Jillian Kaehler
Twitter: @jill_kaehler
Graduation Year: June 2018
Major: Broadcast Journalism
Hometown: LaGrange, Illinois
Campus Activities:
- University of Illinois Foundation Student Development Representative
- Society of Professional Journalists
- Civic and Politic Leadership Concentration
Hobbies: Eating, yoga, watching documentaries, having fun!
Internship: Intern in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs - Department of Defense - The Pentagon
What were your duties?
- Served as the administrative assistant for the Deputy Director and the Director for Defense Press Operations.
- Orchestrated three trips for media personnel attending 9/11 military commission hearings in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
- Assisted in the preparation procedures for live televised briefings with the Pentagon spokesman, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Secretary of Defense.
What did you most enjoy about your internship?
I loved the challenge that every day brought, and how my supervisors placed so much trust in me to take on special projects and tasks. I also loved that every day was something different. One day, we were welcoming France's Defense Minister to the Pentagon, and the next day, we were answering military related questions from Marie Claire, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.
What was the most difficult aspect of your internship?
There were a lot of moments where I felt like I was too young to be in such a high-powered environment. Because of this, I always strived to prove my worth to the office by trying new things, and saying yes to every opportunity.
How did your experience at Illinois and in the College of Media prepare you for your internship?
I served as an intern in the same office before my freshman year of college where I had zero experience of anything. I only had a high school degree and suddenly I was answering questions about national security! After completing a year taking journalism, political science and military science classes, I felt extremely prepared for the second round at my internship.
How has your internship prepared you for a career?
I now know I want to serve my country in some way. I don't know where that interest will take me, but I know my journalism degree from U of I will help in many aspects of whatever future career I pursue.
What recommendations do you have for other students about doing an internship?
Be open to working in unconventional journalism/ PR environments. I always thought a journalism internship needed to be at a news station or in a news room, when in fact there are so many opportunities out there that explore other aspects of this career.
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