Senior Karma Jernigan has a blossoming interest in journalism and the humanities, so when presented with the opportunity to intern with New York Public Radio WNYC, she jumped right in!
Jernigan transferred to Albany High as a sophomore to seek out more academic opportunities. Through her coursework, she is exploring different areas of study that could inspire her future career path.
“I’m really big on the arts and humanities,” Jernigan stated. “I’ve really loved the topic of culture studies, religious studies, learning about how people navigate and why certain cultures have developed the way they have. I think that’s always been really fascinating for me.”
As Jernigan approached her senior year, she learned about the opportunity to enroll in a Career Exploration Internship Program (CEIP), giving her the ability to complete a non-paid internship while gaining insights into the skills and educational requirements of that career prior to college. The CEIP is open to all students in grade 12, and students are invited to submit an application via their counselor to participate in this half-unit elective course.
Knowing Jernigan’s interest in journalism and the humanities, Albany High teachers Lindsay Simmons and Chris Austen helped her secure an internship with New York Public Radio WNYC, where she gained firsthand knowledge about journalism.
During her internship, Jernigan gained more than 50 hours of work-based learning under the supervision of veteran state government reporter Jimmy Vielkind. She thoroughly enjoyed working in the newsroom at the Capitol, getting an authentic feel for the workflow and behind-the-scenes activities for public radio journalists.
“One of my favorite moments was when a new story came out while I was sitting there,” Jernigan recalls. “Watching everyone try to puzzle up a story was really fun.”
During her work study, she had the opportunity to practice all the pieces of developing and airing a radio news story, utilizing real-life details about an affordable housing apartment complex, Colvin Avenue Commons at Westland Hills, as her subject matter.
Although the story wasn’t aired publicly, completing all the steps of research, development and studio recording was a fascinating experience.
“I learned about how to make things feel more natural,” she said. “I learned about how to make my writing more concise, more clear.”
One of the biggest takeaways for Jernigan was a lesson gained at the onset of her work study experience — the value of authenticity.
Whether she pursues journalism or another field of study, Jernigan is confident that being true to herself will build positive rapport with those she interacts with in her professional life.
Jernigan has been accepted into the Honors College at the University at Albany and looks forward to continuing her education there this fall.
