Paulina Riffey learned about the Digital Media Engagement (DME) internship via her school’s email. “One day I received an email from my school notifying students about different virtual internship opportunities. The list of internships was long, but podcast transcription immediately caught my eye.” And Paulina was intrigued by the idea of working in podcasting. “I enjoy listening to podcasts and I like writing,” she explained. “Podcast transcription seemed like a perfect job that combined two things I enjoy a lot.”
Paulina said that she enjoys the DME being a virtual internship. “I spend a lot of time on my computer, and I feel comfortable communicating and working in the virtual environment. I’ve been taking my classes online for the past two years, so I’m used to doing work virtually.”
Her workday starts with checking Slack. “My department head (DH) created a Google Sheet with available transcription assignments,” she said. “So, the next step is to check if the sheet was updated with new projects. We are working on some of the older episodes of Borne the Battle (BtB) and at the same time, keeping up with new releases. On average, I’d say I spend about 2 – 3 hours a day doing internship-related work.” She added, “I think that having a good ear definitely helps [with work]. Sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish what’s being said on the podcast. The knowledge of different military terms and acronyms can also be very useful. Good writing skills are very important too.”
Paulina greatly enjoys her work on the podcast team. “I really like listening to Borne the Battle episodes, because I am learning so much about different resources and opportunities for Veterans. It is very inspiring to listen to stories of Veterans who achieved some great things since they departed from the military.” She also has a personal connection to the military. “My husband is currently active duty in the Army – I feel like thanks to this internship I am also learning about things and resources that might help my husband now and when he retires from the Army.”
Currently, she’s excited about Borne the Battle episodes related to mental health. “I had a chance to work on transcription for two BtB episodes that focused on mental health resources for Veterans. In the future, I hope to complete my master’s in counseling and work with the military population.”
Paulina’s advice for future DME interns is to enjoy the work. “This internship is a great opportunity to learn how to work and communicate within a virtual environment. With the way things are going, more workplaces will be transitioning online. Lastly, try to have fun! Slack is full of fun and interesting interactions and it’s a good opportunity to make some friends.”
Writer: Sarah Concepcion
Editors: Annabelle Colton, Julia Pack
Graphic Designer: Kiki Kelley
