By Courtney Russo – News Editor

Senior Ella Franzman recently began her internship. Advocate News Editor Courtney Russo interviewed Franzman about her experience.

Courtney Russo: Where is your internship?

Ella Franzman: I’m currently interning at WTNH News 8 in New Haven, where I primarily work with the sports team, including Erik Dobratz and John Pierson.

CR: What are your main goals within this internship?

EF: My main goal during this internship is to get the most out of every opportunity I’m given. I’m really trying to immerse myself in all aspects of the station and explore everything I can. I’ve also been focusing on networking and connecting with people from different departments. So far, it’s been an incredible experience. I’ve had the chance to work on several hands-on projects, and it’s truly been such a valuable opportunity for me.

CR: What is a typical day like?

EF: Honestly, every day is different, which is one of the things I love about it. When I arrive at the station, the first thing we do is look over the rundown for the 6 p.m., 10 p.m., and 11 p.m. shows. We assess how much time we need to fill and then check what ‘local’ professional sports are happening. For example, if the Yankees or Knicks are playing, we know we’ll include a 20–25 second segment on those games. Erik or John usually have a feature package prepared — like a recent one on sisters playing softball for UCONN, or another about a player on the Mets Double-A team who graduated from Masuk High School in Monroe. Next, we look at the local high school and college sports schedules around the New Haven area to decide where we can go and film. So far, we’ve covered boys lacrosse, boys volleyball, and we’re planning to film girls lacrosse and softball soon. After returning to the station, we put together highlight packages for the evening sports segments. We then typically go live at 10:50 p.m. and 11:50 p.m. for the final 10 minutes of the show.

CR: What have you enjoyed the most about your internship so far?

EF: What I’ve enjoyed the most is the networking. It’s been amazing getting to meet so many people and build relationships throughout the station. Everyone has been incredibly friendly and welcoming — from producers and reporters to the meteorologists. I really feel like everyone is supportive and has my best interest in mind. In the next few days, I’ll be going out with one of the reporters who’s also a Jonathan Law graduate, which I think will be a really cool experience. I also appreciate how much trust John and Erik have in me. Early on, they let me use a camera to film clips at a lacrosse game, and they’ve recently asked me to create a News 8 Sports Team Instagram account, which I’ll be working on over the next few weeks. It’s just been a great feeling to take on real responsibilities, and I know the experience will have a meaningful impact on me moving forward. 

CR: What advice would you give to someone looking to do an internship?

EF: The best advice I can give is to choose something you’re truly passionate about. Especially with unpaid internships, you don’t want to feel like you’re dragging yourself there every day. If it’s something you’re interested in and might want to pursue in college or as a career, it’s going to be more enjoyable and worthwhile. Plus, you’ll build a stronger resume and gain experience that can really set you apart from others in the future.