Where multimedia meets night infiltration: Two Scripps seniors learn it all in Army ROTC public affairs internships

51�� Journalism seniors Danielle Smith (left) and Sophia Young (right)

Photos provided by U.S. Army Cadet Command

51�� E.W. Scripps School of Journalism seniors Danielle Smith (left) and Sophia Young (right) at Public Affairs internships, U.S. Army Cadet Command, Fort Knox, KY. Disclaimer: It is not the intent of 51�� to imply an endorsement by any service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.

The U.S. Army Cadet Command’s fast-paced media internship at Army Reserve Officer Training Course (ROTC) summer training involves videography, social media, graphic design, reporting and photography. Seniors Sophia Young and Danielle Smith, both journalism majors in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, also found adventure.

“With proper instruction and training, I was able to complete a 64-foot rappel, obstacle course, high-ropes and rock-climbing course, as well as a night infiltration crawl under live fire,” Young said.

Young and Smith are completing at Fort Knox, Kentucky, documenting the rigors of Army officer training.

The Fort Knox military base is located along the Ohio River. In 2014, the U.S. Army Cadet Command relocated to Fort Knox; summer training for Army ROTC cadets takes place there.

In the winter of their junior year, Smith and Young were informed by staff at the Scripps College of Communication about the Army Cadet Summer Training Public Affairs internship. A few weeks later, representatives from the military program came to 51�� to explain the internship program.

Smith and Young are not in the Army’s Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC); their academic focus is journalism. Both have campus experience at the student-run publication The Post. They applied for the Cadet Summer Training Public Affairs internship and were accepted.

At Fort Knox, Smith and Young covered ROTC Cadet training exercises and told cadets’ stories about becoming officers. When Cadets successfully complete the Army ROTC program they are commissioned as Second Lieutenants. Most Cadets have another year of school following their completion of Cadet Summer Training.

“Interns work as photojournalists, broadcast field reporters and manage the command's social media presence,” said Amy Turner, Public Affairs Specialist at U.S. Army Cadet Command. “They cover the Army’s largest annual training events: Cadet Summer Training. CST brings over 6,000 Cadets and over 5,000 Cadre to Fort Knox each summer to train our Army’s future leaders. The interns produce photos, articles, videos and social media posts to provide timely, accurate information concerning this training to the American people. Their products are typically viewed over 30 million times throughout the summer.”

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