It feels strange that I am leaving a few days; I kind of feel like I’m supposed to live here now. D.C. is such a great city; culture and history are infused in everything here…and it’s all so accessible. What a summer its been! Let’s just say it’s been almost 2 months since I drove a car, and I’ve grown to love public transportation.
I signed up for SIWJ with intentions of being solely focused on my internship, a position with the Office of Communications and Outreach at theU.S. Department of Education (DoED). All that mumbo jumbo simply means public affairs for the DoED. While I valued my time and learning experience at DoED, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the SIWJ classwork.
(P.S. That’s me INSIDE the White House gates, after my West Wing tour as a DoED intern!)
Learning how to edit video, make a piece of video journalism, and organize the process with a varied group of people was the highlight of the class for me. Through all the moaning and groaning of group work, I loved being creative in a completely different and digital way.
Now, I came at this program from a very different angle than most other students, as a recent graduate (of Harding University–go Bisons!) with a public relations and Spanish degree. I wanted to learn about the media in our classes and about public affairs through my internship. I was able to apply what I’d learned in classes and from guest speakers directly in my public affairs job.
One of my best pieces of advice for living here: make yourself a “business card” and hand them out to anyone interesting you meet–and keep in touch. Ask them advice about jobs, career paths, etc. Be saavy about it!
So what’s next? Next I’m moving to Mondéjar, Spain to be a culture and language assistant in Spain for the next 8 months or so. BUT, when I get back, I’ll have a good sense of where to look for a job, and I’ll have a wealth of contacts–from my classmates to my co-workers–all of whom have shaped my summer into the productive, self-discovering adventure that it’s been.
My experience here this summer has taught me so many things about the journalism field, and more importantly it taught me a lot about myself. I came into the program gung-ho about producing for news. All I wanted to do was be the person who got to play with the run down, organize the stories and compile them into the show we see on the newscast. But coming out of this program I have realized that what I thought was my dream job is actually very far from it. And it was not that my internship was bad, it was wonderful. Working at WTTG (local fox station) was a great experience. I got to go anywhere I wanted within the station and learn all aspects of broadcast news. But while there I realized I did not have the drive, the passion, for producing for news. And after talking with Amos I knew what direction I wanted to go in. I remembered that in my statement of interest for journalism school, and then again for the summer program talked about my other dream…
“After achieving a dual degree in journalism and history I would like to be able to produce historical and educational programming. By doing this I would be able to help people learn about a subject in which I am very passionate about. I would love to be able to have the opportunity to help others fall in love with history and its many exciting events…”
It was right in front of me the whole time. This was always a dream I thought I could have later on, after I had fulfilled my dream for the news. But I needed to pursue production for documentaries, maybe historical documentaries now. I watched them all the time as a kid with my dad. We would turn on the history channel and watch something on World War I or World War II. I was the kid in high school who loved watching those history clips your teacher turned on…I was never the one to fall asleep. And while I am disappointed in myself for not being able to love news production as much as I thought I would, I am happy that I still have time left at Georgia to explore other aspects of journalism. I am trying to enroll in a documentary class which will help me to learn more about that field.
I truly believe had I not come on this program I may not have had this realization until later on in life. After I had been at a production job I did not 100% love. I don’t want to be one of those people staring at my watch, waiting to leave work. I want to love every minute of it. Otherwise, is it really worth it? And by knowing where that love is not at, I can search for the place I will be truly happy. And if I do not find that place…well I may just have to make one up. After all, journalism is constantly evolving and changing. And I am excited to be a part of that change.
All I can say is that this program was worth every penny we payed because the knowledge and skills are wonderful and I know they will serve us well, but what we learned about ourselves is priceless.
When I look back on this experience, I wonder if it will seem like the whirlwind that it actually has been. These last few weeks will be the worst of all. I made a checklist of all the things I need to do before I go, but my greatest fear is getting back to Georgia and realizing that I didn’t do any of the things I should have. So today I’ll talk about the things I have done/will do at my internship and the things I have done/will do outside of work.
Before I say anything, though, I just want to comment on how amazing and awesome my internship at CBS News in DC has been. With the help of my supervisor I’ve done a ton of things and met a ton of people that have taught me so much. So far, I’ve been to a political dinner (where all kinds of people spoke), and met Lewis Black, Lara Logan, Bob Schieffer, and most of the CBS Evening News correspondents in DC. I’ve learned a million things about radio, broadcast, and the different roads that can lead you to different careers in journalism. I’ve also been able to shadow an accomplished journalist and his noteworthy colleagues up close and personal. It’s been ridiculous. I couldn’t ask for more. Before I leave, though, I’m also going to shadow someone who covers the White House, someone who reports on the goings on at the Capitol and one of the female correspondents for the Evening News. All in one summer. I really can’t believe it.
