Tag: Grady Intern Diaries

Grady Intern Diaries: Stanley D. Miller III

Posted on by admin

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

For others in the series, please see:
Connor Foarde, The Washington Time
Kendall Lake, New America’s Open Technology Institute
Christopher Mays, Citi
Charlotte Norsworthy, NPR
Brittany Paris, Dateline NBC
Maxime Tamsett, CNN

Name: Stanley D. Miller III
Major: Journalism and Political Science
Minor: Communication Studies
Title of Internship: “Early Start” and “New Day” Intern at CNN
Location: New York, New York

Stanley on the set of “New Day” at CNN.

Grady College: Briefly describe your internship and responsibilities:
Stanley Miller: For this internship I often pulled POVs, SOTs, alerted guests in guestbook, updated contact lists in INEWS, booked cars, crews and flash studios, printed and distributed scripts and transcribed clips.

GC: What is the biggest challenge you faced during your internship?
S.M.: The biggest challenge was adjusting my sleep patterns. Since “Early Start” and “New Day” are morning shows, my shifts switched every two weeks. During the shift when I worked with the segment producers and bookers, I had to be at work at 3:30 p.m. However, for the shift where I worked on set, I had to be at work at 1:30 a.m.

GC: What was the best part about your summer internship?
S.M.: The best part about my summer internship was getting the chance to work with and learn from some of the greatest writers, producers, cameramen and anchors in this industry.

GC: What is the most memorable experience you had during your internship?
S.M.: There were so many but my most memorable experience was attending an intern town hall with the president of CNN Worldwide, Jeff Zucker. Getting the opportunity to ask him questions about the industry and hearing his insight on its direction and the political climate as it relates to news was an experience I’ll never forget.

GC: What is the most valuable lesson or skill you learned during your internship?
S.M.: The most valuable lesson I learned is the importance of understanding the company you work at and forming relationships with your colleagues. During my internship I was able to get to know many of my colleagues and they were always willing to help me. I also had the exciting opportunity to shadow our anchor producers, writers and cameramen. I have to thank them for being open to show me what they do and how it contributes to the execution of each show.

GC: What advice would you give to a student looking for an internship?
S.M.: My advice is to start looking and apply early. Also, reach out to the Career Center, professors or anyone who can give you feedback regarding your applications, writing samples and resume.

GC: How did your internship help confirm your desired career path or make you re-evaluate what you want to do in the future?
S.M.: This internship fueled me to continue being persistent in attaining my journalism career goals. Since CNN is a global news network, as an intern I noted all the work it takes to execute coverage worldwide. Therefore, witnessing this has inspired me to continue working hard so that one day I can also be a key player in this industry.

“Stanley with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman, the anchors of “New Day”

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?
S.M.: I will be most thankful for the exposure this internship provided me. Having the chance to meet so many wonderful people from all different backgrounds who share the same passion for news was unforgettable. Furthermore, it was exciting to intern at a global news network that is recognized anywhere in the world due to its coverage and wide-reach. I learned so much and interning at CNN allowed me to be a witness to history in a time where the political landscape is changing and will be talked about for generations to come. Therefore, as a journalism student and history buff, having the chance to be in the midst of this all will be unforgettable, even sixty years from now. Interning on “New Day” allowed me to witness some of the world’s most notable political analysts, anchors and correspondents talk about the biggest topics in news. For example, I assisted with the execution of interviews with high profile guests by alerting former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and escorting interviewees such as Maggie Haberman and Alex Burns of the New York Times, Laura Coates and CNN anchors such as Bill Weir and Mayor Rudi Giuliani to set.  I also followed the coverage of the stories each guest discussed on our show. Therefore, having the chance to assist with executing these interviews in any capacity whether through research, escorting or alerting was a very fulfilling experience.

 

Grady Intern Diaries: Connor Foarde

Posted on by admin

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

For others in the series, please see:
Kendall Lake, New America’s Open Technology Institute
Christopher Mays, Citi
Stanley D. Miller III, CNN
Charlotte Norsworthy, NPR
Brittany Paris, Dateline NBC
Maxime Tamsett, CNN

 

Name: Connor Foarde
Major: Journalism
Title of Internship: Newsroom Intern, Foreign Desk at The Washington Times 
Location: Washington, D.C.

