My Summer Experience: Dominique Hicks

Dominique Hicks
My Summer Experience
Intern at WSB-TV in Atlanta
Senior, Telecommunications Major
Hometown: Detroit

This summer I moved more than 700 miles away from to intern for WSB-TV, the #1 news station in Atlanta. It was quite the experience, seeing as though I was the only student not from that area.

I had the chance to work with veteran reporters, who had worked everywhere, from CNN to the Weather Channel. While there, I shadowed reporters on stories ranging from the construction of the new Georgia Dome in Atlanta, to a series of smash and grab burglaries.

During my internship I not only developed my skills as a reporter, but I also learned how to adjust to a new, fast paced city. Interning in Atlanta caused me to step outside my comfort zone, which helped me grow as a person. I had a better connection to the stories, because I was knowledgeable about the areas where they were happening.

While at WSB, some of my duties included working with the web producer on the stats for social media and writing stories for the web. I had the chance to sit in on the newscasts and help direct the show. I constantly had to pass the anchors new scripts when there were updates on breaking news. I also attended the news meetings, where I heard the stories that the reporters would be working on for the day.

My very first time out with a reporter, I was sent to the scene of an explosion at a manufacturing plant in Greensboro, Georgia. I was so excited and nervous at the same time because I wanted to make a good impression. That experience set the tone for my summer. Being in a market like Atlanta, there was always breaking news. I love the thrill of constantly turning fresh, new stories happening in the community, and that is exactly what I got while working at the station.

In addition to working at the station, I also had the pleasure of visiting WSB 95.5FM, Newstalk Radio. The news and radio stations are housed in the same building, along with the digital division of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution. It was great helping to deliver news to the masses through three different outlets.

The Cox Media family in its entirety was so welcoming and nurturing. While working at the station, I attended a series of programs specifically for the interns. The news interns had the chance to network with other interns from the Cox Enterprises companies. While attending these events, I learned about all of the other industries that Cox Enterprises is involved in besides media.

Overall, I had an amazing experience interning at WSB-TV. I will never forget the connections I made not only with the reporters and anchors, but with the other news interns as well. We were like a family, striving to all be great news professionals. This internship was challenging, but it prepared me for the professional world.