If you count making a newspaper for your household out of magic markers and printer paper, I’ve been a journalist for almost a decade. Really, though: I have been writing for most of my life, and though deciding what I wanted to do with that love was hard, journalism has been my home for most of my college experience. At Kent State, I’ve found comfort in student media such as our newspaper, the Kent Stater, as well as our magazines, such as The Burr and Luna Negra. Imagine my surprise when, sitting in one of my classes there, my professor mentioned the ASME internship. It was in New York City, she said, and I remember feeling as though that was just a little bit unattainable. Still, I decided to go for it — and having the opportunity to come to the city and work with those at Smart + Strong has truly been one of the most valuable career-related experiences of my journalistic life.

 

Working at Smart + Strong wasn’t something I had immediately considered for the summer, but I’m so glad it turned out to be where I ended up. It’s been an engaging, unique experience, and I wouldn’t trade it for any other. I’ve had the opportunity to write a feature for an upcoming edition of POZ, as well as to help with other newsfeed items. Being able to write for the magazine was a validating and challenging experience, and I’ve been glad to contribute to it during my time here. Writing about topics such as HIV and sex work really plunged me into things I knew little about before this summer — and any opportunity I have to learn and to understand something new is a good opportunity.

 

New York City, as well, has been a strange and colorful ride. As someone from the heart of the Midwest, you’d think the city would be overwhelming — and though that might be true for the first few days, it doesn’t take long for the busy streets to envelop you into their rhythm. Being able to visit museums like the Whitney and the MET has been wonderful, and I’ve also been able to take advantage of local events like poetry readings, where I’ve shared my work and heard that of others.

 

Becoming more familiar with this city is something I’m really glad I’ve had the opportunity to do, and this internship in general has been the learning experience of a lifetime. I wrote, I explored, I met amazing people. I even got to use magic markers a couple times. What more could you ask for, really? The experience I’ve had at Smart + Strong and with ASME is something I’m going to carry with me for the rest of my life. It’s been a whirlwind of a summer. I can’t wait to write about it.

 

Cameron Gorman is a rising senior at Kent State University in Ohio, where she is majoring in journalism and minoring in creative writing. She enjoys poetry, podcasts and rain.

Get in touch: cgorman2@kent.edu

Twitter: @camgorm