A Snapshot Into Interning at WAMU

Rebecca shooting for WAMU.

By Rebecca Grushkin at WAMU

What am I doing with my life? A question that most people ask themselves a least once or twice during their college career—or in the case of the average AU student, at least one or two million times.

During my second semester of freshman year I caught a lucky break and was offered an internship at Discovery Channel. It was there that I was exposed to what it truly meant to intern in DC. I got up early each morning and rode the shuttle in business casual attire. I learned to enjoy the 30-minute commute to Silver Spring, where I quickly learned was the best place to get most of my reading for class done. I was exposed to what it was like to work in fast-paced big office, and most important, I learned not to be afraid to ask questions. Throughout the course of my time in college I have found that asking questions has helped me greatly. It even led me to my current position working at WAMU, where I work as the photo and video intern.

Working in a newsroom can be perceived as hectic and unnerving, but I find WAMU to be a calm atmosphere . It is an environment where questions are not only accepted, but also welcomed. At WAMU, I am able to carve out what I want my experience to look like and I’m responsible for how I spend my time here. I’m able to pitch ideas for photos or videos that I think may be useful and interesting on any of the WAMU sites—which is especially important considering that this is my last semester as an undergrad.

On my first day, my supervisor asked me what I wanted to get out of this internship (a standard first day question), but little did I know he meant it. A month in, and I’ve already been able to build my portfolio. I’ve been afforded opportunities that wouldn’t be possible had I not been offered an internship where questioning is encouraged and creativity is nourished.

Though I am still unsure as to what the future holds for me after graduation, I can honestly say that I feel more qualified to look for jobs in my field after interning at WAMU. I look forward to what the rest of my time here will look like!