Outside of CBS I’ve been doing a lot, too. We’ve visited all kinds of places and heard from speakers that have had some pretty striking things to say. I still want to go and see all of the historical things in DC, though. Like the Declaration of Independence, the memorials and all of the other things that tourists usually come to do. There’s also a Madame Tussaud’s wax museum here like the one I went to in NYC. I think that would be a lot of fun to do, too.
When I think about everything that I’ve seen since I’ve been here this summer, it makes me feel like so much has gone on. There can’t be any other place in the world where someone can collect so many awesome experiences in such a short time. I’ve been throwing around the idea of coming back in the future to work for a few years after I graduate. I love the level of achievement that younger people can find in this city. It just seems like anything is an option and anyone can just stumble into success. That may seem cheesy, but I really feel that way. Coming to DC has to be one of the coolest things I’ve ever done and I’m really appreciative of everything that has happened. So I guess that’s everything. The past month or so in a nutshell and my big plans for the future. See what I mean about the whirlwind?
This program rocks! I know it may sound like I’m totally talking up the professors, but I’m not kidding, this program is the best thing I ever did as far as school goes–one of the hardest and most demanding things I’ve ever done, but also the best.
I came in as an English literature major, so I was a bit petrified at meeting the group of 20-something students who would mainly have a background in journalism. What I found, though, was that many people were like me. Everyone here had an impression of what journalism is–myself included–and came here to find their ideas turned upside down.
My own impressions were that journalism had to be hard news. However, I never considered whether a blog or tabloid magazines (which is ironic, considering one of my dream jobs would be to work for Cosmopolitan) could be journalism, or what components went into a piece, in order for it to become journalism. Imagine my surprise when we were given our first assignment: produce a 3-minute video piece of good journalism, accompanied by a 300-word article and a Web page. Possibly the most vague and most terrifying assignment I have ever received, I found that, like many classes or assignments that are extremely difficult, this assignment taught me more than I ever would have gained in a semester-long journalism course at CSU.
Here at SIWJ, journalism is open-ended. It is not concrete, it does not have one definition. Instead, this program allows us to define what journalism means to us. One classmate may find a journalistic story in the artwork at the National Gallery. Another may find a piece on the Metro. This program has shown me that journalism is open to interpretation; it is flux.
Going back to that first assignment, I found that the open-endedness of the assignment was scary, but at the same time liberating. Gone were the constraints most professors give their students and in their place was freedom to be creative.
Perhaps that is the most interesting aspect of what I’ve learned here. Whether at my job or in class, creativity is necessary. A piece of journalism does not always fit into the template designed for it. At Moment magazine, we interns are expected to contribute creatively on a regular basis, whether throwing out possibilities for the next “Jewish Word” column or researching interesting story ideas on the Supreme Court.
I am still working on my definition of journalism. Maybe it’s like I said before–that no one definition of journalism will ever truly encompass journalism in all its forms. For now, I agree with Amos’ requirements that journalism should inform and entertain. I feel strongly that a piece of solid journalism should make an impact on an individual’s life in one way or another. And whether writing about the stock market (boring!) or about the newest runway fashions, passion for the content is key.
We’ve been in DC now for four weeks, working hard and playing harder. I never imagined myself doing all of the things that we have done. Last week, we went to the Capitol and got to sit in the House Chamber, which gave me goosebumps. Next week, we are visiting the White House and will tour the east wing. This is all too funny to me though, because my internship has almost nothing political about it.
I am interning at Nature’s Best Photography Magazine, a quarterly magazine, as an editorial assistant. They are producing the summer issue now, so I have been oh-so-busy trying my best to make the biggest imprint I can! Luckily, the managing editor has been out all week and its given me the opportunity to take on the work he would otherwise do. It is actually my first shot at editorial writing too, so this is a huge learning process for me. I feel that I have an amazing opportunity with them, because it is such a small business, with only six employees, and I am interviewing a lot of big names in photojournalism, people that I can only dream of talking to when flipping through the pages of National Geographic.
