Internships

If you’ve taken a class with me, received at least a B and want to register for an internship with me, here’s what you need to do:

• Read the department’s internship requirements. There’s helpful information here on how to find internships and what to do when you find one.
• Discuss your internship plans with me. Come by during office hours, no appointment needed.
• Register for MCOM 460. You’ll need to get two numbers from me: a section number and a permission code. Also, you’ll need to calculate how many hours you’ll be working. Every 40 hours of work equals one school credit.
• At the end of the semester, ask your boss for a recommendation letter evaluating your performance. Keep a copy safe for your files, and share a copy with me. (Bosses that decline to write letters of recommendations can fill out the final evaluation form.)
• Write a 150-word blurb or record a short video for this page telling where you interned, what you did, what you learned, and what advice/tips you have for future interns. (I may also use it on the MCCS website.)

Past interns include:

Adam Salk | MotorWeek | Fall 2011

I have been interning for the automotive television show MotorWeek since the summer of 2011. My time spent at Maryland Public Television’s longest running show has been a dream come true. If you are passionate about automotive journalism, MotorWeek can give you real experience in the field. I have improved my broadcast writing, learned television production (on and off a set), and of course driven some amazing cars. Check out my blog which highlights everything from writing, photography, and my on camera appearances.

Olivia Obineme | Baltimore Magazine | Fall 2011

Three years ago, I would have never thought I would be a marketing intern. But, overtime the media industry has changed and the way we receive information has definitely changed. In the past I think so many have overlooked the advantages of good marketing for a newspaper or magazine. Now that online media has emerged as the way most of us receive our information, good marketing has become much more prevalent in media. Over the summer, I applied for an editorial internship at Baltimore magazine, only to find out all of the positions were filled. But when I was asked if I had any interest in joining the marketing team, I said ‘why not?’ Given the responsibility to manage the magazine’s social media, I was able to see first-hand how social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter impact readership. People don’t just want to read magazines or watch news packages, but they also want to know who’s behind the stories and videos –and it’s through the social networks, writers, reporters and photographers can connect with their readers. Aside from the social media, I was still able to put my video skills in use and I shot, edited and produced online videos for the magazine. So, if there’s any advice I can give, it’s keep an open mind to all the things journalism can offer. There is a lot more to it than having a byline.

Daniel Ciarrocchi | Bleacher Report | Fall 2011

Writing for Bleacher Report was rewarding not only because it combined my loves of writing and sports, but provided me with valuable experience for a constantly evolving field. In addition to writing five to six articles per week, I was in regular contact with five editors who helped me improve my content, style, online media creation and search engine optimization. Once the internship ended, I had over 50 articles and 90,000 hits to my credit. Writing everyday and being in constant contact with my editors and other interns for feedback is what made this internship truly worthwhile, and is a lesson I can carry with me to my future endeavors.

Tyler Green | Baltimore Magazine | Fall 2011

As an editorial intern for Baltimore Magazine this past summer and fall, I wrote pieces for the Charm City Chatter, It list, and calendar columns, as well as spent numerous hours fact checking stories for various pieces in the magazine. I learned the value of patience and persistence when trying to contact a source to verify information, and how truly important fact checking is to the entire journalism industry. It was during this internship with Baltimore, that I learned so much about the city that I had never known before. Whether it was new neighborhoods I had previously never explored, the exposure to Baltimore’s emerging food truck scene, it helped to make me feel more comfortable about where I was going and how to get around. The internship opened my eyes to how thrilling working in the city can in fact be. For future interns, I offer this one piece of advice. Go in with an open mind, and the city will open itself back up to you. Whatever judgments or thoughts you may have previously had about the city, ignore them. Let Baltimore show you what it has to offer, and find out for yourself why it has earned itself the name of Charm City.

Daniel Rodgers | The Baltimore Sun | Fall 2011

The Baltimore Sun gave me a real-world experience during my internship. My hours were from 4:30 in the afternoon until past midnight. Even though it was brutal because I had never worked anything similar, I really felt bad for the staff that worked those hours five or more days per week. I was given the opportunity to get involved with the editing and writing aspects of the newspaper and both proved to be valuable experiences. My first internship had less to do with what I actually wanted to get involved with, so my time at the Sun really taught me a lot. The most important piece of advice I can give is that while searching for an internship, make sure that the duties you will be required to perform reflect what it is you’re looking to do once you graduate and look for a job.

