Rachael Haldeman is a senior completing an internship in video production at BCTV in Reading.
Rachael, can you tell us a bit about what your plans are for after graduation? Have you selected a college and a major?
I hope to get accepted into Temple University so I can attend there after high school. I plan on majoring in Film and Media Arts.
Can you tell us a bit about your internship? What does a typical day look like for you?
When I arrive at the BCTV office, there may or may not be a recording going on or starting. If there is, I join in and help in any way I can, typically manning a camera. If there is not, I’ll end up editing bumpers, which are little 10-15-second clips for in-between programs, or I’ll edit a program instead.
How did you select your internship? Did someone help you select it? Did you seek out the opportunity on your own? Were you asked to do the internship?
I really wanted an internship to help me decide what I wanted to do in college. I knew we had an internship program here at Exeter, so I reached out to Mr. Ricketts in hopes of something to do with film and video production.
Do you think your internship is helping you feel more confident about your decision to go to college and pursue your major?
Absolutely. I was unsure about if I really wanted to go into film, but I knew I had a slight interest in it at the very least. Working at BCTV and seeing the filming and post-production processes has really helped and inspired me.
What do you like most about your internship?
I thoroughly enjoy it when I’m operating a camera. When I was still learning the basics of the field cameras they have, it really interested me. Now that I know how to use them, it’s a joy to be operating them.
And finally, what would be your advice to a high school student who's thinking about Exeter's internship program?
My advice would be to just do it. If you’re unsure or debating it, do it. Take advantage of it. It’s a chance to learn about what you may or may not enjoy in the future, and what kind of work environments you can handle. There are plenty of different businesses that are willing to work with students at Exeter. I highly recommend the program.