Over the last several years the Department of English has provided an opportunity for English majors and minors to serve as the department's Digital Media Intern. The candidates selected have attended department related events, interviewed English students/faculty, written articles and profiles that have been uploaded to the department website, and their works have also been posted across the department's various social media outlets.
Each intern selected has demonstrated excellent writing abilities, keen audience awareness, and an understanding of basic journalistic writing principles. These digital media interns work 5-10 hours per week under the guidance of the department’s DUSA and Web and Communication Specialist.
Each intern has earned 0.5 credit course under ENG 398. Examples of former interns works can be found throughout our site's News section.
Sophia Berg
Sophia Berg is a sophomore from Gilbert, AZ majoring in English with an interest in Political Science and Classics. Her favorite English course so far is The Legend of King Arthur taught by Dr. April Henry. Sophia believes that the English major serves to instruct on every facet of any potential career, from the development of essential writing techniques to the adoption of strong voice and choice rhetoric. After graduation, Sophia intends to attend law school with the hopes of pursuing a career in civil litigation. She hopes that the skills that she will acquire over her English major education will ensure a strong understanding of writing and research that will prepare her for a successful legal education.
On a given Friday night, Sophia can be found relaxing with a good book or some friends, and loves a good coffee chat or autumn stroll. Sophia is happy to answer any questions concerning English, Duke, or anything else that comes to mind!
Caroline Petrow-Cohen (2020)
Caroline is an English major, Environmental Science & Policy minor, and Policy Journalism and Media Studies certificate candidate. With her previous experience writing for NC news outlets, she’s an exceptional student to have on board for our unusual semester.
Jordan Diamond (2019)
Jordan Diamond, Duke University class of 2021, studies English with certificates in Jewish Studies and Human Rights. Jordan enjoyed working as a Digital Media Intern for Duke English because of all the interesting students, professors, and opportunities he was exposed to in the English Department. This summer he is working with queer homeless youth as a participant in DukeEngage San Francisco, and in the future plans to attend graduate school.
Caitie Buteau (2018)
Caitie is a senior, English and Public Policy double major who is also minoring in Sociology. She is currently finishing her creative writing thesis which is an exploration of identity and how it impacts day-to-day life. Her thesis will addresses issues like mental health and illnesses, bullying, sexual assault, and also just being away from home. In reference to her thesis she states: “I want to give people an inside look on what it is like to live a day in the life of someone that deals with these issues everyday and how I chose to define myself now, in spite of these labels, and who I want see myself become.”
Reflecting on her experience as digital media intern, during her junior year at Duke, “ I learned so much through working with the English department and my time interning allowed me to meet teachers, students, and alumnae I wouldn't have had the chance to meet otherwise. It was an amazing opportunity to create a portfolio of my work and take a step to more real-world applications for my studies.” “The Duke English department has really enabled me to make my own path and, while I am not sure what the future holds, I am confident the skills I have gained here will prove useful. “
Charles Sutherland (2016)
Charlie Sutherland is a fiction author and screenwriter living in Fairfax, California. He was recently published by Bridge & Tunnel Books "Goldfarb" and plays with a three-piece folk band called Red Pony in the Bay Area. He worked in the writers' room on House of Cards for its final season, and counts himself lucky to have been given a chance to interview one of his heroes, Professor Vic Strandberg, while working as a Digital Media Intern for the English Department.
Sofía Manfredi (2015)
Sofía Manfredi was a Digital Media intern during the fall of 2015. She enjoyed the internship, and she especially appreciated the writing skills it gave her. After graduating, she worked as an Editorial Assistant and later a Staff Writer at ClickHole. In the fall of 2018, she left ClickHole for a Staff Writer job at Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj. She still writes there.