Grady College: Briefly describe your internship and responsibilities:
Connor Foarde: My responsibilities included researching and writing stories about international politics and elections. I am also responsible for getting out of the newsroom to cover various events around Washington such as protests, congressional hearings, speeches and think tank events. I aim to put out at least two print articles a week along with however many “fast files” (which are essentially short summary stories using wire reports) I can get done during the day for the website.

GC: What is the biggest challenge you faced during your internship?
C.F.: The biggest challenge I’ve faced during my internship so far is trying to make and keep in contact with sources. I always try to follow up with a thank you email after talking with them. I’ve learned that it makes a huge difference on how sources perceive you.

When gathering information for stories, Foarde calls experts that finds online and hopes that they are willing to help.

GC: What was the best part about your summer internship?
C.F.: The best part about my summer internship is learning the fast-paced media arena in Washington D.C. This town is ideal for young, driven professionals and there is always something newsworthy going on. The connections you make in the city are invaluable as well. I’ve met members of Congress, television hosts and other professional journalists at mixers or just walking down the street. A handshake with someone you meet today could be an opened door down the road, so it’s good to keep your eyes peeled.

GC: What is the most memorable experience you had during your internship? 
C.F.: The most memorable experience during my internship was having the chance to interview Wang Dan, an exiled Chinese dissident who helped lead the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. Dan is an unsung hero of history who was imprisoned for more than 10 years for standing up to the Communist Party in China. I never thought that I would get to interview figures from history like Dan as a young intern, but it was a truly humbling experience and I am grateful for it.

GC: What was the biggest surprise in your internship (ie: is there anything you didn’t expect?)
C.F.: I personally did not expect to enjoy dressing professionally every day. I am usually a t-shirt and shorts kind of guy, so the idea of suits and ties every day was a little daunting. At first, you think “Well this is going to be a hassle,” but once you get into a routine of doing it you start to gain confidence in looking your best at all times. People notice a sharply dressed individual.

GC: What is the most valuable lesson or skill you learned during your internship?
C.F.: The most valuable skill I’ve learned from my internship is how to connect with experts on a certain topic. There is a vast realm of knowledgeable individuals at think tanks and universities across the country who are eager to share their insights to any journalist willing to reach out to their press team. It is an excellent resource for adding diverse perspectives to your reporting/writing.

GC: What advice would you give to a student looking for an internship? 
C.F.: I would tell them to start looking and apply early. If you find an internship that is potentially up your alley, set a goal to complete the application and submit it within a reasonable period. Internships are always competitive and no opportunity will fall in your lap.
 
GC: What part of your Grady education did you find most valuable during your internship? 
C.F.: The news writing class with Dr. Tom Hudson was especially helpful in giving me a sense of how media outlets want materials written. Developing your writing skills is a lifelong process, so any sort of leg up you can get in college is essential. Dr. Jonathan Peter’s communication law class helped teach me the basics about The Freedom of Information Act requests, rights of access and video/photo taking laws – the importance of which cannot be emphasized enough for people who want to enter media.

GC: How will your summer internship affect the way you approach the rest of your time at UGA?
C.F.: I believe I will return to UGA not only with an enhanced global perspective from working on a foreign news desk but also a revitalized sense of self-confidence. Being pushed into the media world as an intern, one really needs to learn how to network and make professional introductions quickly and effectively. From my experience at my internship, I’ve learned that every hand I shake is not just a hand, but an opportunity chock full of potential.

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?
C.F.: Wherever I am in 10 years, I will always look back at my internship as my first venture into the professional career world. They told us at The Washington Times to never introduce ourselves as interns, and that one piece of advice helped me develop a professional persona early on during the summer. Overall, the insights and experience I’ve gained during my time in Washington, D.C. will linger in my mind as I go on to future endeavors.

