“We view our intern program as yet another way to give something back to the community,” says David Woronoff, publisher. “As is usually the case in community service, we receive far more than we give. These young journalists bring their energy and enthusiasm to work every day. And inevitably, those qualities find their way into the pages of the community’s newspaper.”
Most interns have a keen interest in pursuing journalism as a career, Woronoff says.
“We want to get these young folks excited about newspapering and hopefully spark an interest in them to make Moore County their home after graduation,” he says.
Some students admit they are simply testing the waters.
Former intern Matthew Moriarty, a staff writer, took a full-time job at The Pilot after working as a summer intern several years ago. He majored in anthropology and history at UNC Chapel Hill.
“I knew I was interested in it (journalism), but I had absolutely no training,” says Moriarty. “The opportunity to learn on the job was a real gift. The skilled folks here were patient and helpful mentors.”
Students gain real-world experience at The Pilot. They often leave internships with knowledge about many facets of the newspaper business.
Despite varied schedules, all the interns attend weekly news staff meetings and sessions with department managers. They learn about everyday duties and skills of newspaper staffers.
Features Editor Faye Dasen coordinates the interns’ daily duties.
Most of the current crop of interns arrived over the past two weeks and are able to take up residence with their parents.
“I’m pleased with how the staff and interns are meshing,” says Steve Bouser, editor. “These are a great bunch of kids. They really brighten things around here with their presence, and we always go into mourning when our interns go back to school in the fall.”
Joining the staff for the summer are Emma Howell, Bryan May, Randy Quis, Lekha Shupeck, Eren Tataragasi and Ryan Tuck.
Tuck, a rising senior at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, is the only out-of-town intern. He is the eldest of four children of Sarah Johnson and Paul Doromal Tuck of Walkersville, Md. Southern Pines’ residents Stephen and Mary B. Later are hosting Ryan in their garage apartment for the summer. Ryan Tuck is also the Jim Batten Community Journalism scholarship fellow for the summer. The fellowship provides funds to cover housing and living expenses while interning. He will be the editor of The Daily Tar Heel this fall.
After he graduates, Tuck hopes to become an editor for a large newspaper or the publisher of a community newspaper.
“I’m excited about the opportunities this summer at The Pilot,” says Tuck. “I’m a golf enthusiast and a Tiger Woods fan so this is a good time to be here.”
Tuck is also an aspiring screenwriter and feature-film director.
Howell, who attends Rice University in Houston, will concentrate on photography this summer. The daughter of Bob Howell and Lynn Thompson of Southern Pines, Howell, 18, also works two days a week at The Country Bookshop.
“I love photography and I love writing and English,” Howell says. “This seemed like the perfect opportunity to put those two loves together. I hope to find out if I want to pursue something further in photojournalism.”
Howell has not yet declared a major at Rice.
May, a graduate of Woodberry Forest boarding school, is a rising sophomore at Wake Forest University. He is majoring in English and minoring in journalism. Although he aspires to work as a sports journalist, he is currently working in the pressroom. He will have a crack at sports writing later this summer.
“I’m excited to be getting a different perspective of the journalism world,” May says about the opportunity to work with Production Director Ray Barber and his staff.
May is a golfer and an avid Demon Deacons sports fan. He is the oldest of the two children of John and Penny May of Southern Pines.
Quis is currently a student at North Carolina State University, where he is studying to become a journalist. He graduated from The O’Neal School, where he was a standout athlete in three sports.
Quis previously worked for WRAL-TV, a CBS affiliate, in Raleigh.
“Having also worked for the television station, I can safely say that I’m much more comfortable here in the newsroom writing stories,” Quis says.
He is the youngest child of Southern Pines Mayor Frank Quis and his wife, Missy.
Shupeck is the daughter of Neena Sodhi, M.D., a doctor at Pinehurst Allergy and Asthma, and Malcolm Shupeck, M.D., a doctor at Pinehurst Surgical Clinic’s Neurological Surgery Brain and Spine Center, of Pinehurst. She has a sister, Laura, who is 16.
Shupeck is a graduate of The O’Neal School and is a rising senior at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pa., where she is majoring in Latin. Her minor is ancient history.
“It is so rare at an internship that one has the opportunity to do more than make coffee and file papers,” says Shupeck. “Working at The Pilot really is an exceptional experience because one gets a real chance to see one’s work in print.”
Tataragasi, a graduate of Pinecrest, is a rising senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is majoring in journalism. She is the oldest of two children of Janice James of Southern Pines.
“I’m thrilled to have been given this opportunity,” says Tataragasi. “There really is nothing I would rather do this summer.”
