Grady Intern Diaries: Brittany Paris

This is part of a series where we asked Grady College students to describe their internship experience during the summer.

For others in the series, please see:

Connor Foarde, The Washington Times

Christopher Mays, Citi

Stanley D. Miller III, CNN

Charlotte Norsworthy, NPR

Kendall Lake, New America’s Open Technology Institute

Maxime Tamsett, CNN

Name: Brittany Paris
Major: Journalism
Minor: Communication Studies
Certificate: New Media Studies
Title of Internship: Production Intern at Dateline NBC
Location: New York, NY

GC: Briefly describe your internship and responsibilities:
B.P.: I assist in building daily story meetings, logging morning news shows, researching crime news and compiling slides for news articles. I attend and assist on both interviews and anchor shoots, transcribe videos and research stories for producers, and occasionally sit at the front desk and manage phone lines for Senior Producers.

GC: What is the best part about your summer internship?
B.P.: The best part about working at Dateline is being in an environment with other hardworking people. I love surrounding myself with people who are creative, smart and share the same passion for news as me. It’s an honor to work at a show that I love and at a network that I respect immensely.

GC: What is the most memorable experience you have had during your internship?
B.P.: So far, my most memorable experience is working on a show for Dateline and getting the privilege to get credited as an assistant producer for all of my hard work. The story takes place in Atlanta, and I was so grateful to be able to give some insider knowledge about a city so close to Athens.

GC: What is the most valuable lesson or skill you learned during your internship?
B.P.: I think the most important skill I’ve learned is to be self-sufficient. Everyone here is so willing to help me achieve my goals, but I think being able to show them that I am confident that I can get the job done without asking a million questions really helps. Another valuable skill I’ve learned is to fact-check efficiently. As journalists, we pride ourselves in knowing the information we give others is accurate and honest, and I think working at NBC really showed me the proper steps to make sure a source is credible.

GC: How did your internship help confirm your desired career path or make you re-evaluate what you want to do in the future?
B.P.: I can’t take credit for the phrase “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life,” however, I know I’ve picked the right path because I am excited to go to work each morning (even when I have to wake up at 4:30 A.M.) — and even during the weekend, I’m excited to watch Dateline even though I’ve been in the office all week!

GC: When you look back on your internship 10 years from now, what part of your summer internship do you expect to be most thankful for?
B.P.: I have so many memories looking back on my internships, but I have to say some of the friendships I’ve made and people I’ve crossed paths with will most certainly be something I am forever thankful for. Interning last summer at the TODAY Show, and this summer with Dateline, I am so incredibly grateful to have met the best and the brightest in the industry.