The Journalism Internship Experience

John Powell (Gastonia Gazette, Gaston, NC)
Powell is a former Marine with a BA in business who wanted a chance to work in television news. Since the Gastonia Gazette needed a journalist with interactive skills, the editors were eager to have John come for the summer. He was given one daily task: collect video of news events and post it to the Gazette’s website. His most exciting journalistic experience happened after he had filmed and posted video of a fatal house fire. The Gastonia Sheriff’s office presented him with a subpoena for the film: the fire was arson, the death a homicide and his film was considered evidence. At the end of his internship John led a workshop for the reporters of the Gazette on how to put video on the website.

Sara Burrows, San Diego State (The Sun, New Bern, NC)
The editors at the Sun gave Sara the opportunity to write about a wide variety of topics in this small rural community. She did the police beat, reported on city council meetings, wrote a feature on vacation bible schools, and contributed front page breaking news on the large fish kills in nearby rivers. Each day Sara met with the Sun’s assistant editor to discuss her assignments and the same editor corrected her written work and discussed it with her when she handed it in.

John Connolly, Christendom College (Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA)
John was expected to write one or two stories each day for the Bulletin. The editors expected John to come up with story ideas. After arriving at the Bulletin’s office at mid morning John would discuss his idea with the editors. Once they were approved John had until 7 PM to write his reports. John did stories about Philadelphia politics, the campaign for President in Pennsylvania as well as national and international news. The Bulletin was so pleased with John’s reporting that they offered him a job and he now works for the paper full time.