Author: Stacey C. Laniewski

I recently began my summer internship at Herald Community Newspapers (or The Herald, as many call it) and have learned so much already. So far, I have written six news articles (two have been published and the remaining four will be published within the next week or two). I have been to my internship six times so far for a few hours at a time, and I’ve done some remote work on days I am off and did not go in. Though I have been attending my internship for less than a month, I feel that I have already learned a lot about journalism and the newspaper industry. However, I still have a lot of room for improvement and cannot wait to learn more from my assigned mentor, Kelsie, and the other reporters and staff at Herald Community Newspapers.

The skill I hope to improve on the most as a result of my internship is my writing. Writing is the main component in reporting. Whether I am simply typing about an event that happened earlier in the week on my computer at my desk or standing up at a local newsworthy event scribbling on a notebook, I know I need to be a good communicator through my writing. Through improving my writing skills, I hope to strengthen other areas of my life as an aspiring journalist, such as interviewing skills, critical thinking, vocabulary expansion, and communication with others.

My internship will impact my career path by exposing me to all aspects of the newspaper and reporting industry. So far, I have learned about the different jobs that keep a newspaper running smoothly and the various skill sets needed to do each job. Examples of these jobs are reporter, social media coordinator, editor, and graphics worker. This will help me tremendously in the future. I know I want to work in the news industry, and I am learning about all the potential news career paths at my internship, as well as the educational and professional steps I need to take to obtain each one.

Jane Bagatta

Advertising & Public Relations, Journalism & Electronic Media, 2027

I am currently interning at the Mobile Response Stabilization Services (MRSS) division based in Rockaway, NJ. The MRSS is a program designed to aid families in crisis and provide resources, support, and encouragement to better their situation. As an intern with the MRSS unit, I’ve been responsible for attending dispatch, shadowing Crisis Intervention Specialists, and completing follow up documentation. After more experience with this program, I will be tasked with providing follow ups on the families we provide service to. Additionally, I’m excited to say I will be getting involved with some of their outreach programs and legal department, assisting them with paperwork and attending court proceedings on behalf of Center for Family Services programs.

Through my responsibilities and things I will experience, I strive to achieve greater understanding of how to apply my learned knowledge of social injustices and issues in a real-world setting. Similarly, I would like to continue to broaden my knowledge of the systems used to identify, address, and resolve domestic problems and families in crisis. Finally, I have goals to further my personal development by enhancing my critical thinking, leadership, communication, and networking skills.

After I complete my time at the university, I am committed to attending law school and using my education to pursue a career in family and juvenile law. Achieving these goals at the MRSS will help me tremendously with my future career plans. Acquiring those first-hand experiences of the crises that families and children experience is crucial to preparing me for the social and domestic issues relating to the systems in the family that I will potentially have to face as a lawyer.

I truly love and appreciate the work that is done at this program, and I am extremely grateful that I get to be a part of and contribute to the cause and services that this division provides.

Amelia Alfano

Criminal Justice, 2026

Through my internship with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Fugitive Unit, I hope to gain real-world experience in law enforcement and the criminal justice system. I’m especially interested in learning how the Fugitive Unit works with local, state, and federal agencies to locate and arrest individuals who are actively avoiding prosecution. Seeing how investigations, surveillance, and legal steps come together in these cases will give me a much deeper understanding than classroom learning alone can provide.

I also want to learn how case files are created, organized, and managed, as well as how legal documentation supports every part of the fugitive apprehension process. I’m curious about how the team balances the need to protect public safety while still respecting individual rights. By observing the day-to-day responsibilities of investigators and assistant prosecutors, I hope to better understand the challenges, ethical decisions, and attention to detail that this work demands.

This internship will play an important role in helping me decide which direction I want to take in my future, whether in law enforcement, prosecution, or another part of the criminal justice system. Being part of a team that plays such an important role in community safety will teach me valuable skills like report writing, communication under pressure, and critical thinking. I believe this experience will not only strengthen my commitment to a career in public service, but also give me the tools and confidence I need to succeed in it.

Anthony Knof 

Criminal Justice, 2026

This summer, I am interning at the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office. Each intern is assigned to an Assistant District Attorney. I’ve been assigned to ADA Deluca. In total, ADA Deluca is mentoring four interns, including myself. Three of them are currently in law school. I am excited to start this internship, as it offers me the opportunity to gain firsthand insight into what being a lawyer truly is like. Additionally, I get to learn about legal procedure.

So far, I’ve attended various arraignments and have begun learning courtroom terminology, such as bench warrants, arraignments, and orders of protection. One of the first things I noticed is how different the courtroom is from what we typically see on TV. There are no big dramatic entrances, everything is conducted with a high level of respect, and the process moves much slower than I had expected. I was allowed to sit in the jury box, where I had a direct view of the judge, the prosecutor, and the defense attorney. This perspective has given a look on how each role plays a part in our justice system.

