New York August 8th: for Sunday: CHARMAINE NG 188 Madison Ave In manhattan on August 8th 2012 (photo by Jonathan Baskin) (
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The Radio Star
Sarah Scroggins, who’s studying broadcast journalism at Texas Tech University, has been a fly on the wall during star-studded interviews while working for 92.3 FM’s digital media department this summer — and the Lubbock, Texas, native even got to rub elbows with celebs like Ne-Yo, will.i.am and, yes, Justin Bieber.
“I hoped I would meet people, but I didn’t know for sure, so that was exciting for me,” she says.
Despite her exposure to the A-list, she paid more attention to the interviewers than the Top 100 stars sitting alongside them, in the hope it’ll help her realize her dream of being a talk-show host.
“I’ve always said I want to ‘Ryan Seacrest’ my career — I think he’s a great interviewer,” says the 21-year-old.
“I’ve gotten to see how the radio personalities interact with the celebrities — it’s definitely an experience I wouldn’t have gotten in Lubbock, Texas.”
But Scroggins’ apprenticeship wasn’t all about celebrity encounters — she also penned content for the station’s Web site and replied to tweets.
She says interns should never be above performing mundane tasks.
“Be willing, and have a good attitude,” says the college senior.
“Don’t think you’re entitled to anything. If somebody asks you to get coffee you ask, ‘Do you want cream or sugar with that?’ ”
The Do-Gooder
Many tech startups are looking to become the next Facebook — but not too many promote charitable endeavors. New Jersey-based social media platform iFlip4, launching next month, is planning to do exactly that by generating support for nonprofits among young people who sign up for the Web site.
Guillermo Avila took on an ambassadorial role after being recruited by his friend and the site’s co-founder, Dave Ellmann; he finds college students to get the word out about the startup.
“It’s a movement to get people to care,” says Avila, 18, who studies political science at the University of Pennsylvania. “Our goal is to be the platform that appeals to a younger demographic, so word spreads throughout campuses.”
Although he’s not sure what he ultimately wants his career path to be, interning for iFlip4 made Avila passionate about working for charitable causes — and he says he can see himself working there for years to come.
And despite the non-traditional workplace, Avila learned working for a friend could be beneficial.
“I actually think that Dave and I being friends is a good thing,” he says. “We’re comfortable pitching ideas and being honest about them.”
The Web Guru
Libraries are steeped in the printed word, but they’re much more than shelves of musty books — and that’s exactly where Charmaine Ng, who trekked cross-country from her home in San Francisco, came in as this summer’s New York Public Library social media, marketing and p.r. intern.
Among other tasks, she posted food photos and recipes to the library’s Tumblr and Twitter accounts to promote its “Lunch Hour NYC” exhibit.
For the recent University of Oregon grad, the move east has proven a bit challenging.
“It’s not so much New York that’s challenging, but factors like time-zone difference,” she says.
Despite these small roadblocks, Ng is sad to leave her internship, which ends in six weeks, and says working for the NYPL helped her map out her next move.
“I hope to expand my marketing skills and work in a school or public library someday,” adds the 21-year-old.
Ng recommends knowing exactly what you want to get out of your summer internship.
“Be straightforward . . . because everyone wants to help you succeed,” she says.