Caroline LeCour's journalism experience at UConn, and her persistence, helped her land a remote internship at NBC CT this summer.
Caroline LeCour '22 (CLAS) reports the news at NBC CT (courtesy photo).
Name: Caroline LeCour '22 (CLAS)
Hometown: Old Lyme, Connecticut
Major: Journalism and communication
Internship: NBC Connecticut's Digital Team
How did you find this internship?
I knew this past spring that I wanted an internship, so I applied everywhere I could as early as mid-February. I am looking to get into on-air reporting, so I applied to a lot of local news stations around Connecticut and in neighboring states. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, a lot of internships for broadcasting stations were either cancelled or postponed to the fall. Around mid-April, when I thought all hope was lost due to all the cancellations, the head of NBC Connecticut's Digital Department, Brad Luck, reached out to me to see if I was interested in interning remotely for his team. I interviewed for the position and shortly after found out I was accepted!
What is a day like interning for NBC?
As an intern, I help throughout the day managing all aspects of digital news such as creating pushes for the NBC CT app, writing articles for nbcconnecticut.com as well as creating captions and posts for all of the NBC CT social media accounts.
How has UConn Journalism prepared you for this role?
One of the reasons why the digital team reached out to me was because of my previous experience working with The Daily Campus as a campus correspondent and as their Social Media Manager. There, I already had the tools in my toolbox to understand what goes into writing an accurate but interesting article, and then pushing it on social media. As well, UConn's journalism classes have taught me multiple platforms and software such as WordPress, which I now apply towards working at NBC CT.
What are some tips on finding an internship?
Definitely to apply early and I mean SUPER early. Have confidence in yourself and your skill-set. A tip that I got somewhere that resonated with me is when you're writing your resume and cover letter. write as though you are the person hiring. Make yourself stand out in a way that won't leave any doubt in the employer's mind that you are the perfect person for the job/internship.
What are your plans after graduation?
I still have one more year at UConn, but I hope to go into broadcasting as an MMJ or an on-air reporter. However, I'll take any employment opportunity that comes my way- you never know what you'll enjoy doing!
