InternViews: Caden Klein

InternViews is a series where we ask Grady College students to describe their internship experience.

Caden Klein is a fourth-year journalism major from Corona del Mar, California. This year, he’s spending his summer as a social media and digital marketing intern at the Georgia Professional Golfers’ Association in Atlanta. Read more about his internship experience below.

What opportunities did you have during your internship?

I had the opportunity to cover tournaments across Georgia through photography, videography, social media, interviews and press releases. I also created graphics, edited video and helped prepare content before events. As the summer progressed, I was trusted with more responsibility and eventually covered entire tournaments independently. Those opportunities gave me experience in nearly every part of a communications role within a sports organization.

How has the Grady curriculum prepared you for this internship?

My Grady curriculum and Sports Media Institute classes thoroughly prepared me in writing, interviewing, identifying compelling storylines and working under deadlines. My classes taught me how to research effectively and recognize what makes a story newsworthy, while also strengthening my factual accuracy and abilities using AP Style.  Those skills translated directly into my work on press releases, interviews and live tournament coverage.

Did you receive any mentorship or guidance? How did it impact your experience?

My boss, Sloan, provided guidance throughout the summer while gradually allowing me more independence as I became more comfortable in the role. That balance helped me learn the nature and expectations of the Georgia PGA and golf industry in general, which is one I was unfamiliar with entering this summer. As my independent work and responsibilities grew throughout my internship, she gave me space to develop my own ideas and creative approach, allowing me to build my confidence in content creation and media professionalism. I very much appreciated and enjoyed how the trust I was given in this job made it feel more like a full time role, rather than just a seasonal internship. 

What challenges have you overcome in this role?

My biggest challenge this summer involved learning how to manage an increasingly large workload while still producing timely and high-quality content. Tournament days were always long and busy, and required me to balance photography, editing, posting, interviews and writing all at once. I also had to learn how to stay organized and make quick decisions when schedules or storylines changed. As my workload increased through the summer, I felt more comfortable prioritizing tasks and working efficiently under pressure.

How has this internship influenced your future career?

My time with the Georgia PGA confirmed that I want to pursue a career in sports media and strengthened my interest in fast-paced professional environments. It also showed me that I enjoy working across multiple forms of storytelling rather than focusing only on writing. At the same time, my experience motivated me to eventually work for a larger organization or network where the scale and audience are broader, such as FOX Sports or ESPN. I now feel more confident in my skills to continue pursuing those opportunities and more motivated to continue gaining experience in order to do so.

Editor: Sarah Kate Maher, skm01341@uga.edu