Journalism & Democracy Fellowship internships help W&M students find their voice

By bridging classroom learning with community storytelling, the Charles Center’s Journalism & Democracy Fellowship internship program is helping William & Mary students hone their reporting and writing skills while making an impact on local journalism and the community.  
 
The Charles Center offers paid summer internships with Norfolk-based Virginia Media, publisher of the Virginia Gazette, Daily Press, and Virginian-Pilot newspapers, among others. Interns receive a base stipend of $5,000 for a 10-week internship period, providing invaluable hands-on experience and close mentorship by experienced professionals. 
 
The largest media outlet in the state, Virginia Media provides interns with an opportunity to create a robust portfolio of published work while simultaneously strengthening local news coverage.   
 
Interns cover a broad range of stories spanning from Williamsburg to Virginia Beach through positions that include news/feature reporting, photography and videography, and audience engagement.  
 
According to Sean Kennedy, Audience Director at the Virginian-Pilot, these positions are open exclusively to undergraduates from William & Mary and provide an accessible opportunity for students of all backgrounds to gain widely coveted experience.  
 
“Before we had this partnership with William & Mary, we received applications from all over the country for an internship at the Pilot,” Kennedy said. “Now we are just hiring students from William & Mary, so it’s a big deal. Students get the experience of having worked in a professional news environment and learn what it takes to produce a daily newspaper.” 
 
Economics major Maddie Mohamadi ’27 spent last summer as a business and features intern at the Virginian-Pilot. 
 
Throughout the internship, Mohamadi researched and reported on over 22 stories related to local economic activity. These included a mixture of same-day assignments and longer-term investigative reports, such as one on how tariffs are affecting home building in the Hampton Roads area.

Mohamadi worked under Tara Bozick, business editor of the Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press, receiving valuable mentorship and editorial guidance.

Among the highlights of Mohamadi’s summer was conducting an interview with Virginia Senator Mark Warner and contributing to the Virginian-Pilot’s “No Kings” protest coverage in Yorktown. 
    
“It was such a great experience to be able to add to my portfolio,” she said. “It really helped me solidify my interest in journalism and determine the path I want to take after graduation. I’m an economics major, but I love journalism too, so this was the perfect way to combine my interests.”  
 
English and film & media studies double major Haidyn Brockelman ’26 interned at the Virginia Gazette, where she was able to report on a wide array of topics with the guidance of Editor Kim O'Brien Root. 
 
“I covered all kinds of stories during my internship. I covered Sentara Regional Hospital’s mass casualty drill, went to Fort Eustis for a story, and even covered a race at Colonial Downs of camels, ostriches, and zebras,” Brockelman said.  
 
Over the course of the summer, Brockelman was able to build an impressive assortment of published work and continues to do so as a freelance writer.  
 
“There was never a story that was just filler. The experience really helped me professionally by expanding my portfolio, as I was able to write about 28 pieces,” she said. “I really liked the connection of being in my community, and it really solidified my desire to work specifically in local journalism.”  
 
Emma Henry ’25 interned at the Virginia Gazette during summer 2024 and continued as a freelance correspondent for the paper throughout her senior year. According to Henry, the experience greatly contributed to her pursuit of a Master of Science in Journalism at Northwestern University’s Medill School.  
 
“My internship with the Virginia Gazette is one of the many reasons I chose to pursue a Master of Science in Journalism,” she said. “My connections made at the Gazette along with funding provided by William & Mary are the reason why I’m able to go to Medill.” 
 
Henry believes there are many misconceptions, either from audiences or journalists themselves, that one must work for the largest news organizations in the nation or around the world in order to successfully make an impact. 
 
“The most important thing the Gazette taught me is that some of the most meaningful stories are found at a local level,” she said. “There is something so special about forming relationships with community members and being trusted with their stories. Local journalism is struggling right now, and I think young people have a revitalizing energy which has brought some strength back to many organizations.” 
 
Above all, Henry emphasized the urgent need for the voices of aspiring young journalists. 
 
“We need passionate, empathetic journalists now more than ever before. I strongly encourage anyone who is interested in the field to look into programs and internships sponsored by W&M and beyond.”