internship spotlight
Aaliyah Gibson
Graduation Year
May 2017
Major
Broadcast Journalism
Hometown
Chicago, Illinois
Campus Activities
College of LAS News Writer
NABJ Member
Hobbies
Writing, Creative Writing, Reading, Music Making, Attending every single concert I can.
Twitter
@ataviavstheuniverse
LinkedIn
http://linkedin.com/in/aaliyah-a-gibson-713b7a85
Employer
VICE Media
Internship Title
Production Assistant Intern
What were your duties?
I assisted leading producers with the development of video segments that would air on HBO and/or VICE's official website.
What did you most enjoy about your internship?
The internship was extremely hands on. I worked in the middle of the room with leading producers and TV personalities. I really learned what it felt like to be a producer for a leading news team.
What was the most difficult aspect of the internship?
I was as much a part of the team as veterans who'd been there for years. With that in mind, I was given a similar amount of work and was expected to work just as hard. It was a lot of work, but it prepared me for life as a journalist.
How did your experience at ILLINOIS and in the College of Media prepare you for your internship?
I attended the College of Media New York trip with Lynn Holly. It was there that I met a fellow alumni at VICE. She was able to hire me as an intern. Without that connection, I wouldn't have had such an amazing opportunity.
How has your internship prepared you for a career?
Working at VICE really showed me how to stay on top of currents events. It was such a creative space. I was reminded as a writer to never lose my "voice" within my writing even when telling hard-hitting news.
What recommendations do you have for other students about doing an internship?
Be the first one there every day! Volunteer to help out in every section. You learn more about what you love doing and the employees see how dedicated you are to being the best at what you do.
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