Summer Phillipson

Daemen English major, Summer Phillipson, recently had an opportunity to intern at Spectrum News Buffalo where she gained valuable experience for a future in news.

With assistance from Daemen’s Career Services, Phillipson said she was well-prepared for the interview process. 

“Having Career Services as an outlet to have your resume, cover letter, and interviewing skills evaluated and critiqued is invaluable,” Phillipson said. 

Although Phillipson did not have broadcast news experience when she interviewed at Spectrum News, she was familiar with AP Style and print journalism from her role as the editor of Daemen’s online newspaper, The Insight.

“That is what set me apart from the hundreds of other applicants and why I was chosen for the internship,” Phillipson said. 

During her time at Spectrum News, Phillipson saw how a newsroom functions first-hand. She learned to use software to build news shows, researched stories for anchor clips, and even had the opportunity to shadow reporters when covering breaking news. 

“I was able to help with finding places to shoot, asking interview questions, and finding locals to interview for certain stories,” Phillipson said. 

Through her internship, Phillipson was able to build her own broadcast portfolio, which will compliment her resume for future employment opportunities. 

Overall, Phillipson said her internship helped open her eyes to more career options in the communications field. 

“I never really considered broadcast journalism as an option until my internship,” she explained. “Now, I realize just how much of a market there is for multi-media journalists and producers.” She added, “I can see myself working as a producer for a news station. That would never have happened if I hadn't found and gotten the internship at Spectrum News.” 

Phillipson shared some advice for fellow Daemen students seeking out internships. 

“I cannot stress enough how important it is to look for internships well in advance of the time you plan on having one,” she said. “Internships start looking for candidates pretty far in advance, so it’s important to starting looking as soon as you can.”

For information about landing an internship, visit Career Services.