Grady Intern Diaries: Christopher Mays

Posted on by admin

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

For others in the series, please see:

Connor Foarde, The Washington Times

Kendall Lake, New America’s Open Technology Institute

Stanley D. Miller III, CNN

Charlotte Norsworthy, NPR

Brittany Paris, Dateline NBC

Maxime Tamsett, CNN

 

Name: Christopher Mays
Major: Public Relations
Minor: Public Policy and Management
Title of Internship: Citi Summer Analyst at Citi
Location: New York, NY

Grady College: Briefly describe your internship and responsibilities:
Christopher Mays: In my role, I act as an agile Product Owner. My main task for the summer is building a strategy around a feature that will better enhance overall digital experiences. In order to accomplish this, I collaborate with various teams across the business to conduct competitive analysis, research and user testing.

GC: What was the best part about your summer internship?
C.M.: Having the opportunity to live in New York City. Living in the city has been one of the greatest experiences I’ve had to date. Each day is filled with new people, things to do and places to see.

GC: What was the biggest surprise in your internship (ie: is there anything you didn’t expect?)
C.M.: The biggest surprise in my internship has been how open everyone is to sit down with you to talk about your summer project, their career path and offer advice on succeeding with the company.

GC: What is the most valuable lesson or skill you learned during your internship?
C.M.: The most valuable skill that I have learned throughout my internship is adaptability. Each new day is full of new challenges and goals to work towards. Being adaptable allows you to succeed in new and unfamiliar situations.

GC: What advice would you give to a student looking for an internship?
C.M.: Be persistent. Be bold. Don’t be afraid to take risk. Outside of these things I would encourage students to get involved early, go to the career center, and attend networking events when possible.

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?
C.M.: I believe it will be the people that I have met here at Citi. Everyone that I have interacted with has been eager to assist me in any possible way. The people at this company love what they do and that is reflected in their interactions and day to day work.

Grady Intern Diaries: Maxime Tamsett

Posted on by Sarah Freeman

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

 

For others in the series, please see:

Connor Foarde, The Washington Times

Kendall Lake, New America’s Open Technology Institute

Christopher Mays, Citi

Stanley D. Miller III, CNN

Charlotte Norsworthy, NPR

Brittany Paris, Dateline NBC

 

Name: Maxime Tamsett (AB ’18)
Major: Journalism and International Affairs
Title of Internship: International Newsgathering Desk Intern at CNN
Location: Atlanta, GA

Grady College: Briefly describe your internship and responsibilities:
Maxime Tamsett: As the International Newsgathering Desk Intern, I help researchers gather information needed for breaking and on-going stories for both broadcast and digital platforms. Along with being assigned regions of the world, researchers mind the hit times, updated content and safety of reporters based in those locations.

My responsibilities include gathering updates from wires, scouring social media for reactions from organizations and public figures, as well as looking for stories that we haven’t told yet. After being cleared through legal and ethics, I alert said content, which is then compiled for anchors, producers and reporters who make digital stories and video packages. I also answer phones, making sure to connect producers and reporters in the field to their assigned researchers as well as the Live Desk that connects reporter and guest video feeds to anchors for live television shows.

GC: What is the biggest challenge you have faced during your internship?
M.T: Simply comprehending how a global news organization like CNN operates is an ongoing learning experience. From the meetings where stories are assigned to different bureaus including Atlanta, Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi and London, to how each department (newsgathering, satellites, affiliate stations, digital and control rooms to name a few) interacts with one another, the sheer scale of collaboration is incredible. The most effective way for me to begin to understand it all was by asking questions and writing answers down on my handy-dandy notebook for referral later.

GC: What was the best part about your summer internship?
M.T.: The people I work with are without a doubt the best part of my internship. Not only was everyone kind and friendly, but they genuinely wanted me to succeed, whether said or implied. As I became familiar with the newsgathering desk, the pros generously gave me opportunities, and with those responsibilities, to contribute meaningful work, including company-wide news alerts and voiceovers for news packages. Everyone I interacted with acknowledged me with a smile and graciously answered all my questions, and boy I have a lot of them about pretty much everything. It’s true what they say; it’s the people you work with that make the organization.

