The Power of a Summer Internship: From Bio to Radio

Summer internships tend to be used as a resume builder, a stepping stone, and something to do for extra cash while waiting for the fall semester to roll around. Rarely do we think of them as able to change someone’s entire career path, and maybe this is causing us to miss out.

Adam O’Neal is a biology major at University of California, Irvine and was trying to decide which facet of biology interested him most to further his education, neuro or genetic, when he stumbled upon an internship program in radio. Thinking this internship would make him stand out amongst the vast sea of medical school applicants; he applied. 12 weeks later he had not only completed the program but found his career path had taken a 180 with his sights now focused on radio.

Wait, bio to radio? How could a summer internship have the power to alter a career path so drastically? It’s biologically impossible!

The cultural norm of viewing an internship as a resume builder, or stepping stone, limits a student in their search for an internship and solidifies their predetermined career path. On top of experience and skills gained, constantly stepping out of a comfort zone and into an entirely new industry is the essence of what an internship is supposed to do: open a student’s eyes to what could be, a.k.a. career exploration. In this case, the first time Adam heard his work broadcasted on the most popular local radio talk show in the United States, he knew, radio is where he belongs.

Interning with some of the top on-air radio talent has led to Adam pursuing his passion within the industry and now hosts his own radio show at University of California Irvine’s local campus station, KUCI. He calls his show the 2012 Update which airs on Tuesdays at 8 am in Irvine where Adam talks about the upcoming 2012 presidential election and any updates or developments that relate.

The internship program Adam completed is with The Bill Handle Show and consists of working in 12 different facets of radio over a 12 week time frame, giving the intern an elusive and thorough look into the industry.

• Week 1: Getting acquainted with the basics of radio
• Week 2 & 3: Research and Development
• Week 4: The ins and outs of Screening
• Week 5 & 6: Website Development, Editing, Social Media
• Week 7 & 8: Station Imaging
• Week 9: Production, Traffic & Continuity
• Week 10: KFI News Reporting
• Week 11: Sales & Promotions
• Week 12: AM versus FM & Overall Review

The power of a summer internship or any internship for that matter should not be dismissed, but instead embraced as an opportunity to diversify your skill set, add to your experience, and expand your career exploration. You never know, the right internship just might flip your career path on its head, helping to open your eyes to see yourself like never before. And, career path clarity, is bliss.

Special thanks to Adam O’Neal, Michelle Kube, and @billhandelshow we wish you all the best.