My Radio America Internship: A Journey from One Capital to Another
What to do next?
I’m finished being comfortable. I had finally arrived at this inaudible conclusion.
Serving as an intern in the Lieutenant Governor’s office had initially proved to be intimidating and briefly pushed me outside my comfort zone. But several months into my internship in the political world, I found myself somewhere in the middle of blasé and antsy. A lateral move did not interest me. It was time to dream bigger. But what did that mean?
I never would have imagined my journey would lead me from Wisconsin’s state capital to the nation’s capital, but in time, it did. Washington, D.C. would show me the summer of a lifetime.
The Road to Washington
During my time at Maranatha, I have come to recognize the value of internships. As a Communications Arts major pursuing a career in television broadcasting, I decided that a degree alone would not be satisfactory. In such a competitive field, I would need real-life experience to set me apart from the crowd.
In the spring of 2017, I got an internship with the Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin, the Honorable Rebecca Kleefisch. My time in her office gave me an insider look at the world of politics, and I learned valuable critical thinking skills, knowledge about public policy and how to conduct myself in a professional setting.
During my internship with the Lieutenant Governor, I began searching for internships in Washington, D.C., deciding that was the next step I wanted to take toward a career. The search intimidated me. I felt completely unqualified for each opportunity that presented itself.
In the midst of the fruitless hunt, a Maranatha alumni came to campus as a representative for a program called “DC Internships.” Can you say, “Perfect timing?”
DC Internships is a program sponsored by The Fund for American Studies (TFAS), a non-partisan organization devoted to teaching free market economics and limited government as well as developing strong leaders. Upon acceptance into the program, students are guaranteed an internship placement, housing, and a three-credit economics course.
I decided to apply for the program, and in February, I received an acceptance letter. The door to Washington swung wide open, but the cost of the program seemed like too great an obstacle.
I had a choice to make. Would I walk away from a fantastic internship opportunity or trust the Lord to provide? Hesitantly, I chose the latter. In his perfect providence, God supplied what I needed to pay for the program and more!
In April, TFAS confirmed that my placement would be a broadcasting internship with the conservative talk radio network, Radio America.
And in June, I was off to Washington!
My District Experience
On the morning of June 6, I put on my best blazer and boarded the Metro to Arlington. Not having had any experience with broadcasting, I had no idea what the next two months would bring, but I was up for the challenge.
Radio America was a perfect fit. The years of broadcasting experience among the crew astounded me. I had so much to learn! And I did my best to take it all in, jumping head-first into each project and relishing the mentorship of seasoned radio professionals.
Often organizations offer internships in order to pass along grunt work to young people without having to pay them. The interns still benefit because they boost their resumes and receive letters of recommendation, but no new skills are learned. But at Radio America, it was very clear that my internship was intended for my benefit and growth.
My supervisor assigned me a project to build my portfolio. I was tasked with researching the traditional economy vs. the cutting-edge economy. Should people use taxis or Ubers? Hotels or Airbnbs? Apple Pay or credit cards? By the end of the assignment, I had conducted interviews, written TV and radio scripts, edited audio and video, used a teleprompter and green screen and delivered a TV broadcast.
Beyond providing me an exceptional internship, TFAS ensured I had plenty of other activities to keep me busy. In addition to hearing from guest speaker journalists like Suzanne Kianpour and Matt Laslo, we interns heard lectures from Senator Rand Paul, Judge Andrew Napolitano and Senator Mike Lee. We also attended professional development seminars, free speech panels, a foreign policy symposium and a briefing on the house floor of the Capitol!
But TFAS students don’t always dress in business professional. Other fun summer activities included playing sand volleyball by the Lincoln Memorial, kayaking on the Potomac River, and visiting Mount Vernon.
The Road Ahead
They call it “Potomac Fever.” It is a serious condition that results in an “itch” to be in Washington.
I do not know what the Lord has planned for me after I graduate from Maranatha this spring. However, I do know a need exists for Christians in the media, in politics, in journalism, and in Washington. God has given me a desire to return to Washington and to make an eternal impact where media, politics and journalism converge.
If God continues to lead in that direction, I plan to move back to Washington next summer to jump back into the fast-paced world of political journalism and broadcasting.
I am so grateful for a God who instills passions within us and directs our steps as we act on those aspirations. I can hardly wait to see where he leads next.
Kylee is a senior at Maranatha Baptist University and an alumnus of the Fund for American Studies. She received an award for “Excellence in Broadcast Journalism” from TFAS and was selected as one of TFAS’s 2018 Freedom Scholars.