“Interning at VOA has been a really interesting opportunity for me to experience and participate in the inner workings of a major international media organization. At VOA, I am getting the chance to write blog posts, lead studio tours, watch live television broadcasts as they are produced, and learn about contemporary issues from VOA’s coverage regions. In the Public Relations office we are in touch with people from around the world, ranging from a viewer in Somalia emailing us to say how much he enjoys VOA’s English language learning resources, to a human rights activist criticizing VOA’s coverage of Burma. Since I study the Russian language at my university, I have also had the chance to meet the members of the VOA Russian Service and learn about the work they do. One of my most memorable moments was when Erika Marat of the Russian Service interviewed me about my experiences living through the interethnic unrest that struck Osh, Kyrgyzstan in June 2010. The article was published on the VOA Russian language webpage and was viewed by a lot of people.”
- Matthew Kupfer, Public Relations Intern (Summer 2011)