Whitefish grad joins Pilot for internship

Whitefish High School graduate Maggie Mercer is joining the Whitefish Pilot as a reporting intern this summer, bringing with her a love for conversation and a desire to contribute to her home community.  

A 2025 graduate, Mercer was quick to contact the Pilot in January after completing a journalism course in her first semester at the University of Southern California.  

“Maggie’s persistence in expressing a desire to work at the Pilot showed determination and a strong ability to communicate,” said Pilot Editor Kelsey Evans. “She has a certain grit that is essential for reporting.” 

Mercer’s internship opportunity is supported by a grant from the Montana Newspaper Foundation.

In Mercer’s journalism class, guest speakers like the president of ABC News and a lawyer involved in breaking the Epstein files were compelling, she said.  

Her professor, Geoffrey Cowan, was “big on keeping news local, and keeping newspapers alive. That inspired me to do an internship here,” she said.  

In her senior year of high school, Mercer was featured in the Pilot and Inter Lake for her efforts in founding the school’s cancer club. 

“I’ve always loved the Pilot because I liked to read features, or what our coach said about our team that week. I don’t want to lose that,” she said.  

At USC, Mercer appreciates the broadness of her psychology major. She also hopes to further explore communications, broadcasting and media. 

“I love working with people, talking with people, and helping people,” she said.  

“I’m also interested in marketing and the psychology side of things, from learning how you write a headline to the picture you choose, because that’s how a person is attracted to read something,” she said.  

It took some time to adjust to Los Angeles, but Mercer ended up loving her first year of college, she said. Mercer joined the club volleyball and ski teams. She also joined a sorority and was invited to join Alpha Lamda Delta, a nationwide honor society based on G.P.A. 

This summer, Mercer looks forward to continuing to learn more about the community through the newspaper.  

“I love this community and I love getting involved in any way I can,” she said.  

On her first week of assignments, she has enjoyed meeting new people and appreciated people’s enthusiasm. 

“It’s hard to put their words onto paper through my voice,” Mercer said. “But it’s an interesting switch in perspective.”