Over the summer, I came across an amazing opportunity to intern at a radio broadcasting company. It was a blessing how this internship fell into my lap as I prepared for my last semester of undergrad. That being said, this was actually my first official internship. I did not know what to expect. As a communication studies major, I was ecstatic to see just how a radio broadcasting company is wrong. However, I did not know how much hard work I would have to do until my first few days at the internship.
Right away, it was all hands on deck for Momentum Broadcasting as the company worked tirelessly to prepare for the 10th annual Jugfest country music festival. Working at Jugfest was one of the most exciting experiences. Although I had to drive a mule all day delivering water and food, I got to see artists like Billy Currington, Love and Theft, Thompson Square, and Lee Brice up close and personal. By the end of these long days, I was completely sunburned but it was worth it. I actually got to talk to the band Love and Theft for quite a while and they were extremely nice (I didn’t even know they were an act at first).
Me with Stephen and Eric of Love and Theft
After Jugfest, I went back to the station office to put in some more hours. I did everything from shredding paper to laminating badges for more concerts to throwing out old files and organizing new ones. The work was a little mundane at first but nothing less than I expected. The employees made the environment enjoyable as they always had the best attitudes and were extremely friendly. It was awesome to feel right at home where I was working. Along with office work, there was one more small concert that I went to and a couple station promoting events. These events allowed me to see just how much community involvement and activity is important to a thriving broadcasting company.
Me with High Valley after their concert in Exeter Park
Even though this is just a brief recap of my summer internship experience, one can tell that I certainly had an exciting summer. Towards the end, I got to meet a star from the show, The Voice as he was traveling to promote his first studio album. On top of that, one of the radio personalities even asked me to record a commercial for the station! Being in the booth was a lot of fun and I missed it as this was not my first time behind the mic. I have experience recording music in a studio as well but it certainly is very different. With the commercial, sounding happy and having the proper voice inflection was key. Plus, it took significantly less time than recording a song.
Me with Morgan Wallen of The Voice
Overall, I had a wonderful experience interning for Momentum Broadcasting. I would certainly recommend for college students of any major to find at least one internship prior to graduation. Although it is different than having an actual job, this internship certainly opened my eyes to the world of radio broadcasting and gave me insight to what I could do with my degree. Being in the classroom is one thing, but learning from the community of an internship is something that I would definitely recommend to anyone.
