From Policy to the Press: How Experiential Learning Reshaped Mariah Thomas’s Career Goals

When Mariah Thomas first arrived at the University of Montana, her professional trajectory felt entirely set: she was going to major in political science, study for the LSAT, and head straight to law school.

But her journey didn’t go as planned, and because she chose to treat her college years as an open door for exploration, she wound up landing her dream career, and spoiler alert…it did not include studying for the LSAT.

By intentionally pairing her political science studies with a degree in journalism, Maraih dove into a multi-layered mix of student newsrooms, international research fellowships, and legislative internships. She then graduated in May 2023 with double degrees in Journalism and Political Science, a history minor, and a certificate from the Franke Global Leadership Initiative.

Today, she is an award-winning political reporter back home in Montana, seamlessly blending her love of writing with her passion for policy. Here is how she used a powerhouse lineup of experiential learning milestones to discover her true professional calling.

The Strategy: Merging Policy and Press on the Global Stage

Faced with the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic during her early college years, Mariah proactively sought out campus communities and professional networks. She aggressively stacked high-impact roles across both of her academic disciplines.

  • The Student Newsroom Foundation: Mariah spent three years on-staff at the Montana Kaimin, rapidly moving through roles as a sports reporter, news reporter, features editor, and the newspaper’s copy chief.
  • State and International Reporting: To fulfill her journalism internship requirements, Mariah “pinch-hit” as an education reporter for her hometown paper, the Helena Independent Record, before transitioning to the State News Bureau to cover Montana politics. She also got to explore the world through UM’s Journalism Abroad program, reporting on groundbreaking domestic violence legislation in Northern Ireland.
  • Diplomacy and Virtual Exchange: Mariah also spent nearly two years as an International Research and Affairs Intern at the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center. There, she managed the technical execution for the global Mansfield Dialogues webinar series and participated in the Global PALS Program, a virtual exchange with the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative.
  • Grassroots and Federal Politics: All the while, Mariah built crucial civic engagement skills interning with the Forward Montana Foundation—registering voters and tracking the 2020 census. This experience later took her all the way to Washington D.C., as she was paired through UM’s Baucus Leaders Program with the office of U.S. Senator Susan Collins.

The Career Launch: Finding a Passion for the Real-World Impact

However, the turning point in Mariah’s career happened during her sophomore year on the Montana Kaimin. Tasked with reporting on how state legislative bills could impact the UM campus, she uncovered a passion for political reporting unlike anything she had experienced before. This rolled into a junior-year, Poynter-funded deep-dive project into higher education governance policy.

This newfound connection of passions helped her in her multitude of internships that didn’t just build technical proficiency in newsroom platforms like Blox or legislative policy research; they provided her with an elite network of mentors. While interning in Washington, D.C., Mariah was even connected with Montana Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines, sitting down with Senator Tester for a half-hour discussion on modern journalism and state politics.

After graduation, Mariah spent two years as a Report for America corps member for the Ashland Source in Ohio, where her team won a national award from the Local Independent Online News Publishers. Today, she has returned to her roots, reporting full-time on education and state politics for the Flathead Beacon in northwest Montana.

“I entered UM not really considering becoming a reporter full-time. I really wanted to go to law school,” Mariah reflects. “But with every opportunity to enter a newsroom, to inform a community, and to better understand the world around me, my desire to attend law school faded… I can firmly say I wouldn’t have discovered my true passion if I hadn’t first participated in a slew of experiential learning experiences through the University of Montana.”

Career Lessons from Mariah’s Journey

  • Engagement in the classroom gets you noticed. Mariah landed her prestigious positions at the Mansfield Center and with the Baucus Leaders Program because her professors actively reached out and encouraged her to apply. When you give your all in class, faculty notice your drive and open professional doors for you.
  • Treat your student paper or campus job as a real-world trial. Mariah’s three years at the Montana Kaimin weren’t just an extracurricular activity; they allowed her to master the backend newsroom systems (like Blox) and the interviewing methodologies she uses every single day in her professional career.
  • Peer networks are long-term career cheerleaders. Don’t overlook the value of building positive relationships with your classmates. The peers you work alongside in student organizations and internships grow into an industry-wide network of professional connections who will root for and support your work for decades to come.

Take Action on Your Career Journey

By Keely Morrison
Keely Morrison Marketing and Communications Manager
Send Email