Inside the walls of network TV news station NBC 5-KXAS, two broadcast communication majors are interning in hopes of soon landing a job.

Broadcast communication senior Christine Nicholson is an online writer and photographer for the station’s website, NBCDFW.com. She hopes to turn her experiences into a career at NBC, so she recently applied to the web department.

Unlike other NBC interns, a lot of their work happens outside the station while covering breaking news. Nicholson has covered festivals, exhibits and other events across the Metroplex in preparation for her ultimate goal of being a TV reporter.

“I love the thrill of reporting,” she said. “The opportunity to report all over D-FW is amazing.”

A typical day at work for Nicholson begins when she meets with her supervisor, Greg Janda, in the web department. If Nicholson has no stories, she emails him story pitches for his approval. She said he’ll either give her the green light on an article or assign something else NBCDFW is working on.

Nicholson takes photos, makes phone calls and writes, updating the website from anywhere with Internet access. In addition, she follows NBC reporters like Annie Potasznik, scene correspondent and video journalist, to get hands-on knowledge of how professionals collect the news.

Potasznik said students seeking internships should possess traits like tenacity, creativity and a positive can-do attitude.

Another UTA student interning is broadcast communication senior Krystal Okoro. She works with both the sports and web departments.

Okoro observes the daily routine of producing and writing. She said she’s been able to write a little for some sports segments and edit some clips.

She said on any given day, any number of breaking stories could be the focus of the newsroom, so it helps to take initiative as an intern in this high-pressure environment.

“Everyone is working a mile a minute,” she said. “Being assertive is essential.”

For instance, when Okoro pitches stories for the web, she is concerned about what the station will find interesting or newsworthy.

“Thinking of ideas to pitch for the site can be stressful,” she said.

Among Okoro’s favorite experiences at NBC are photo shoots in Frisco and visits to the locker room and the press box at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

“Having lunch a couple feet from Nolan Ryan was also very surreal,” she said

Okoro said she feels like a fly on the wall, because she gets to listen to things not many get to hear.

“Being at the station and observing the inner-workings of a television station is very cool,” she said.

Nicholson and Okoro encourage students who want to intern at NBC 5-KXAS to send a cover letter and resume to the Fort Worth station’s human resources office as early as possible.

“It’s definitely a challenging, yet rewarding way to prepare for a broadcast career, and a chance to explore the Metroplex with a reporter’s eye,” Nicholson said.

Both students’ internships end in May, when Nicholson should hear if she got the job or not.