Courtesy of Davi Schulman
Never did I ever think my junior summer internship would involve calling hot dog places and writing about ice cream cakes (spoiler alert: it did). I used to flinch at the word “internship” because it seemed so foreign and unattainable to me. When I thought of internships, I thought of wearing business suits and heels, nearly running to keep up with my boss’s quick stride as I try not to spill the five coffees I’m carrying.
I found my internship at Westchester Magazine through personal connections, although the company does have an official internship program and at least a few interns at any given time (with more over the summers). I grew up in Westchester County, the region directly above New York City, and my family always received shiny copies of Westchester Magazine in the mail. However, I didn’t think much about magazine production until I became more interested in journalism. Even though I do not plan to pursue lifestyle journalism as a career, this internship was the perfect opportunity for me to develop my journalistic skills and have fun at the same time. In journalism, any experience is good experience. It was difficult for me to find an internship that could accommodate my unusual summer schedule because I did not return to the U.S. from studying abroad in Argentina until late June, after many internships had already started. Westchester Magazine was flexible and made sure I was able to accomplish my required hours for PICA (Conn’s Holleran Center for Community Action).
Westchester Magazine is a lifestyle magazine and has several other magazines under its umbrella, including business, home, and wedding magazines. The magazines can be found in businesses and offices all over the county and are known for their beautiful designs. The content includes information about living in Westchester, features on restaurants, things to do in the county, outstanding residents, and any other related stories.
On my first day, I was tasked with updating an online article about the best hot dogs in Westchester. I had to call each hot dog place and confirm that the information from last year’s article was still correct. The following week, I got to write my own online story about ice cream cakes. I researched and communicated with ice cream stores in Westchester, ultimately publishing a fun online article. (And, no, unfortunately I did not actually try the ice cream cakes.) I was also responsible for updating the chart of colleges in Westchester for the annual Westchester Ultimate Guide magazine. I reached out to each of the nine colleges in the county and requested their recent statistics so I could complete the chart. I had the opportunity to write my own article for 914INC too, which is the business magazine. My assignment was to write about phone apps that make life easier and I cannot wait to see my name printed in the real magazine.
A perk of working for a lifestyle magazine is that businesses want you to try their products, or attend their events, so that you will feature them. During my first week of interning, I attended a free, private tasting at a new Taiwanese coffee shop in Scarsdale with a group of editors. We sampled several delicious drinks and treats while learning about the story of how the shop opened. Another time, we were invited to eat a free ramen lunch at a new Japanese restaurant in Ardsley. I was also lucky to volunteer at the annual Best of Westchester event, where representatives from all the deemed “best” businesses provide samples of their products at an upscale country club party.
The staff at Westchester Magazine always encourage us interns to brainstorm new story ideas and even write them ourselves if we want. I came up with ideas like an article about Argentine cuisine in Westchester (as someone who lived in Argentina last semester) and one about curly hair salons, both of which I will write and publish online. The editors also make sure that we have a balance of creative assignments and more tedious (but essential) journalistic tasks. They want us to leave with an understanding of the publishing process as well as some clips or bylines for our portfolios.
It feels good to have a real impact on the magazine’s outcome. Unlike the (mostly movie-based) idea I had about internships, my work at Westchester Magazine feels worthwhile and purposeful. I am seen as a person with valuable ideas rather than a number lost in a crowd of hundreds of interns.
Check out my online-published articles here!