GC: What is the most memorable experience you had during your internship?
M.T.: I would point to two occasions where my proficiency in French became a very real asset in the newsgathering process. On the Friday of my first week, I was asked by CNN’s D.C. Bureau to transcribe and translate part of French President Emmanuel Macron’s joint speech with Justin Trudeau at the G7 Summit. How could I say no?

The other occasion was when I called Mali’s Defense Ministry spokesperson to gather details of a reported attack in the country. As one of the only French speakers at the desk, both occasions underlined just how rewarding and valuable my foreign language skills were in contributing to the newsgathering process.

Tamsett applied and talked with the CNN recruiter at Grady’s Career Fair, describing his passion for international news and asking what he needed to do to be competitive. By his senior year, CNN’s recruiter recognized him before he could even say his name.

GC: What advice would you give to a student looking for an internship?
M.T.: Get involved early and be persistent. I attended panel discussions and career fairs my sophomore year onwards. I learned to be comfortable talking to public figures and potential employers who at the time appeared intimidating.

All the while, I got involved in student-run news organizations, including 90.5fm WUOG and The Red & Black newspaper, learning to become an effective journalist. Even though I applied to CNN in the past and did not hear anything back, that did not discourage me from trying again, which I’m so glad I did.

GC: What part of your Grady education did you find most valuable during your internship?
M.T.: When it came to this internship, Grady taught me how to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations. Whether it be talking to senior executives or asking professionals in a given department how to do something, I’ve learned to be comfortable asking questions to people I don’t know.

GC: How did your internship help confirm your desired career path or make you re-evaluate what you want to do in the future?
M.T.: It’s not often that you have the privileged opportunity to take part in an internship that fully encompasses all your studies during university into one experience. With that being said, interning at CNN has allowed me to better understand the pros and cons in both international and local news coverage, as well as the career opportunities available from each of them. This internship has confirmed that I feel most fulfilled when completing tasks that require me to pull knowledge from multiple disciplines including journalism, international affairs and foreign languages.

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?
M.T.: I believe it will be the people that I have met while at CNN. From their generosity and patience to guidance and willingness to share their expertise, I couldn’t have been more fortunate. I can only hope that in 10 years time I can be in a position to do the same.

Grady Intern Diaries: Kendall Lake

Posted on by Don McClain

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

For others in the series, please see:

Connor Foarde, The Washington Times

Christopher Mays, Citi

Stanley D. Miller III, CNN

Charlotte Norsworthy, NPR

Brittany Paris, Dateline NBC

Maxime Tamsett, CNN

Name: Kendall Lake
Major: Journalism
Certificate: New Media
Masters: Emerging Media
Title of Internship: Communications Intern at New America’s Open Technology Institute
Location: Washington, D.C.

Grady College: Briefly describe your internship and responsibilities:
Kendall Lake: I work at the Open Technology Institute, the tech policy branch of a bigger nonpartisan think tank called New America. As OTI’s communications intern, I work primarily with our small departmental communications team, but I also spend time with a broader New America group that includes events, production, editorial and communications. My primary responsibilities include tracking our media hits, supporting editorial efforts with content writing and copyediting, supporting events with promotion and planning, and working to create and design materials for the web and for print.

GC: What was the best part about your summer internship?
K.L.: Working at OTI means I am surrounded by some of the most pressing technology issues facing our world today. I work alongside experts in net neutrality, encryption, consumer privacy, and more—buzzwords you probably see in the news almost daily. I truly believe in the work OTI is doing to promote a more open and secure internet, and I am honored to support that work in any way that I can. Also, part of my job is to stay informed on the latest technology and tech policy news, and who doesn’t love diving down digital rabbit holes in a field they love?

GC: What was the biggest surprise in your internship (ie: is there anything you didn’t expect?)
K.L.: Having supervisors that want you to learn and grow is what everyone hopes for from an internship. The part I did not predict is that not only do my supervisors want me to learn, they also want to learn from me! My background as the curator for TEDxUGA gives me a unique perspective on presentation development and communication that they are eager to explore. In a few weeks, I’ll be giving a crash course about what looking at TED talks can teach you about good presentations. I’ve been told that even our department’s director is excited—I am too. I’m thrilled that my workplace values my experiences and expertise.