I hope to learn as much as possible from this internship. By shadowing ADA Deluca and observing her daily life as a practicing attorney, I will be able to see what being a lawyer is truly like. I also benefit greatly from interacting with my fellow interns who are already in law school. They offer me advice and I often ask them questions about their experiences. Since I plan to attend law school myself, I like picking their brains about what life looks like as a law student.

Ultimately, this internship will have a significant impact on my career path. It is reinforcing the idea of committing and going to law school, as well as giving me the practical knowledge of our justice system.

Liz Ortega

Psychology & Political Science, 2027

This summer I am doing an internship with the Biopsychology lab here at The University of Scranton. This internship will allow me to understand what it would be like to have research as a full-time job and hopefully, in the future, as a career. I will be able to learn things that I would not have had the opportunity or time to learn during the school semester. I am excited to expand my knowledge and interests in the field, and hopefully I will be able to apply these to future studies done by the Biopsychology Summer Internship.

In the first three weeks of my internship experience, I have learned many useful skills, including the husbandry of crayfish and creating a protocol. This week, I will be learning how to make dosages for the crayfish. This will be the last step before running the experiment. After data collection, I will learn how to analyze said data.

The biggest skill I hope to enhance is reading scientific literature and understanding whether the publication holds weight. As of right now, I have not fully grasped analyzing papers. Literature research is a critical part of any research, and I know this internship is a perfect opportunity to read tons of articles.

My career path would require me to receive a PhD. The skills I am learning align with the requirements of future research programs that I plan on applying to. This research internship will not only help me in understanding what my future may look like, but also prepare me for my future endeavors.

Sophia da Costa

Neuroscience & Philosophy, 2026

Throughout my summer at Pardo & Associates CPAs, I aim to gain financial literacy and insight into the typical 9-to-5 work environment, which will prepare me for my future career. Having gained these skills by the end of my internship will allow me to gain a different level of confidence, and ultimately allow me to become more comfortable with myself and my career path. Throughout high school, I realized that becoming financially literate was something I wanted to be educated in, especially with the current state of the economy. I knew managing my finances and preparing myself for the real world would become part of overall success, thus positively impacting my career path. Currently, within my internship, I have been able to experience the work environment of a corporate job and the pros and cons that come with having one. Having had this experience, I feel more at ease with the idea of a corporate job as I am aware of what to expect in my future. Before beginning my internship, I was very unsure and afraid that my expectations of a corporate job would simply not match my experience, but thankfully this has not been the case. After having interned for only two weeks, I have gained another level of respect for the people within these fields of corporate jobs, as the hours are long, yet the job can be rewarding. Now more than ever, I feel more confident in my career path, having gained knowledge of what a day-to-day will look like while also learning about how accounting applies to the real world.

Damaris Acomata

Finance, 2027

I have really been enjoying my internship with It Is a Keeper so far! Every week my supervisor (and owner of White Birch Media) sends me 3 assignments, including the raw footage (2-3 cameras) and final shots of different recipes. With that, I create 4 separate videos: YouTube long, YouTube short, website player, and TikTok. Each video has its own aspects. For example, the YouTube long is 5-9 minutes with an intro, outro, and all cooking footage. Hero shots and graphics need to be added. TikToks, on the other hand, must be flipped to vertical, and clips are shortened to a few seconds each with text of what ingredient is being added.

I’m most happy with this internship because I truly love video editing and it has given me a lot of footage to work with! It’s difficult to continue to learn tips & tricks in editing (particularly Premiere Pro) without constant footage to play with. This internship allows me to edit nearly every day and continue to hone my skills for the professional world. Some new skills I’ve learned for Premiere Pro are LOTS of keyboard shortcuts, enabling/disabling clips, accurate color correction, using motion presets, creating the ken burns effects, and how to add/use text.

Additionally, I applied to many paid video editing internships for this summer, but all of them required previous unpaid work. This internship and Royal Experience have allowed me to gain the experience I need to continue forward! ️

Here are the two videos I’ve created that my supervisor has posted to YouTube so far, if you want to check out what I do, or need a new recipe 🙂

Mexican Elote Pasta Salad: https://youtu.be/AQhStE1Oz3Y?si=qDuPQqhF4Gv6-beD

Marinade for Grilled Chicken Drumsticks: https://youtu.be/UyoP0t8XRBQ?si=TsKEo7zT8xt8xqSQ

Sally Hopkins

Advertising & Public Relations, Journalism & Electronic Media, 2026

My summer internship at Berger Hirschberg Strategies has been incredible, offering me a firsthand glimpse into the fast-paced world of political fundraising and consulting. I was drawn to BHS because of its alignment with my interests in politics, finance, nonprofit work, and networking, and through this internship have had the opportunity to immerse myself in the intricacies of political campaigning, donor outreach, and the strategic aspects of running successful political initiatives.  

