Grady InternViews: Julia Walkup

This experience will make me a more well-rounded journalist. At UGA, I haven’t really focused my energy on television or video news, and I’ve never worked in anything like national news before. I’m learning a bunch of new skills and perspectives, so I hope that in the future, I’ll be more familiar with all different kinds of journalism and be able to comfortably perform all different aspects of what goes into making an article, segment or multimedia piece.

What about this position has surprised you?

I was surprised by how much I was trusted and thrown into the position right off the bat. In such a fast-paced environment, my team was willing to help me learn, but they didn’t have time to babysit me. Therefore, I took the approach that one person called the “apologetic bull in a china shop” approach. That means, I did a lot of things how I thought I should do them and took risks, and if I screwed up, I apologized and learned for the future. It’s better to put yourself out there, take risks and learn by doing than it is to hide behind your unfamiliarity with the role.

What’s the most challenging part of this position?

The most challenging part of this position for me is having to adapt to television news. I’ve spent all of my training at UGA and The Red & Black focusing on print journalism and still photography, so adjusting to the fast-paced and conversational style of television news has been especially challenging. I have plenty of opportunities to learn, though!

What advice would you give to students who are looking to pursue similar opportunities?

Be yourself! After talking with recruiters, they told me the best thing to do in interviews and applications is to be yourself. Also, fully take advantage of all the hands-on opportunities that UGA offers for student journalists. This means getting involved with The Red & Black, Newsource, or anything else that can get you physical proof of your talent. Coming out of college with an impressive portfolio or reel will set you apart from the beginning.

What has been your favorite part about your internship?

My favorite part of my internship so far is definitely connecting with the other CNN interns. We’ve become great friends, and we’re able to learn from each other, bounce ideas off each other and discuss the current state of the news media. I’ve learned so much from them, and it’s really nice to be able to have these friendships while I’m living in an unfamiliar city for a few months. It’s also really cool to be in the control room while the show is airing and to call video behind the scenes.