GC: What is the biggest challenge you faced during your internship?
K.L.: Imposter syndrome is very real. There are six interns in my department, all years older than me and knee-deep in law school or grad school. For the first few weeks, I felt young and unqualified, and I constantly wondered how I ended up here. But the more time I spent working, the more I realized that I am using skills that often took a good bit of education and practice for me to develop. To me, accurately crafting messaging, editing writing, researching, or developing an effective presentation feels simple, but I have learned they are not as commonplace as I have fooled myself into believing. I’m still working to overcome the challenge of dismissing skills that I’ve worked hard for.

GC: What advice would you give to a student looking for an internship?
K.L.: Cast a wide net. I don’t just mean that you should apply to a high quantity of internships, although that’s also good advice. Instead, I recommend you apply for a diverse set of positions, especially if you—like me—aren’t quite sure what you want to be when you grow up. As a Grady student, your skills in writing and communications can apply to a variety of fields. Put yourself out there and apply to big-name companies, but don’t be afraid to dig around for something unexpected. Did I ever imagine I’d be doing communications for a tech policy think tank? Definitely not. But when I found that job posting, I yelled it out loud to my roommate and said, “This is the most ‘me’ thing I’ve ever seen,” and the rest is history. Give yourself enough room to find that perfect fit.

GC: What part of your Grady education did you find most valuable during your internship?
K.L.: Dr. Lee’s communication law class. My internship has immersed me in the world of technology and internet policy, which I was first exposed to in Dr. Lee’s class. Comm law taught me important fundamentals about freedom of expression, intellectual property, liability and more, and it even gave me room to develop my own opinions on policies that govern the internet as we know it.

That being said, I also wouldn’t be where I am today without the New Media Institute. Earning the certificate helped cultivate in me a still-growing love of all things tech, and my classes in production and design come in handy daily. But at the end of the day, my internship doesn’t require impeccable technical skills. It requires me to be an effective communicator of complex ideas—a skill which I have developed chiefly through TEDxUGA. I am exceptionally grateful to Megan Ward, her devotion to ideas worth spreading, and her faith (along with Kate Devlin’s) that I am well-equipped to help spread them.

Grady Intern Diaries: Charlotte Norsworthy

Posted on by Don McClain

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

For others in the series, please see:

Connor Foarde, The Washington Times

Christopher Mays, Citi

Stanley D. Miller III, CNN

Kendall Lake, New America’s Open Technology Institute

Brittany Paris, Dateline NBC

Maxime Tamsett, CNN

Name: Charlotte Norsworthy
Major: Journalism and Political Science
Title of Internship: Business Desk Intern
Company and company website: NPR
Location: Washington, D.C.

GC: Briefly describe your internship and responsibilities.

Charlotte Norsworthy operates a sound booth in NPR's newsroom. Photo: Alexis Arnold
Charlotte Norsworthy operates a sound booth in NPR’s newsroom. Photo: Alexis Arnold

C.N.: I work on the business desk at NPR which works to support and produce content for radio, podcasts and digital. The tasks of the job change each day, which keeps things exciting! One day I will be reporting on the state of the financial markets, another day I will be rushing to the courtroom to hear an important decision. Most days, I assist reporters and editors in researching, sourcing and completing their pieces.

GC: What is the biggest challenge you faced during your internship?
C.N.: The biggest challenge I’ve faced is learning how to pitch a story for a national audience. Most of my experience prior to this internship included focusing coverage on a very specific audience. Here, that audience includes everyone. Therefore, coming up with story pitches that will appeal to a broad range of folks has been harder than anticipated! Luckily, my editors have worked with me to help fine-tune my pitches.

GC: What was the best part about your summer internship?
C.N.: The best part about my summer internship is getting to be in the hustle and bustle of such great journalism. News never rests and neither does the NPR newsroom, and it has been so exciting and humbling to be a part of it!

GC: What is the most memorable experience you had during your internship?
C.N.: I have to say two – I just have to! The first most memorable experience of my internship thus far has been getting to hunker down at the D.C. district courthouse anticipating the AT&T/Time Warner merger decision. I learned so much about covering courts and the patience it requires. It has motivated me to try and shadow other reporters out in the field.