Christopher Peifer | Fox Business Network | Fall 2011

My experience at the Fox Business Network was very rewarding.  From September to December I had the privilege of working alongside of some of the best and brightest in the broadcast news industry.  In addition I had the chance to meet some of the people we read about everyday.  I met senators, congressman, former governors, and ex-presidential candidates among others.  I got to assist producers and reporters in the field.  Furthermore I listened, logged, and transcribed press briefings, congressional hearings and interviews to pick out newsworthy sound bites for news broadcasts. From a technical side I had the chance to meet and greet on air guests and prepare them for broadcast.  Overall my experience with Fox was educational and remarkable.  It was absolutely worth traveling to Washington D.C. two times a week.  If you are a Mass Communications student and are looking for a challenge and desire to learn from the best, then you should look to the Fox Network to start your career.

Matt Markowitz| 60 Minutes | Spring 2011

I completed in-depth research projects for stories that take place in countries around the world while interning for 60 Minutes this semester. I experienced all production phases of the broadcast from developing story ideas to researching characters and locations to interviewing sources to editing print and video. Highlights of the internship include one week of working at the CBS New York bureau and working behind the scenes of a town hall with President Obama at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. I had the opportunity to work with several professional journalists including producers, editors, photographers, and correspondents. Journalism students who are self-starters and enjoy both magazine writing and broadcasting should consider applying for an internship with 60 Minutes.

Matt Winter | MASN | Spring 2011

In my time with MASNsports.com, I learned a good bit about the multimedia world in general. During my time there I had the opportunity to write about the Ravens, film and edit video blogs, be an assistant editor and hold a major league credential for two different teams. Not only did my time there add to my multimedia skill set, it also allowed me to build up my contact list with professionals in two different professional sports. This coincides with the advice I give to future interns: Work your tail off, never say no to anything your employer asks of you, and make as many friends and future contacts as you can. Trust me, it will help come time to find that elusive grown-up job.

Kelly McClain | Gay Life | Spring 2011

I have become more acquainted with the inner workings of a newspaper and the gay community in Baltimore this semester. Upon transferring to this major, I did not want to be a journalist (only an author of books) especially for a daily newspaper, but I found interning for a bi-weekly paper convinced me that writing timely news can be manageable. I interned at Gay Life, produced and published by the non-profit Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore. By assisting the managing editor, I learned everything from creating an editorial calendar, to assigning stories to the volunteer writers, to constructing the layout. I was also assigned to write articles for every issue with varying word counts (250-1,500), as well as provide photos. I designed ads for the paper that appeared in almost every issue. I plan to continue volunteering for the paper by either writing articles and/or producing ads.

Peter DiLutis | Fox 1370 | Spring 2011

This semester, I again worked for Fox 1370 sports radio in Baltimore, specifically Jerry Coleman. I covered sporting events, most notably the Miami Heat, arguably the most famous team in the NBA right now, and most of the Orioles games since the season started. I also continued writing my blog on the show’s page titled “Pete’s Perspective” and that has helped me get a spot in the “blogger hour” on from 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. every Friday on Fox 1370 AM. I hope to be in the sports journalism industry as I head into my career. Working with Jerry has allowed me to learn so much about different parts of the job. I have had the opportunity to cover every sports team in the area, do interviews, cover the games, edit sounds, shoot and edit video, book guests for the show, administer a website, talk on the radio for an hour at a time, and much more. I think back to where I was last year at this time, and there is absolutely no comparison with regards to my knowledge and acumen in the profession from then until now. Jerry Coleman has helped me immensely as I move forward in my career, and I would recommend anyone looking to get into the business to get in touch with him to see if he could help.

