Major(s): Journalism and Psychology
Graduation Year: 2023
Hometown: Ludlow, MA
Internship: Texas Monthly Magazine
Title: Editorial Intern
Why are you studying Journalism, and how has the major prepared you for your internship?
I love meeting people, storytelling, and writing, which makes journalism the perfect way to combine my passions and skills in an impactful way. The journalism major has helped me fulfill this and allowed me to become involved with student media. Through the Daily Collegian, I now have a leadership position on campus, where meeting people and helping to tell their stories to the best of my ability is a central part of my responsibility. Additionally, when I first came to study journalism at UMass, it was a completely different environment for me; I had to learn the ins and outs of the University before I could tell its story through journalism. Similarly, for my internship, I had to not only acclimate to living in a completely new city, but I had to put my finger on the pulse of it. To get to know its characters and history, in order to tell a story that I had just become a part of. This task was as beneficial to me as the internship itself, and something that UMass Journalism set the precedent for.
How did you find your internship? What was the process like?
I knew I wanted to intern with a magazine, and I also knew I wanted to spend the summer in a city like Austin. I read work from Texas Monthly Magazine before, so when I did a quick google search for editorial internships, Texas Monthly immediately caught my attention, and I applied.
Please describe your internship experience. What were your job responsibilities?
As an intern, I had a mentor that I shadowed throughout the whole process, which was an amazing experience, along with being surrounded by many passionate and talented writers throughout the internship. My responsibilities included helping staff with research and transcription of their stories, attending workshops on writing and reporting, and reporting and writing five stories of my own.
What was the greatest takeaway from your internship experience? What skills did you gain?
One of the most challenging parts of the internship was working on pitches and getting them approved by an assigning editor. You had to develop a pitch that is relevant and interesting enough and present it in a convincing way. Essentially, it was possible to get bylines, but you had to hustle for them, which is the case for most things in the journalism industry. I learned that internships, and every experience, are what you make of them. Also, how to sell a story is a skill that I would not have learned outside of newsroom experience, and it changed how I pay attention to the world.
What project were you most proud of at the end of your internship and why?
One big assignment and the most fulfilling experience was covering the Alex Jones trial in Austin with my mentor and writing a piece about it for the Texas Monthly website. I was in a room full of journalists from The Associated Press, The New York Times, etc., reporting on a story that the whole world was paying attention to, and I had the responsibility of telling it truthfully and creatively; a high-pressure task with high rewards.
How does the internship relate to your field of interest in Journalism? How has it influenced your long-term goals and career objectives?
During this internship, I developed my magazine writing skills, which allowed me to write in a more creative way than the hard news reporting I am used to writing. It ultimately helped me figure out what kind of journalism I wanted to do and cemented my desire to be a magazine writer.
What advice would you give to current students hoping to apply for the same internship in the future?
Moving away from home for an internship is hard, but it's a huge privilege. If you have the means for it, don't be afraid to take that risk.