Northern Virginia native Chandlor Henderson moved to Eugene in 2015. He was somewhat of a traveler, moving from city to city for a large part of the prior decade. Henderson chose Eugene because of the “hippie” aesthetic. He realized very quickly that not only was he not a hippie, he had no desire to be one.
Henderson met his wife at Oregon Country Fair in 2013 and his life was forever changed. They did a bit of traveling together around the West Coast and resettled back into Eugene in 2018, then married on September 27, 2019. Henderson went back to school three days later after a 13 year break. It was a life-changing experience.
Henderson has always been a writer for as long as he can remember. As a child he would write songs and poetry. Into his 20’s he wrote stories and scripts. He once drafted an entire video game. However he never expected anyone to read anything he wrote with any regularity. Then in 2019 he applied for a Google News Initiative Fellowship and got it. He was one out of several thousand people to apply. Nine people were picked.
This was another life-changing moment for Henderson. He worked as an intern at Eugene Weekly under Camilla Mortensen and his career prospects changed. At the end of his internship he was approached by Charlie Dietz to be editor in chief of The Torch and he very humbly accepted. Editing The Torch has been one of his greatest honors.
Henderson has a deep desire to share the truth with those who wish to seek it. He is aware that many people don’t trust the media and is committed to the truth and fairness. It is his goal to leave The Torch better off then when he took over so it can continue to thrive for years to come.
– Chandlor Henderson
“Community Colleges have always felt like home to me,” said Molly Newhard. She is an unconventional student who tried bigger universities but never felt comfortable in that setting. Community colleges have always felt more grounded and real to her. She has tried several majors, everything from Psychology to Sound Engineering to Women’s Studies.
Going to school at Lane and working for The Torch has helped Molly find a focus for all her interests. The Torch has provided an outlet and a platform from which to speak her mind and discuss interesting events going on around Eugene. It has forced Molly out of her comfort zone and given her a career path she never imagined.
Clubs and programs on this campus are great opportunities for students to learn more, outside of the classroom. Great extracurriculars are what make this a community and not just a school.
-Molly Newhard
Hannah is a writer and journalism student at Lane Community College. She started at LCC in Sept. 2019 determined to complete her associate’s degree in under two years. She was overwhelmed by the support from LCC’s faculty and resources that helped her achieve that goal. She was recommended for the Lane Honors Program during her first term and has been a member ever since. She is finishing her Associate of Arts degree in journalism this spring and transferring to the University of Oregon in the fall.
Prior to the campus shutdown, she participated in Lane’s film club and OSPIRG. The Torch has been the most fun and supportive team she has had the opportunity to be part of. She is fulfilling her final credits through Lane’s journalism co-op education program. This makes her experience working for The Torch like her class; her peers and editors are her instructors. As a passionate writer and aspiring journalist, she values any opportunity to learn her trade hands-on. She submits weekly horoscopes along with relevant articles, and is trying her hand at photography.
Hannah dedicates half of her time during the week to The Torch and the other half as an instructor at Oak Hill School. For more than a year, she instructed grades K-5 through summer camp, hybrid-learning pods, and the after-school program. It has given her a unique perspective as a student and educator, especially under restrictions of the pandemic and distance learning.
Hannah looks forward to more experience with The Torch and LCC’s writing community.
-Hannah Baker
Jesus Antonio Ramiez Escalnate is a psychology and journalism student as well as a first-generation college student and son of immigrant parents. For him college is a completely new experience. He has had trouble navigating through the American college culture, to the point where he has felt isolated and lost. Thanks to the recommendation of a professor, he started working for The Torch. The experience he has gained working there has changed his academic and personal life. He has become a more curious person and has discovered a passion for writing.
Jesus decided to major in psychology because of the lack of hispanic mental health professionals, and to help his four year old brother with autism. Working for The Torch has helped involve him more in the community, and has enabled him to believe that people like him can flourish in a foreign environment. Jesus is also a member of the Hispanic Student Leadership club MEChA.
-Jesus Antonio Ramirez Escalante
John Adair is a multimedia design student and photojournalist for The Torch. He restarted his academic journey at 29 in 2019 to provide himself an alternative to life as a semi truck driver. His time at Lane Community College has been enlightening and deeply engaging. Being an Honors student, he found that he’s actually quite the nerd in contrast to his slacker high school days. He joined the Anime and Manga Club to socialize, and joined other LCC students in executing a fundraiser for earthquake victims of Puerto Rico.
John’s work at the The Torch and LCC has brought out a person inside of him that he hasn’t been able to see before. They both challenge him in a variety of ways that force him to make decisions that he would often have been too anxious or self-conscious to make. When he was growing up he would always hear that he could be whatever he wanted to be; it hasn’t been until now that he truly believed it.
-John S. Adair
Hailey Fisher is a student at Lane Community College pursuing an associates degree in graphic design. She is currently working with the Denali as their Editor-in-Chief and enjoys pottery in her spare time. One of her main goals while attending LCC was not only to get an education, but build the necessary skills to apply that knowledge to a future career. Hailey found that she could develop these skills and gain applicable experience working at the Torch as the Art Director.
Beyond gaining job skills, these opportunities have led to connecting with her peers and being able to keep that connection while in this time of isolation. Something she is immensely grateful for and looks forward to weekly. Hailey hopes that this opportunity will continue to be offered to students for years beyond her time at LCC.
-Hailey Fisher