The second has been attending Tiny Desk concerts. I have gotten to see some of my favorite artists, such as Dave Matthews and Yo-Yo Ma, but also discover some new artists such as Rev. Sekou and Fred Yonnet!

GC: What is the most valuable lesson or skill you learned during your internship?
C.N.: The most valuable lesson I have learned is to go with the flow. As I mentioned earlier, each day at my internship brings something different, and I have learned to be willing to turn over the reigns! Being flexible and willing to do any and everything has truly paid off, and it has allowed me to have some incredible experiences.

GC: What advice would you give to a student looking for an internship?
C.N.: My advice would be to really let your passion for your position shine through the work you’ve completed up to this point. If you are applying for NPR, for example, talk less about how much you listen to NPR and more about how your skills can be a valuable asset to the team you’re applying to. Talk about your experience, share stories and be genuine.

GC: What part of your Grady education did you find most valuable during your internship?
C.N.: Overall, my education at Grady has trained me to have a go-getter and adaptable attitude to any project or position I am afforded. If I have to learn a new piece of software, cover a subject I am unfamiliar with or walk up to a stranger, Grady has prepared me for all of it. My position, working at the business desk, has drawn upon specific classes that I have taken with my Grady program, such as Dr. Keith Herndon’s Business Journalism class, Dr. William E. Lee’s Communication Law class and the late Dr. Barry Hollander’s Information Gathering class. Those three classes have helped me more than I ever expected, and I am truly grateful to Grady for continuing to support this range in curriculum.

GC: How did your internship help confirm your desired career path or make you re-evaluate what you want to do in the future?
C.N.: This internship furthered my knowledge of the national and international news markets, but it has also showed me how these national organizations must work to support local markets. Working here has shown me how crucial all levels of news production are to better inform our society. Therefore, this organization has shown me that I would love to eventually return to national organizations, such as NPR, to continue to work on news support strategies. Also, NPR has its own Standards & Practices editor named Mark Memmott. He works within the newsroom to ensure NPR’s journalism is held up to a high-quality standard. To me, he has such a crucial position, and I would love to eventually steal his job! Haha!

GC: How will your summer internship affect the way you approach the rest of your time at UGA?
C.N.: This internship will allow me to go back to Athens and approach my senior year with force! I hope to take what I’ve learned and apply it to the Cox Institute’s own podcast, The Lead, and take it to new heights.

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?
C.N.: I expect to be most thankful for the people I’ve met. NPR has such a diverse newsroom, and I hope to be able to keep in touch with those that I’ve worked with, met and grown close to, such as those in my internship class. Thanks for everything, NPR!

#GradyInternDiaries: Samuel Peraza and Riley Muse

Posted on by Stephanie Moreno

Names: Samuel Peraza and Riley Muse

Majors: Public Relations

Title of Internship: Public Affairs & Communications Intern

Company:  The Coca-Cola Company

Location: Atlanta, GA

Responsibilities: This summer, we were public affairs and communications interns for Coca-Cola North America, specifically in the brand and business communications department. We attended weekly meetings for various Coca-Cola Company brands and events including: Coke, Coke Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, Sprite, Fanta, 2018 Olympics, ESSENCE Music Festival and more. We assisted brand PR Managers in creating and revising PR plans, press releases and messaging documents for those brands and events, as well as writing and creating original content for the company’s consumer facing blog “Coca-Cola Journey.” We also assisted in reviewing social media posts, advertisements and future programs being implemented by The Coca-Cola Company. Lastly, we enjoyed many ice-cold, refreshing and delicious Coca-Cola products all summer long!

What is the biggest challenge you faced during your internship?

Riley and Samuel: We agree that the biggest challenge in our internship this summer was adjusting to the fast-paced nature of such a large company. Things happened rather quickly at the Coca-Cola Company, but luckily our internship was a full twelve weeks, giving us ample time to learn about how the business operates and how our department fit into the overall goals of the company.

More than ten years of Coca-Cola Interns, all Grady graduates who were hired by alumnus Scott Williamson (MMC ’92), gathered for an early retirement celebration for Williamson.

