Grady InternViews: William Daughtry

Briefly describe your internship and your responsibilities:

I do freelance work with The Current and contribute to articles as they need them in Glynn and McIntosh County, which covers coastal Georgia.

What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned so far?

The most valuable lesson I’ve learned thus far has been that listening to your sources and having them open up to you goes a lot farther than I anticipated. I am currently working on a story on Sapelo Island’s lawsuit versus McIntosh County, and speaking with the residents and plaintiffs has helped me garner an understanding far beyond what any document or data could tell me.

How has this role helped you discover what you are passionate about?

I helped The Current on the day of primaries, interviewing voters and canvassers on the street on election day. Coming into Grady I had a strong passion for sports reporting, but after doing in-depth studying before the election and seeing how passionate others were, it really has opened a path I’d love to go down for political reporting.

What’s the most challenging part of this position?

The most challenging part so far has been finding documents and data. With the Sapelo Island story for example, it is very hard to find reliable housing data and census data on an island with a population of just over 200 residents. Sifting through local county documents and getting into contact with representatives has gone a long way in pointing me in the right direction.

What has been your favorite part about your internship so far?

My favorite part has definitely been the process of it all. Actually contributing in a newsroom gives me a sense of belonging. Interviewing people on the street has to be the most exhilarating thing I have done because the interviews are so spontaneous and it gives you a raw, uncut version of how someone feels.

How have the classes you’ve taken at Grady prepared you for this internship?

The classes I took at Grady last semester helped me find the relevancy in a story. In Professor Nix’s class, I learned the basics of reporting which has helped me the most. Dr. Assmann’s class allowed me to find relevant data and build it via contacting key figures, and these are all skills that become crucial when reporting on ongoing litigation.