I am also meeting people through the SIWJ program, people that I may one day work with if we all stick the course in journalism. We’ve been going to Pride parades, enjoying the nightlife, and soaking in as much of DC as there is to soak in. All in all, if I could do this every summer, I would!
D.C. is so much more than I ever could have expected. Before coming here I, like most people, knew about the monuments, the memorials and the old buildings. However, knowing about them and actually experiencing them are two different things. All of the things I’ve read about these places didn’t prepare me for the feelings of pride and awe at the way our great country is represented in D.C.
Still, the SIWJ program is not a vacation. The first week here is scary and I often felt like Amos threw me to a pack of wolves. Yet, as the weeks have gone by I understand why. There simply is no way of “easing” into life in D.C. Deciding to intern here is a big leap of faith, but in the end I can tell it’s going to be worth it.
Before getting here I knew my internship would teach me things, but I never could’ve imagined the ways it would change my views. I am at Hispanic Link with my boss Charlie, who has been in the business for over twenty years. Charlie has given a voice to the Latino population through his weekly paper. He has been educating me daily on the issues that face the fastest-growing demographic in the country. Education, health care, immigration and equal rights are huge issues for Latinos, but how they are handled affects all Americans.
I had never even heard of the Link and wasn’t aware of what a big deal it is. However, on my second day here I quickly figured it out. We attended a luncheon featuring congressmen and women, and other political leaders and instead of us having to run these VIPs down to get their stories, they came to us because of Charlie. It left me a bit awe-struck of my new boss.
Since then, interning at the Link has afforded me some amazing opportunities. I’ve been to luncheons with congress members, Capitol press conferences, Congressional hearings, museum press tours and more. I’m also looking forward to attending a few conventions where the presidential nominees are going to be featured speakers. None of this would be possible without the Link, Amos and the SIWJ program.
I’m not even sure yet how I feel about all I’m seeing and doing… I think it will hit me when I get home and look back at the pictures and see that it really was me doing all of these crazy things. I just know that right now I am thrilled to be here.
So, to avoid incessant rambling I will say farewell for now. I want to wish my fellow classmates good luck for the rest of our summer.
Wow-We’ve been here for two weeks and the city still takes my breath away.
It’s beautiful! We’re here… we’re where it all really happens. We’re in the hub. As our professor Susan mentioned the other day, it wasn’t always a hub, but now and it’s truly inspiring to be here.
Although, it feels like time is slipping through our fingers.
We’re all so busy with work and projects, it feels like there’s no time to go see monuments and museums. I have a list of things I want to see before I leave: the Constitution, the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials, the Ghost Clock (for my sister’s sake), and I’m really excited for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival next weekend on the Mall.
Then there’s also the incidental stuff: the events and dinners that just tend to happen when a bunch of 20-somethings spend any time together.
But the city…
As I go to bed some nights, I think about the fact that the leader of the free world (love him or hate him- you have to acknowledge and respect the power) is sleeping- or not sleeping- just a few blocks away. Every day, as we walk by those big, nondescript office buildings, decisions are made. These could be large and important, or so small and trivial you don’t know how they will affect you personally. Every person working in those federal office buildings is, either directly or indirectly, beholden to me.
I recently saw an old interview between Bill O’Reilly and Jon Stewart where Bill made some disparaging comments about the 18 to 25-year-olds who watch Jon’s show and their voice in the election. He said it like he felt that it was a right that should only be reserved for adults… like him. I think that’s a prevailing misconception held by much of the federal workforce: twenty-somethings (the interns who make them coffee and run their errands) are not members of the voting public.
I fear I grow political, which is not my aim, but I’m simply awestruck that this. My first year to vote in the general election (I voted in the midterms, but everyone I voted for was an incumbent) is the same year I spend two months in the nation’s capital!
It started off great and I believe it’s going to be an inspiring summer!
After months of painstakingly waiting in the South for this summer to come, my time for living in D.C. has arrived. The accommodations have been made, my job is secured, and all the fees are squared away…almost. Well, I guess you’re wondering by now who this person is writing in this blog and how he made it to D.C. and the SIWJ Program.
I’m a modest person by nature and don’t talk too much about myself, but I will say this. I’m John Asante. I’m originally from New Jersey, but have lived in Georgia for about 5 years. I’m about to start my senior year at Georgia State University, located in the heart of Atlanta. I’m double majoring in journalism and speech and I’m using this summer away from home to see if telecommunications (moreseo which branch – radio or TV and what type of job – reporting/ anchoring, producing, etc) is my calling.
