.
In that position, Vise was able to combine her love for fashion and writing by covering local fashion news and events. Though she said she prefers writing fashion and lifestyle stories, her time as the community reporter — and now intern — has exposed her to important topics like local city council and school board meetings, broadening her journalistic perspective and helping her develop a well-rounded skill set.
“Working for The Observer has been such a great experience so far,” Vise said. “I have learned so much already, and I can feel myself growing as a writer. I am enjoying covering events in the community and learning more about Opelika, while also learning more about the field of journalism.”
Vise will graduate from Auburn’s College of Liberal Arts on Aug. 9 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism. After graduation, she plans to move to Orlando, Florida, where she hopes to work for a local news outlet covering human interest stories.
