Presley Woodrum
Contributing Writer
A public affairs officer from Fort Knox recently spent two days on campus talking about internship opportunities for students.
Cadet Command Deputy PAO Richard Patterson spoke to several journalism and mass communications classes on Feb. 27 and 28, encouraging students to apply for a highly competitive internship program.
Patterson, who spent 25 years as a public affairs officer for the U.S. Army, recently retired and now serves as the direct supervisor for the internship program.
His role as deputy PAO during the summer is to update families around the country on the cadets enrolled in an advanced ROTC camp. Patterson said he needs a team of 30 flexible interns to help.
The internship runs from May 18 to August 18. It is open to sophomores, juniors and seniors with experience in journalism and mass communications.
“The internship gave me an opportunity to grow personally and professionally,” said Amy Turner, senior and returning intern. “I gained confidence in my skills and learned a ton.”
Interns will work in two- to three-member teams five days a week. The teams will include broadcast journalists, photojournalists, writers and social media managers. These teams will be given assignments and can additionally complete stories of their choosing.
“It was great to learn from other journalism students and professionals,” Turner said. “All of our work got published daily. One of my stories even made it to the National Army website on the homepage.”
At the end of the summer, each student will have around 70 professionally published and reviewed pieces. The stories can be found on WordPress blogs, social media sites, YouTube videos or local papers that pick up the story.
Housing on base is provided at no cost to the interns. While it is an unpaid internship opportunity, students are reimbursed for travel to and from home and Fort Knox and receive a daily stipend for meals.
Patterson said each day is different for the interns. One day they may cover a 12-mile march and the next day they might cover a cadet graduation.
“There is no typical day,” Patterson said.
Interns will be alongside the cadets to tell their experience in various weather conditions and hours of the day. Some teams will even cover field training exercises overnight.
“The ability to get out in the field and get real journalist experience in a fast-paced environment was amazing,” said Megan Reynolds, senior from Rineyville, Kentucky. “Cadet Command just threw us in, it was like trial by fire.”
Students interested in gaining an experience few get can find more information on how to apply at www.futurearmyofficers.army.mil/pao-internship. The deadline for applications is April 5.