Alissa Katz | emcblue.com | Spring 2011

My internship experience at emcblue.com granted me a lot of journalism firsts. I’d never solely written for an online publication, so communication was a lot different than the usual face-to-face interviewing and speaking to editors. I thought this was important since this will eventually be the future of the industry. I also got to write out of my usual comfort zone. I’ve been writing news stories for more than six years, and this internship provided me with an opportunity to practice writing in a more feature-esque style for a blogging website. At first it took a while to get used to, but with an editor’s encouragement and helpful tips, it turned out to be a lot of fun. It’s a great beginner internship for journalism students who want to start compiling pieces using different outlets. Most blog posts I wrote were attributed to different websites, not direct sources. So, it’s a great way to learn how to attribute different places before being introduced to the world of direct interviewing.

Colin Stevens | Midday with Dan Rodricks | Fall 2010

My internship at WYPR on the Dan Rodricks show was a great experience. Heading into the internship, I had never worked with a radio station and really didn’t know what to expect. What I found out was that it takes a lot more than a host simply sitting down in front of a microphone and rambling about whatever comes to his or her mind. It takes a team to put the shows together, and the producers are just as important as the host. Producers write a lot of the scripts and put a lot of thought into the direction of the show and what topics will be discussed. As a sports journalist, working on this show was definitely different for me. But I think no matter what the topic is, radio will still work the same way and I can put everything I learned in the internship to good use.

Mike Miller | The Baltimore Sun | Fall 2010

For nearly four months, I was a Baltimore Sun reporter and it could not have been a more worthwhile experience. During my time at The Sun I covered the 10^th annual Under Armour Baltimore Marathon, University of Maryland men’s basketball and other live events on top of writing numerous athlete profiles. The Sun’s outstanding team of editors helped me become a better, more concise writer and it was a pleasure to learn and absorb their feedback. Bottom line, students will get as much out of their internship as they put into it. I made my work for The Sun a priority and feel I greatly benefited from that decision. Having a steady Baltimore Sun byline was not only a dream come true, it gave me the experience and name recognition I needed to find work in the journalism industry. Time of my life.

Peter Dilutis | Fox 1370 | Fall 2010

Colin Stevens | The Baltimore Sun | Summer 2010

Taking part in an internship is an experience every student should take advantage of. After interning with the Baltimore Sun, I feel like I’m in the right field. I am certain I enjoy writing, but more the reporting aspect. I wrote several features, covered a few games, worked with the websites and even visited Ravens training camp. For future interns – don’t be afraid to ask questions. People will be helpful if you show interest in what you’re doing. There are lots of little things to learn and they know you want to improve, so soak up any information they have. And everyone has a ton of knowledge. Also, try new things. If there’s something you haven’t done before, take the opportunity to learn about it. It will only help you in the future.

David I. Stokes | Media Two | Spring 2010

Melissa Hale | New media intern | The Baltimore Sun | Summer 2009

Matt Markowitz | Fox 45 News | Summer 2009

Internships are the experience that all journalism students need to have an edge after they graduate and enter the job market. Try to apply to your first internship as early in your college career as possible because only one most likely will not encompass everything you need to know before choosing your career path. Every student is doing a little soul searching during these tough years, and an internship can tell you whether you’re on the right path or not. Take me, for instance. I love making television, but I am also interested in new media. A local television station is not going to provide education about web journalism. In the classroom, we hear about convergence like it already happened, but in the real world it is happening at different rates for different businesses. Possessing an array of skills for all media platforms will widen the path for your career.

Nicholas Collard | New media intern | ABC2 WMAR | Fall 2007

This internship was an amazing experience. In 160 hours I learned more about the professional world than I had in four and a half years. The staff members were pleased to have me helping out in the office and in return they were very eager to teach me the things I needed to learn. I made great references, amassed a great wealth of knowledge, gained the confidence I needed to further my professional endeavors, and had a great time while doing it all. The only bad part about the whole thing was that I had to leave it so soon. There really is nothing negative that I can say about the entire internship with ABC2 WMAR: there’s definitely room for improvement on the site, but that’s hardly a drawback so much as it is a challenge. Being aware of that challenge gives me ideas to take with me into future jobs that need help expanding their web audience.