This week, my time as a summer intern with Ideastream Public Media comes to an end.
I just became comfortable in my routine and confident in the quality of my work as a member of the "Sound of ideas" team. Booking guests, conducting pre-interviews and writing scripts are no longer daunting tasks. I proudly look back on the segments I produced, which covered topics like lead safety, the opioid crisis, free clinics and Medicaid cuts.
Now, I am faced with the challenge of deciding how I should apply this new knowledge when I graduate from college next year. The weight of this moment feels significant for me, given that this internship was my first look into the world of public media. It feels like there are now so many doors open for me.
I study biology at Oberlin College. I pivoted from medicine to public health during my junior year, fascinated by the role that grassroots organizations played in community health. I made it my mission throughout college to talk to as many of these organizations as I could, learning about the people and policies that shaped them.
However, I wished more people knew about their work, people who could use these resources or who needed to understand what issues the community dealt with.
By helping to produce an interactive public affairs show that airs on radio, the Ohio Channel and streaming on YouTube, I helped inform people about important public health topics.
As a listener of the show, I had something new to think about every morning. As a producer, the diversity of segment topics made every day a new learning experience.
I appreciate being chosen to join the "Sound of Ideas" team because I came in with no prior experience in journalism, reporting or radio broadcasting. However, I had clear interests, topic ideas and a fresh perspective. It says a lot about the organization that it is open to provide opportunities for students with a wide range of backgrounds and experience.
Thanks to the "Sound of Ideas" team members — Rachel Rood, Drew Maziasz, Jenny Hamel (who has since left), Aya Cathey, Leigh Barr and Mike McIntyre — I'm leaving this internship with not only radio production skills, but an understanding of how to collaborate effectively, make information accessible and shape conversations to reach a wider audience.
I also credit my learning experience to the other interns, who ultimately made this summer what it was. Beyond their insurmountable talent, they were so much fun. When we weren't working, we were grabbing bubble tea together, watching Guardians games or wandering around Downtown Cleveland.
I recently spoke with a few of the newsroom interns about their experiences with their mentors. Each of them praised the staff's willingness to teach them and share their expertise.
"From my supervisors, like Andrew (Meyer), I learned how to be thorough in storytelling," said Nikki Gasiewski, a rising senior at Kent State University. From Anna (Huntsman), who wrote about all of the interns in "The Cut" last week, I learned more how to write in a style that I liked, that was more conversational and closer to broadcast and TV, yet still print and still enjoyable,"
Avantika Pai, a rising junior at Ohio State University, refers to Stephanie Czekalinski and Anna Huntsman as her mentors. Stephanie taught her how to write articles in "plain language" to make journalism more accessible to the public. Later, Anna trained her in the more technical aspects of writing articles and newscasts.
"(Anna) has been very helpful, and she's very non-judgmental," said Pai. "She'll just walk you through the process while teaching you, but also making sure you understand it well."
Jonathan Beard, a rising senior at Kent State University, has prior experience in freelance journalism. He received guidance from reporters Abbey Marshall and Conor Morris. It is his first experience working in a newsroom like this one, and he noted the dual nature of his internship.
"You have independence," said Beard. "If you're fine with it, just go out and do your thing if you know what you're doing. But you have so many people here who you can go to for help or who will teach you things."
Our work setup also played a role in the experience. During a typical workday, the content interns were all situated in the middle of the newsroom, a large open space where reporters, producers and editors worked. We updated each other throughout the day on our current projects, trading inquiries and positive critique.
Members of my team worked nearby, some of them close enough to be permanently subjected to our clamor. While the interns and I often left the office concerned that maybe we were too loud, Drew Maziasz had a more positive outlook.
"It's really nice to hear you all joking around and laughing here, because when I started working here, pre pandemic, this place was bustling and full," said Maziasz. "There were so many fun times that we all had with each other, and it's kind of not the same."
Mark Rosenberger, Chief Content Officer, also said that he enjoys the interns' presence and energy.
"As an intern, there's almost a fearlessness," said Rosenberger. "It reminds us all that sometimes we should just forget about the boundaries and the rules and just come up with really cool, creative ideas."
For many students, it often feels like every internship requires prior experience. Many think, "How am I supposed to get experience if I don't get a chance to try?" Fortunately, Ideastream Public Media took a chance on me, and for that, I'm grateful.
Rosenberger said that the best internships are symbiotic. The newsroom teaches the interns, and the interns put forth their best efforts in return.
"This summer's crop of interns have really contributed in a mighty, mighty way to helping not only with the amount of content we've been able to do this summer, but the quality and diversity of it," said Rosenberger.
I’m sure the other interns would be glad to hear that the staff appreciated their work as much as we appreciated their guidance.
As for me, learning how to better communicate with the public, and being immersed in the culture of public media, has been a game changer.
The Cut" is featured in Ideastream Public Media's weekly newsletter, The Frequency Week in Review. To get The Frequency Week in Review, The Daily Frequency or any of our newsletters, sign up on Ideastream's newsletter subscription page.