In order to get a good scope of what kind of career I want to pursue after I graduate next May, I decided I’d try out more of the field of radio…and intern at XM Satellite Radio. Even before I go into what my duties are as an intern, I must say that XM is an amazing place. Located on the corner of NY and FL Aves., and only a 12 minute metro ride from my apartment, the company is forward thinking and innovative. Everywhere I went on my first was an enigmatic inundation of music, news, talk, technology, and the like. The people are real chill as well, and that makes any job enjoyable.
Now to my internship. Probably one of the coolest things about my job is that we (my coworkers and I in our office) don’t have to dress up in button-up shirts, ties, and power suits. Seeing as we’re in the program department, “as long as you have a shirt on” is our motto day in and day out.
I am serving as a programming intern for The Bob Edwards Show on XM’s Public Radio Channel 133. If you’re a bit unaware of who he is, you can check out his impressive career here
and click on the link to the show. In short, he does long-form one-hour interviews with noteworthy people in news, politics, music, entertainment, movies, sports, etc. The pre-recorded show is aired five times a week and played four times a day. Plus, there is a weekend show…aptly called Bob Edwards Weekend.
Since I don’t want to sound too long-winded, here’s a brief explanation of what I do, courtesy of Facebook:
“Editing pre-recorded interviews, researching noteworthy people, booking guests, creating podcasts, and learning to form effective interviews for one of talk radio’s finest, Bob Edwards, on his daily program, The Bob Edwards Show.
All from the convenience of my desk (phone included), overlooking the busy streets of D.C. Booyah.”
All of this is surreal, but true. I have a pretty sweet view out my window and I’m learning a lot about public radio and formulating interviews with a radio legend and his crew.
Now, I’m trying to stress the motto of “work hard, play hard” this summer. It goes without saying that I’m looking to explore D.C. in all of its glory as a fresh, new 21 year-old. I’ve visited this city a few times in my youth, but have never adventured on my own past the National Mall. D.C.is such a different city from Atlanta; from its NYC-like grid system, to its crazy hustle and bustle each day, it’s quite an experience. The city seems so health conscious. Virtually everyone either walks, bikes, roller blades, uses a scooter, or some form of transportation more than a car. Around any given corner is a healthy eatery with ‘fresh vegetables’ and ‘organic products.’ D.C. is so historic too. The fact that I can walk to the Lincoln Memorial at night, see the Washington Monument out my window AND take the train to the Smithsonian is amazing.
Now that I mention sightseeing spots in the nation’s capital, check out this video I took of the tour guide at the FDR memorial:
However, if there’s one thing I noticed right away about D.C. is the HUMIDITY. And I’m from Atlanta, but it gets unbearable. It’ll take me a while to get used to working up a sweat while walking to the metro.
Speaking of which, the train system here trumps Atlanta’s any day. Five color-coded lines? Genius. Paying fares by distance? Brilliant. A chart showing the approximate ETA for any station. Remarkable. There are so many stops that are available…and it only takes me 12 minutes to get to work on the metro. Basically, I can leave my room (on the corner of 20th and E streets) at 8:30 AM and make it to work by 9. Awesome.
Living in a new city for about 11 days has already started to change my views on life mentally and physically. I’m so much more willing to just walk or take the metro to a favorite destination. The real world is becoming…a reality. Being around grown people with deadlines and lots of work, but who love their jobs, is a great experience. Everyday, I come up with new ideas of what I should do after college. Should I go into radio? What aspect? What can I do online? In addition, my social interactions with strangers has changed. Less than two weeks ago, my roommate was this random kid from upstate New York. Today, we are chillin’ as if we’ve been buds for years.
The same goes for the people in the SIWJ program with me. We come from a myriad of walks of life, but have come together for one main purpose – to learn more about journalism. Our class is pretty intensive. We’ve gotta read three books, complete a five or six projects (a 3-minute video, a 300 word story, and a website), meet people in the journalism world with a good head on our shoulders AND attend our internships, all in 8 weeks.
My classmates and I are learning a lot – especially Final Cut Pro. Many of us spent countless hours in the editing studio and out in the field capturing footage, planning our videos and editing. But I can proudly say that I know how to use another program that will be beneficial to landing my dream job(s). I’ve also learned to multi-task like never before! At my internship at XM, I’ve booked three future interviews for Bob Edwards this summer and I have the challenge of creating interview questions and editing the pieces for air. The first couple of days were a rather large overflow of information…I got tutorials in about 8-10 programs that I may only use for all but 2-3 applications. Overall, I’m enjoying every minute of it.
