Madeleine Smith is a junior at Grand Valley State University. She is majoring in multimedia journalism. She grew up in Clarkston, Michigan. She joins WOOD TV8 this summer as an intern with the news and digital departments.

Q: You’ve been interning at WOOD TV8 for a couple of weeks now, what’s something that stands out to you so far about the experience?

A: Something that has stood out to me about this internship so far is the amount of teamwork that happens behind the scenes. Every person here is so incredibly helpful and they have made this a great learning environment for me so far.

Q: What is something you’ve gotten to experience during your internship that you’ve enjoyed?

A: I was able to go out to a press conference with one of the investigative reporters, Susan Samples. This was really exciting for me and I enjoyed seeing her process as far as gathering information.

A: Has anything surprised you so far about working in local television?

Q: Yes! The thing that surprised me the most was the control room. There are probably a million buttons in that room. It looks like a room from a spy movie. It’s so cool to see all of the equipment that goes into producing this local news show.

Q: What are you hoping to learn during your internship?

A: I am hoping to learn the basics of reporting and news production and gain a holistic understanding of what it takes to work in this environment. During my time here I am hoping to shadow as many positions as possible. Seeing as I am splitting my time between digital and newsroom, I will get to see quite a few different positions and work alongside most of the staff.

Q: What do you think you’d like to do when you graduate and how is this internship preparing you for that?

A: As of right now, I have not decided exactly what job I will pursue after college. However, I am certain that it will be within this field. I am most interested in becoming a reporter or a digital producer. All of my training and experiences from this internship will be helpful to me in the future.

Q: When you are not busy with your internship, how do you like to spend your free time?

A: I like to spend my free time in my garden, in the gym, and exploring Grand Rapids with friends. I also play in a sand volleyball league.