Claire Russell is a sophomore at Bryant and is also on the Swim and Dive team. Claire is a member of Her Campus Bryant and interned for Swimming World, a swimming magazine, this past summer.
We were happy to sit with Claire to learn about her summer experience with journalism, how her passion for writing and swimming collided, and what it was like to be published by the most trusted source for aquatic news!
HC: So, tell us a little about Swimming World. What is it? How’d you find it?
CR: I absolutely loved working with Swimming World Magazine over the summer. I am so grateful to my swim coach, Coach Katie here at Bryant, for letting me know about this internship opportunity. Swimming World Magazine is the most trusted source for aquatic news. The magazine publishes short articles everything aquatic related, ranging from an Olympic-level meet recap to puppy swimming races! It’s where a lot of athletes, including myself, post their commitment to swimming in college.
Ever since I can remember I have loved the water, and actually grew up reading this magazine to become more knowledgeable on the sport. My primary role for the internship was writing heartfelt articles for their digital platform and helping share these articles across social media.
HC: What were some of your favorite experiences from your summer internship?
CR: Without a doubt, my FAVORITE experience from this summer was being able to use creative freedom to share meaningful messages with our readers. A close second favorite would be that I really loved establishing connections with my fellow interns all over the world.
I also enjoyed having the opportunity to reach out and communicate with well-respected members of the aquatic world in order to get direct quotes for my articles. In addition to writing articles for the magazine, I was able to network with the other interns. It was fun to work with people all over the world who shared the same passion for swimming and writing!
HC: Did you learn anything new you can bring to Her Campus? Did you apply things you learned from HC to your internship?
CR: Yes, I am so excited to translate the skills that I learned from Swimming World Magazine to Her Campus! I spent all summer learning the ropes of digital journalism, and especially ways to help better maximize reader engagement. I am very grateful to Her Campus for teaching me to write with sincere passion and voice, and I carried those skills onto Swimming World.
HC: What is some advice you can give to someone who is interested in pursuing either an internship, extra-curricular, or full-time job in journalism?
CR: The best advice that someone told me was to build your digital profile the best you can. I would also recommend starting a blog about something that you enjoy or are passionate about. If you aren’t the blog type, try writing articles and send them to smaller magazines. Go for it. Why not?!
HC: Finally, is there anything you would like people to know about Swimming World, your internship in general, or any other journalism experiences you’ve had?
CR: I would like people to know that internships or writing articles is similar to any other hobby or sport. You get out of it what you put into it. I know that I could have simply submitted the articles I was assigned every other week and would have completed the internship on task. However, I am happy that I made the effort to get to know the other interns and took the time to do additional research and interviews. It wasn’t always easy but at the end of the week, I was proud to put my name on the articles. Most of all, writing can be fun!
Her Campus Bryant wants to thank Claire for sharing her experiences with us! We look forward to seeing what this year holds for you in Her Campus and beyond!
Want to read some of Claire’s most popular articles? We’ve got them right here!
Morgan’s Inspiration Island is First-Ever Water Park Designed for Disabled Kids
Why Your Team Is Your Sorority: Pledge Swimma Cappa Goggle
Pulling Back the Curtain on Paralympic Swimming With National A Team Member Ahalya Lettenberger
All photos provided by Claire Russell
Gif graphics by Giphy.com