One of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences during my time at BHS was a team-based challenge, in which all of the interns were divided into competing groups to simulate a fundraising strategy for a hypothetical client. This exercise was a deep dive in scouring FEC data, demographic data, and creating a financial strategy for our “client”. Although I had some prior experience with the software/tools that we used, this project allowed me to fully understand how BHS manages campaign data and utilizes it to strategize donor outreach. The competitive aspect of the project pushed me to think critically and work collaboratively with my team, ultimately enhancing my skills in data management and campaign strategy.  

Throughout the internship, I was also given the chance to engage in various tasks that ranged from compiling donor lists to visiting the Longworth Offices on Capitol to distribute campaign materials. These hands-on experiences allowed me to develop my interpersonal and soft skills, which will serve me well in any future job. Throughout the duration of the internship, the BHS team brought in guest speakers for the other interns and me to network with. These experiences not only broadened my understanding of Democratic political campaigns but also reinforced my passion for public service and social issues.  

As I reflect on my time at BHS, I am confident that this internship has provided me with the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to pursue a career in political consulting or finance. Whether it was navigating the DC corporate culture or attending networking events with political leaders, every moment was an opportunity to learn and grow. This summer has solidified my ambition to work within the political realm, and I am excited to apply what I’ve learned as I continue to pursue my career goals. 

Bailey Cornish, Political Science

 

This week, I concluded my 10-week long internship with Church World Service. I cannot even begin to express my gratitude for the people I met as a Children and Youth intern. My coworkers were so patient and kind, truly dedicated to improving the lives of those they serve. Together, we provided services to more than 50 refugee children from around the world, from countries such as Ukraine, Afghanistan, Venezuela, and Syria. Working directly with these children, I communicated in both English and Spanish about their experiences, traumas, and their changing lives. It was an honor to be a part of these children’s journeys towards growth and new lives. 

As head intern, I communicated with the other interns and volunteers to plan out the day’s activities. I also spoke directly with case managers about the progress of the children, or if any behavioral concerns existed. Alongside a youth case manager, I also researched college preparation and learning strategies for immigrants and refugees hoping to attend a U.S college. I am so grateful for all the work I had the privilege of being a part of with CWS.

This experience has certainly prepared me for a career working with children, and I feel confident moving forward with graduate school applications. Thank you to the Roche Family Center for Career Development and all my fellow Royal Experience Interns for the support this summer!  

Madeline Williams, Psychology & Philosophy

During my time as a therapy intern at Island Dolphin Care (IDC) in Key Largo this summer, the most rewarding and fulfilling experience was witnessing the profound impact dolphin-assisted therapy has on our clients and their families. Over the course of six weeks, I saw firsthand how our therapy sessions—both in the classroom and in the water—significantly improved the daily living skills of our clients. Understanding the challenges they’ve faced and seeing how IDC has empowered them to make meaningful progress has been truly inspiring. As a person with a disability myself, it was welcoming to see a fully accessible facility that offers a space where clients and their families can enjoy their time without the usual constraints of their conditions. Having my own challenges daily, and having a lense into what these clients experience, made the experience even more rewarding. I feel deeply proud and grateful to have been part of the IDC family this summer. 

The most challenging aspect of this internship was only having five days to focus on each client’s targeted goals. Most clients participate in a five-day program that combines classroom and swim sessions, and while it’s inspiring to watch their progress, it’s always hard to part ways at the end of the week. It was also difficult to say goodbye to the remarkable clients, dedicated staff, and incredible dolphins I had the privilege of working with. I gained invaluable knowledge from the animal care team about marine life and the complexities of working with dolphins during therapy sessions. Throughout this experience, I’ve interacted and got to know clients from all over the world, including Spain, Poland, and Germany. Learning about their diverse backgrounds and languages has greatly enhanced my cultural sensitivity. It’s amazing to witness how the dolphins leave a lasting impression on everyone they meet. 

This internship has continued my decision to pursue a career in animal-assisted therapy as an occupational therapist, and I’m excited to see where this path will lead me. I wish I had more time at Island Dolphin Care, as it truly feels like a second home to me. My time there has been invaluable, teaching me so much about myself and how to grow as an occupational therapist. I will always be grateful for the opportunity to work with the incredible team of therapists, animal care specialists, and the seven dolphins I was fortunate to work with, including Fiji, Tashi, Dalai, Squirt, Sarah, Bella, and Grace. Thank you to the Royal Experience Program for making this life changing internship possible. 

Justin Matzner, Occupational Therapy