Meet the New Fall 2026 Interns

This fall, I have taken on two editorial interns. Look for their author bylines in our upcoming Washington Gardener Magazine issues, our YouTube videos, GardenDC Podcast, and on this blog. As a first assignment, I asked them to write a short introduction to our readers so you can get to know them.

Hello everyone! My name is Jackson Wantman, and I am thrilled to be interning for the Washington Gardener this semester! A little bit about me: I am a senior journalism major at the University of Maryland in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, and I also have a concentration in business management. I am originally from Needham, Massachusetts, which is just about 25 minutes south of Boston. I’ve always loved journalism and broadcasting, and I’m excited to bring that passion to this internship. My past journalism and writing experience is mostly in sports, as I’ve covered beats for one of our on-campus publications, WMUC Sports, calling games for student radio, and serving as the social media manager for the WMUC Sports social media pages. However, I’m very excited to branch out into this new field and produce so much different content for you all! Coming into this internship, I had no idea there were so many people passionate about gardening, and I’m grateful to be able to put those interests on display. You will see stories, profiles, videos, and more from me and the rest of the crew here, and I look forward to a fulfilling and fun semester!

Hi, my name is Jennifer Baxter and I am a sophomore journalism major at the University of Maryland (UMD) in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism! I hope to eventually minor in general business and voice in the near future. I am an active member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority at UMD, and on the side I try to act, write, and sing as much as possible. I have been a part of over eight choirs in my lifetime including the Maryland All State Choir in 2024. I am ecstatic to be interning for Washington Gardener Magazine this fall semester to learn more about the art of writing while also getting the opportunity to learn how to garden. On the UMD campus, I serve as social media director and a staff writer for Her Campus Maryland, a digital women’s magazine. I happily write the weekly newsletter writer for Stories Beneath the Shell, a digital on campus newspaper, and am the fundraising chair for the Society of Professional Journalists and a volunteer for Capital News Service as a camera and audio operator. Since 2023, I have created and continue to write my monthly column “Gen Z thru Jen B” for Stroll Ijamsville Magazine and am the self-published author of my poetry book, “Behind the Walls of a Beautiful Mind,” available on Amazon. In the little free time that I do have, I love to spend time with my friends and family whether it be while thrift shopping, record sifting, or relaxing at a coffee shop. On the opposite end of my interests, I enjoy going to the gym, playing basketball, and walking around my hometown neighborhood in Frederick, Maryland. I am honored to have the opportunity to walk our audience through a garden of book reviews, articles, and interviews this fall!