Two communications majors selected for Scripps Howard internship program

Two students in Elon University’s School of Communications have been selected for this summer’s Scripps Howard Foundation’s Internship and Scholarship Program.

Atoria Mills ’17 and Bryan Anderson ’18 will both receive a $3,000 summer grant, along with a $500 scholarship for the fall 2016 semester.

Mills, a journalism major from Atlanta, will intern this summer at “60 Minutes,” CBS’s newsmagazine television program in New York. A Communications Fellow, she is an active member of Elon Student Television programming (ESTV) and has worked as a producer of ELN Radio and ELN Morning.

In summer 2015, Mills interned at CNN’s Atlanta headquarters and was subsequently hired to freelance for the news organization during Elon’s winter break. Upon graduation, she plans to pursue a career as a producer of a daily magazine-style program or a daytime talk show. Additionally, Mills is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., where she most recently served as vice president.

Having just completed a semester studying abroad in London, Mills looks forward to experiencing another metropolis this summer. “Going to New York for this internship is beyond exciting because it is one of the largest hubs for the type of television work that I want to do in the future,” she said. “It will serve as the best training ground for deciding whether or not I could work in New York City one day.”

Associate Professor Michael Skube doesn’t expect the large market and its pace to faze Mills.

“Atoria is among the most mature students I have taught in 14 years,” he said. “She has a strong interest in television journalism, and wants to be a producer. I believe her aggressive journalistic instincts and her energy would serve her well in that role. She is intelligent, well informed and she knows how to ask questions that go to the heart of an issue.”

Added Associate Professor Anthony Hatcher, “Atoria Mills has grown in her reporting skills during her time at Elon. I remember watching Elon Local News a couple of years ago and being impressed by a news package. Other students said a freshman did it, and they all thought it was terrific as well. It turned out to be Atoria’s first on-air news piece. She has understood news and storytelling from the beginning. She deserves this scholarship.”

A journalism and media analytics double major from Burlingame, California, Anderson will serve this summer as a metro intern at the Raleigh News & Observer. Since his arrival on campus, he has been a constant presence with Elon’s student media organizations, produced articles for the Burlington Times-News, and assisted other students in achieving their journalistic goals.

Most recently, Anderson has focused on assisting Elon Local News and The Pendulum by producing high-quality multimedia content. He currently works as news editor at The Pendulum, where he mentors journalists, writes articles for the public good, edits content, and enjoys telling meaningful stories. He has also been a contributor to Elon Athletics, working as a production assistant and serving as on-air talent for the men’s basketball, women’s basketball and softball programs.

In summer 2015, he worked for the Greensboro Grasshoppers as a media/production intern, creating promotional videos, overseeing various production positions during the game, and even making occasional appearances on the minor league baseball affiliate’s radio network.

“It is my goal to one day run my own media outlet or report for a large outlet after I graduate from Elon. Having this opportunity will provide me with practical journalism experience that I will need to excel during my postgraduate career,” Anderson said of his News & Observer internship. “I have had a passion for news ever since I stepped foot onto Elon’s campus. By helping curate content for one of the largest newspapers in the state, I will be able to hone in on my professional goals.”

Anderson noted that one of his objectives entering this summer is to create quality content that will resonate with the daily paper’s readers. “A journalist’s job is to represent the voice of the people. I hope I can be that voice, and in the process, earn the respect of the N&O readers,” he said.

“Bryan is a thoughtful and enterprising student,” said Pendulum adviser Colin Donohue. “Already in his young college career, he has demonstrated strong reporting, writing and leadership skills. He cares deeply about his academic and professional work, and he’s going to be a stand-out student during his time at Elon.”

Bryan Baker, coordinator of video projects, echoed similar sentiments about Anderson, noting that the California native has a “great attention to detail and enjoys the learning process.”

The Scripps Howard Foundation is the corporate foundation of The E. W. Scripps Company. The foundation states its mission is to “advance the cause of a free press through support of excellence in journalism, quality journalism education and professional development.”