Feature Story
Gaining Experience, Exploring Careers
Liam Dougherty (Class of 2011) grew up watching public television. So he was thrilled to have a chance to work at his hometown station, thanks to a St. John’s internship program.
One of the highlights of Dougherty’s summer was the opportunity to meet Terry Gross, the host of one of NPR’s most popular talk shows, “Fresh Air.” The show broadcasts from WHYY in Philadelphia, where Dougherty, a rising senior at St. John’s, completed a summer internship.
As an intern in the Educational Program and Services Department, Dougherty carried out a variety of projects geared to promoting the station and building membership. He wrote articles for the member newsletter and for the station’s website, helped out with special events and fundraising projects, and conducted research. He was pleased to be a part of an enterprise that he admires. “I enjoyed the chance to work with interesting, selfless people,” he said.
Possibly interested in a career in writing, Dougherty grew more comfortable with his projects throughout the summer. “I think my work at St. John’s has really helped me to learn to cut to the core of what something is and to be able to explain it effectively to others. I feel much more confident in my writing.”
Dougherty’s internship was made possible by the St. John’s Hodson Internship Program on the Annapolis campus. On the Santa Fe campus, students compete for ARIEL Internships. In the past few years, students have completed internships in fields such as veterinary science, horticulture, arts management, publishing, journalism, neuroscience research, culinary arts, and farming.