Pepperdine University student and Oak Harbor native Amanda Gordon has brought her journalistic expertise to the Whidbey News-Times for the summer.

The 2005 graduate of Oak Harbor High School will intern with the newspaper while earning extra money working at Seabolt’s fish market. She will spend any residual free time horseback riding, a recreational avocation she has been enjoying for 10 years.

Gordon, a 19-year-old journalism major, has also taken classes in communication and graphic design, and has written for the Graphic, Pepperdine’s newspaper. She plans to attend graphic design school after graduating in 2009.

While keeping up with studies at the prestigious Malibu, Calif., institution, Gordon also runs cross country and track. She spent last semester studying abroad in Italy and ran in the Rome Marathon.

Cutting her teeth at the newspaper Gordon grew up reading will not only give her a different journalistic perspective but allow the multi-talented student time to enjoy her old stomping grounds.

“Working at the newspaper will be a great opportunity to learn more about journalism while being able to catch up with friends and really experience Whidbey Island instead of taking it for granted,” she said.