In my free time, I’ve been scoping out the cool areas of D.C. and taking advice from everyone I meet. The other half of the people in the program are Ivory Tower, another nice and relatively new dorm building. Those are some nice (and expensive) apartment-style dorms. There’s also the monuments and memorials, of course. I went to the Benihana in Georgetown the second night I was here with a fellow classmate and that was a trip. It was my first time in a Japanese hibachi restaurant, so I had to get some footage of the cooks’ sweet skills behind the grill:
There are many places on my list to go to:
- explore more of Georgetown
- possibly check out the Film festival happening closer to Maryland
- Artomatic, before it finishes up on my birthday
- Chinatown
- Adam’s Morgan (the night of my 21st!)
- Howard University
- the Smithsonian Museums (especially the new ones I’ve never been to)
- Washington Memorial at dawn (to recreate one of my favorite scenes from “Wedding Crashers”)
The list virtually goes on and on.
So, I guess I’ll end with an ironic (maybe not so funny story) of my first week on GW’s campus. I had to move apartments twice. The first time was due to water damage on the wall of my bedroom from the sprinkler that went off the month before due to the fire in someone’s room.The second time was due to ANOTHER placement mistake by housing. Then, I got a wrong key. Then, I got locked out…with only a towel on…
My summer so far has been fast-paced and so is the real world, so I’d say that the program is also teaching me about how quick we have to act in the journalism world to stay on top of our game. We all laugh and cry together, during parties, classes, homework, and outings. I love being thrown into a new element and finding a way to deal with it. The last couple of summers have been a drag at home, so I wouldn’t have it any other way this May-August.
As with most blog posts that I create, I feel as if I’ve said too much. My mind races a mile a minute, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. There’s that feeling in the air that this summer is going to be the most rewarding, challenging and creative experience of my life, to date.
I don’t want to spend a whole post nerding out, but living in Washington, D.C. is awesome.
I can walk to the Mall, watch motorcades fly past my window, and gaze at the Washington monument, lit-up every night, right from my living room. I live between the State Department and the White House. I walk past the IMF and the World Bank on the way to work, not to mention a couple of demonstrations.
Living in Washington is a unique experience. It’s a big change from New York State, where I’m from. It’s a lot lazier down here. Trust me, you have to be–the heat and humidity won’t allow for anything else. Things move a lot slower down here in general; you won’t find someone yelling at you if you take more than five seconds to order your fast food.
But I digress. Let’s get back to basics and stock introductions: Hi, my name is Conor Hale and I’m a journalism major at St. Bonaventure University. I want to work in television and broadcast news. Not sure where and/or how yet. I’m interning at the BBC’s Washington bureau. More on that later.
If I had to talk about my first impressions of this program, my internship, and my summer, I would say this: sometimes your professors will say–if you’re not sure about what you want to do–take an internship, experiment, dabble; and if you find something you like, you’re golden. And if you don’t, then you know what you don’t want to do.
This is not one of those programs. This is far from a waste of time.
Amos, the big cheese of the program, really helped me find a place right for me–and so far he’s been right every time. And I’m not being paid to say that. (Which reminds me: be wary of the district’s 9 percent sales tax. And if you can score a paid internship, all the best.)
But if you’re looking for journalism– I really hope you’re not doing it for the money. And if you are looking for journalism– there are few places as media-savvy as Washington.
Working at the Beeb (what insiders call the BBC) is a lot different than anything else. It’s not your dad’s TV station. The BBC is the largest Newsgathering operation in the world. Newsgathering, where I work, supplies two domestic UK channels, a 24-hour news channel in the UK, a 24-hour international news channel and an American nightly news broadcast, not to mention the BBC’s 5 radio channels and the BBC World Service, broadcasting in over 35 countries and languages. Yeah, it gets a little crowded. But the best part is that there is always so much to do–I’ll never be that intern getting coffee.
It feels strange that I am leaving a few days; I kind of feel like I’m supposed to live here now. D.C. is such a great city; culture and history are infused in everything here…and it’s all so accessible. What a summer its been! Let’s just say it’s been almost 2 months since I drove a car, and I’ve grown to love public transportation.
