Journalism major interns with Philadelphia's NBC10

How’d you land the gig?

I sent in my resume online and got a call back a short while later asking to set up an interview. I came home for Easter, interviewed at NBC10 and received a phone call a couple weeks later to let me know I had the job.

What’s a typical day like?

I would say the only thing typical about my days was that I come in at 9 every morning. Other than that, each day was kind of a surprise. There have been days when I have been out of the office all day and out with a reporter in the field following them around as they shoot a story. Then there are days where I stay in the office and answer the tip lines that people call in with stories.

Best assignment of the summer?

I worked beginning to end on a story about a family who had been scammed by a headstone company. I did a lot of research and pre-interviewed the family members before the actual reporter went out to interview them with a camera crew. I was able to go out on the shoot and watch the story be completed from the very beginning to the time it aired. I also had the opportunity to write a practice script for the piece, and it was really exciting to see the actual story air on TV.    

Be honest.  You’re in a cubicle, right? 

To be honest, I was surprised when I first saw my seating arrangements. I certainly expected to be in a cubicle in a separate room from all the reporters. But I was actually in the same room with all the reporters and producers. Even the big-time reporters sit in normal desks, right next to everyone else.

Has this experience confirmed your career track or made you re-evaluate your goals?

This internship has made me realize that I want to work in this type of environment. I enjoyed how fast paced it was and I especially liked doing something different every day.

Any neat perks come along with the job?

A lot of the reporters on a news station are kind of like local celebrities, so at first just meeting them was exciting. I did see Cuba Gooding Jr. walk through the studio once.

How has your liberal arts curriculum at Richmond prepared you for a career in journalism? 

I felt very well prepared for my internship because Richmond’s liberal arts program is so diversified. A person who works in the journalism field tends to become a mini expert in several different areas because you are forced to learn and report on so many different things. I felt that coming from a university where students are encouraged to study a variety of subjects has helped me become a fast learner as well as remain open-minded while in the reporting field.

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