What was the best part about your summer internship?

Samuel: I really loved getting to work with so many fellow Grady College DAWGS! Seeing the community Grady has built at Coca-Cola was really special. All three of our managers are Grady graduates and are proud of it. The love for UGA and Grady is so real and it made it feel like home. It made me proud to be a Grady student.

What is the most memorable experience you had during your internship?

Riley: One of the most incredible experiences I had during my internship was getting to travel to Los Angeles, California to assist in a satellite media tour for the launch of Fanta’s “Be More Than One Flavor” summer campaign! I got to fly to L.A. and help message train the celebrities representing Fanta and The Coca-Cola Company and prepare them for a full day’s worth of radio and television interviews about the campaign. It was an amazing experience to get to see how such a large-scale SMT operates, and I learned so much about the best way to earn media coverage for your campaign.

What is the most valuable lesson or skill you learned during your internship?

Samuel: The most valuable lesson I learned at Coke was that no task is too small and that we should always put 100 percent effort into all we do. The culture of the company is that every last part of the process is important and we should treat each process as such. From research and media lists to concerts and big events, it is all important. That also comes with being diligent and putting your best efforts into anything you do.

What advice would you give to a student looking for an internship?

Riley: My biggest piece of advice to a student looking for an internship is to approach the application process with excitement, authenticity and passion. I am still so incredibly humbled that I was chosen to be a PAC intern for The Coca-Cola Company this summer, and sometimes wonder how I ever got to be so lucky, but I think that it was my sincere love for public relations and for Coca-Cola that showed through in my application and interviews. The application process can be a stressful and scary one, but if you stay positive, passionate and true to yourself, then everything else will fall into place.

What part of your Grady education did you find most valuable during your internship?

Samuel: All I am going to say is that every single thing I have learned in Grady came in handy during my time at Coca-Cola. Every. Single. Thing. A big shout out to Grady professors for teaching us and doing it exceptionally!

#GradyInternDiaries: Na’im Carlyle

Posted on by Stephanie Moreno

Name: Na’im Carlyle 

Major: Advertising 

Title of Internship: Brand Management/ Content Creation Intern 

Company: The Richards Group

Location: Dallas, Texas 

Responsibilities: As a brand management intern, I assisted the principal brand managers on the team by updating status reports and sitting in on meetings with clients and other departments. As a content creation intern, I assisted the content team with production shoots and concepting for social media executions.

What is the biggest challenge you faced during your internship? 

The biggest challenge I faced during my internship was coming to terms with not knowing how to do everything and that being okay. Going into my internship, I thought that I needed to know everything and that wasn’t the case. Part of the growing process is being able to ask questions when you don’t know something.  

What was the best part about your summer internship? 

The best part of my summer internship would have to be the people I met. Everyone at The Richards Group, including Stan Richards himself, were always happy to talk to me and give me glimpse into their experiences in the creative and advertising world. It helped me to have a better understanding of my future career path and shows how incredibly humble and open The Richards Group is.  

Na’im Carlyle (center) is pictured with Karen Mejia (left) and Lisa Rainford. The Grady students were selected as 2017 Multicultural Advertising Intern Program Fellows, hosted by the American Association of Advertising Agencies. Mejia interned with Moxie and Rainford interned at 22Squared in Atlanta.

What is the most memorable experience you had during your internship?  

The most memorable experience I had during my internship was when all the interns were able to sit down and ask Stan Richards about the company and himself. It was amazing getting to ask the owner of The Richards Group about his success and why he enjoys getting to come to work every day. He’s very humble and gave us some great advice as we are starting to navigate our own careers.  

What was the biggest surprise in your internship?

How fast-paced the work environment is. I wasn’t expecting how fast I’d be doing projects and switching clients to help the team.

What is the most valuable lesson or skill you learned during your internship? 

To ask questions and learn as much as you can by talking to people outside of your discipline. Everyone has knowledge and experience that can benefit you in the long run. You just have to be willing to take a chance to ask them to coffee.  

What advice would you give to a student looking for an internship?  

