Students land prestigious internships: gain quality experience

by Storey DeBrew

Undergraduate students in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications are using the knowledge and skills that they have learned in the classroom to land prestigious internship opportunities far away from the Carolina coliseum. SJMC students are gaining hands on experience at some of the nation’s most prominent companies, in the areas of print and broadcast journalism, public relations, advertising and visual communications.

Josh Dawsey, a junior print major from Galivants Ferry, S.C., took his experience as the editor-in-chief of USC’s The Daily Gamecock all the way to New York City where he interned at Fortune Magazine, one of the nation’s most notable publications.

“There were thousands of applicants, and I had little hope that I'd actually be chosen, but my connections at USC helped land me the spot,” Dawsey said.

During his internship in the “Big Apple,” Dawsey wrote content for the web, researched and generated story ideas. Although many communication-related internships are unpaid, Dawsey earned $350 dollars a week and the company provided housing.

“The best part of my internship was getting to work with some of the most talented editors in the world. Getting to see my own work published internationally wasn’t too bad either,” Dawsey said.

Dawsey was not the only SJMC student who showcased his journalism education in New York City during the summer of 2011.

Kelly Pierce, a senior visual communications major from Irmo, S.C., interned with world-renowned fashion designer, Anna Sui. Pierce used her love of design and expertise in visual communications to create company logos and graphics for Sui’s clothing. Pierce also met with contractors, manufacturers and suppliers and conducted research for Anna Sui’s upcoming fashion line.

“I felt it was necessary to have an internship because the fast pace of the fashion industry requires students to do more than simply go to college -- we have to get our foot in the door. I feel it was definitely worth the time, because I learned so much,” Pierce said.

Pierce said the best part of her internship was meeting with Anna Sui everyday and watching her own personality reflected in Sui’s work.

But students in the SJMC do not necessarily have to travel to a big city to experience the benefits of an internship. Dana Jennings, a sophomore public relations major from Marietta, Ga., decided to pick up an internship close to campus and was able to land one at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. Jennings spent her summer assisting the marketing director and creating advertisements for the airport.

“The hands-on experience was much more than I expected to take away from the internship,” Jennings said.

An internship not only allows a student to gain valuable experience and contacts in the field of mass communication, but may also give a student a competitive advantage when it comes to landing that first job. According to National Association of Colleges and Employers, 42 percent of graduates who had experiential educational experiences were offered full time positions before graduation.

“As a freshman, I plan to have an internship every summer I am in college and I know the things I learned this past summer will only benefit my future,” Jennings said.

Lauren Hinnant, a senior broadcast journalism major from Anderson, S.C., decided to venture only an hour away from Columbia to WSOC TV in Charlotte. Hinnant credits the SJMC career fair, held every fall and spring semester, and a previous SJMC professor for helping her obtain the internship at the top-rated Charlotte television news outlet.

“I wouldn’t have received the opportunity without the help of Sid Bedingfield, a former professor of mine,” Hinnant said.

Although Hinnant learned the basics of television news from the hands-on journalism courses in the SJMC, she believes that obtaining an internship in her field is an invaluable experience and an important part of her undergraduate education.

“This internship opened my eyes to the business side of reporting. There is a lot involved that I couldn’t have learned in class.”

Hinnant’s goal is to eventually have a “real job” in a television news market as large as Charlotte.

Hinnant’s stint at WSOC may indeed put her one step closer to her goal. According to a 2010 nationwide survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, nearly 67 percent of all interns were subsequently offered fulltime positions by their employers. This means that obtaining an internship is more than just fulfilling a course requirement -- and most students and faculty agree that having at least one internship while still in college can help a student obtain his or her first job.

“Through my internship, I got real world experience that I know will ultimately help me after graduation. Meeting people and making connections will not only be beneficial when trying to find my first job, it will be beneficial forever,” Hinnant said.

Storey DeBrew Storey DeBrew is a senior broadcast journalism major from Anderson, S.C. Her career goal is to report local news, preferably in Columbia. Storey earned the G. Richard Shafto Fellowship during her junior year as a Gamecock.

The G. Richard Shafto Fellowship is for broadcast journalism majors. As a fellow, students gain experience through an intense internship experience at WIS-TV in Columbia and by working closely with a faculty advisor upon their return to campus. Storey spent 200 hours in the WIS newsroom, working with reporters, producers and news staff. Storey worked with Dr. Andrea Tanner to write this article.