PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – My name is A’lauren Gilchrist. I am a senior studying Mass Communications and Journalism at Norfolk State University (NSU), and a proud Hampton Roads native. As I wrap up my first two weeks at WAVY TV 10, all I can do is stand in awe of how I made it here and how life feels surreal.
To be placed in this internship isn’t just a coincidence, but divine alignment. To understand how this internship impacts me, you must first know the story of getting here.
It was just yesterday that I was a senior at Nansemond River High School. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic with prom 2022 only a few weeks away, I was in search of a prom dress, and my school was hosting a giveaway event. Near the end of my search, Candace Creedle, an administrator, pulled me aside to give me the opportunity to be interviewed by WAVY TV 10, which was covering the event.
Here is the 2022 news report.
A few moments later I walked over to the cameras and met Aesia Toliver for the first time. I was excited to meet her in person because she was someone I looked up to because she looks like me, and as an aspiring journalist this only encouraged me that I could someday be like her. We took pictures and I watched the story air that evening full of excitement.
After that interview I had no idea I would run into her again during my first few semesters at NSU, along with several other members of the WAVY TV 10 team through various professional events catering to my major.
I first met Nikia Worsham my freshman year at a career fair NSU hosted during Spring 2023. She encouraged me to apply for internships once I was a rising junior and to keep moving forward.
In September 2023, I had the honor of attending an event held on my campus celebrating the retirement and achievements of former WAVY TV 10 anchor, Don Roberts. I will always consider him a legend.
At this event I met several members of the WAVY team and began to form lasting connections. I vividly remember meeting Reporter Andy Fox, Anchor Katie Collett, Meteorologist Jeremy Wheeler and several others.
At the end of the night I took a picture with the majority of the WAVY team that came out to support Don Roberts. That night itself was special because of the gems I received from the various media professionals and the encouragement they offered.
Spring 2024, as a sophomore looking into my junior year, I decided to apply for the WAVY TV 10 summer internships. Yet after several interviews, I was unfortunately denied the opportunity, which ultimately took a toll on me because I thought for sure the door would finally be opened to me to intern, especially since I had put my best foot forward on my application, showcasing all the contributions I have made in the media department on my campus.
Yet God works in mysterious ways. This spring the applications came out again, and two of my friends who had interned during the spring 2025 semester encouraged me to apply again for the summer 2025 term.
I would be a liar to say that I wasn’t apprehensive after submitting my applications for all the open departments. As the semester came closer to a close I was afraid that I would face another round of rejection.
I even remember expressing my concerns with Don Roberts after a panel I moderated sponsored by the NSU chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and he encouraged me to keep the hope and that “it would come.”
About two weeks later I got the call from my now supervisor Jane Alvarez-Wertz offering me a position as a digital news intern. That call brought me so much joy. Since joining the WAVY team as an intern, I have truly felt at home.
Walking into a newsroom with so many familiar faces truly makes me happy and gives me a sense of belonging. To go from watching WAVY as a child and teen, to actually working alongside the team and learning is a surreal feeling.
My favorite part of the internship so far has been attending the morning pitch meetings, because everyday there is something different brought to the table, and I have seen how the media is influenced just by the stories that are selected on a daily basis to be told.
My first assignment outside of the newsroom has been my most exciting memory thus far. I was able to shadow Aesia Toliver and Don Slater at Harborfest and learn the ropes of what it takes to field anchor at a public event.
I was amazed to see how the show came together and how it truly takes a dedicated team to pull off a successful show all while entertaining the public.
I truly learned a lot and enjoyed seeing all of the WAVY TV 10 media personalities give back to the community through interaction, conversations, pictures, and smiles. This event showed me how much the community and surrounding cities rely on the news and feel connected to those who tell the story.
I want to one day have that same impact where the community at large trusts me to give them the truth and accurate information.
I also had the role of creating social media for the event. I truly enjoyed being able to create something that captured how I felt throughout the event. It was even sweeter to see my work published on the WAVY page.
The goal of this internship is to grow as a young professional in the media industry and give me the tools to finish my senior year at NSU strong, so I can pursue a career in news. I look forward to spending the majority of my summer at WAVY and believe this is just another stepping stone for the future.