Keep an open mind. You might not start out doing what you want to do but you can always gain valuable perspectives and insights with whatever you do. Always find a way to learn all that you can and make your experiences work to your advantage.  

What part of your Grady education did you find most valuable during your internship?  

All the opportunities and experiences that I’ve had a Grady really helped me to put myself out there and my willingness to talk to as many people as I could and continue to learn and grow my skill set. 

How did your internship help confirm your desired career path or make you re-evaluate what you want to do in the future? 

By entering the advertising industry in account management where I was able to see the interactions between the agency and clients and even the agency with other agencies, it’s shown me that I not only have the skill set to do client relations, but also I’m more passionate about the creative side of advertising, whether that lies in strategy or design. I definitely prefer the more tangible approach to the industry.  

#GradyInternDiaries: Lindsey Conway

Posted on by Stephanie Moreno

Name: Lindsey Conway  

Major: Journalism  

Title of Internship: Investigative Intern 

Company: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Cox Media Group

Location: Dunwoody, Georgia  

Responsibilities: As an intern, I helped research, report and write stories for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s investigative team.

What was the best part about your summer internship?

Definitely the people. You would think in a newsroom full of journalists constantly hustling and bustling that there wouldn’t be a lot of time for an intern. But, that wasn’t the case at the AJC. Many extremely talented and experienced journalists would take time out of their days to share knowledge at lunch and learn sessions, and several met privately with me for coffee or lunch. The AJC also assigned each intern a mentor. My mentor would check in on me weekly and give me advice on the investigative story I was attempting to tackle or just talk about how I was doing. I really appreciate each of the reporters and editors who took time to invest in me over the summer.                    

What is the most memorable experience you had during your internship?  

Lindsey Conway works on an assignment in the AJC newsroom as an investigative intern.

I will never forget the endearing smile and joking nature of Ms. Helene Mills, a 90-year-old woman living in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward neighborhood. As an investigative intern, I got to interview Ms. Mills, who was key to showing the impact of the Atlanta Beltline, one of the biggest redevelopment projects in the Southeast, on one of the city’s most impoverish neighborhoods. With property taxes increasing by leaps and bounds in Atlanta over the past few years, people such as Ms. Mills might not be able to remain in their homes. Without enough affordable housing created by the Atlanta Beltline project, Atlanta may become a city for the rich.  

Working on this story opened my eyes to how just how much influence investigative journalism can have. The reporting on the Beltline story brought to light critical failures of the Atlanta Beltline Inc., the entity responsible for redeveloping the city around the Beltline, a 49-mile loop of trails. The story also pushed city officials to consider organizational changes at Beltline Inc.   

What was the biggest surprise in your internship?

I was surprised by the amount of freedom the AJC offered its interns, in terms of experimenting and trying out different skills in the newsroom. As an investigative intern, my primary role was to work with reporters on larger scale projects, but I was also able to pitch my own stories and work with different teams across the newsroom to get a taste of working on quicker turn around stories.  

One of my favorite experiences outside of working on the Beltline project was running around on July 4 interviewing finishers at the AJC Peachtree Road Race. After slowly combing through information for the investigative story, jogging up and down the finish line at the road race and watching out for any breaking news was a welcomed break. These were two very different projects, but each was valuable and taught me to be flexible. 

What is the most valuable lesson or skill you learned during your internship? 

While working on the Beltline project, I worked under an extremely experienced reporter named Willoughby Mariano. I had the privilege of shadowing Willoughby on some of the more critical interviews. Watching her ease the subjects into telling her information was an incredible sight. As I work on my own stories, I try to use some of the same tactics as she did to make my sources feel more comfortable and open up to me. I also shoot to make my interviews last about an hour, per a tip from Willoughby. She says when she hits the hour mark, she knows the source has really warmed up to her and opened up about the topic.

How did your internship help confirm your desired career path or make you re-evaluate what you want to do in the future?  

My internship this summer re-affirmed just how important journalism is to our society and further inspired me to work in this field. Journalists hold powerful people accountable and protect and inform the average citizen. This is what I hope to continue to do in my future as a journalist. I want to use my platform and voice to bring to light injustices and inspire changes that will make this world a little better place to live in.