Students intern at major Milwaukee and Chicago stations
Released: September 13, 2007
College students know that getting an internship is crucial to their success after graduation. With competition becoming fierce, landing that high-profile internship is something to be praised, as four University of Wisconsin-Whitewater journalism students now know.
Students Anthony Jackson, Earl Arms and Matthew Cullen spent the summer interning at three of the four major Milwaukee television stations while Candice Danielson interned at a radio station in Chicago.
Anthony Jackson Jr.-
The 19-year-old sophomore from Milwaukee felt right at home interning for WITI Fox 6 News in his hometown. The broadcast journalism major spent his time going to major sporting events in the Milwaukee area getting interviews and stats from daily Brewers, Bucks, golf and Packer events. He also archived tapes and did some news editing.
The best part about Fox 6 News is that I am able to go to work and actually enjoy what I do," Jackson said. "I love talking and researching sports so it makes going to work a fun thing more than a grueling job. It was such an honor to have this internship."
Jackson plans to intern next year at either Fox Sports Network in Minnesota or at Miller Park in the media department.
"I am very excited to be so young in the journalism department," he said. "It gives me options as to what I will do next."
Earl Arms-
Another Milwaukee native, the 20-year-old senior interned for WISN-TV, Channel 12, editing and slating tapes, logging games, doing on-site interviews and shadowing reporters.
The broadcast journalism major and political science minor used his internship to learn the field from experienced reporters and receive tips for on-camera work and interviews.
"Since I plan on being a reporter once I graduate, having the internship gives me an opportunity to see what it takes to be successful in journalism," Arms said.
He said it was hard to find where to fit in at the station because it can be hard to determine when to contribute or when to sit back and observe. Arms was introduced to the opportunity by former reporter/anchor Demarco Morgan and he applied for the internship online at http://www.wisn.com.
"I loved the internship," Arms said. "My summer and my career would not be the same without it."
Matt Cullen-
Spending the summer working nights and weekends may not seem like the most fun, but for the 21-year-old broadcast journalism major it was a great opportunity. Cullen interned at WTMJ-4, the NBC affiliate in Milwaukee, for the summer. He was mainly centered in the sports department, but assisted in writing stories, editing video and covering sports and sporting news around Southeastern Wisconsin.
The South Milwaukee native plans to get a job in television after graduation, hopefully in sports. He said the internship helped him tremendously in becoming a better reporter and journalist.
"My internship has helped me by demonstrating the right way to cover a story or event, and how to convey what happened at the event to an audience as simply as possible," Cullen said.
Though the internship was unpaid, and Cullen had to work nights and weekends, he said it was still a great opportunity.
"It's all about the experience," Cullen said.
Candice Danielson-
While the other three students interned at Milwaukee television stations, this 21-year-old broadcast journalism major was working for WGN Radio in Chicago. Danielson's responsibilities included recording audio from reporters, television and phone interviews, writing stories, updating e-mail and faxes and doing the weather. She also wrote and voiced a story that aired on radio and answered calls.
"The internship was an amazing opportunity," Danielson said. "The best part about the job was understanding the industry and meeting people who live it day in and day out."
Unlike the other station interns, Danielson only had one and a half days of training compared to the others' five days, but she quickly learned the system and now benefits from her networking experience.
"This internship will help me immensely because now I have contacts in the market that I wish to work in," Danielson said.
Besides working at the radio station, Danielson also did freelance work for the Chicago Journal, where she improved her writing skills.
>"This summer was definitely a resume building experience," she said.
- Sarah Dupree,dupreesc02@uww.edu
