My name is Mary Carol Butterfield. I am a junior at the University of Georgia, majoring in journalism and political science. The Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication is preparing me for a career in gathering, analyzing and delivering the news on various platforms. In addition to my double-major, I am also working towards a certificate in New Media to learn how to approach and harness the power of emerging media.

Last summer I interned at WYFF News 4 in my hometown of Greenville, South Carolina. As a news intern, I shadowed anchors, reporters and producers, gaining experience writing scripts, doing stand-ups, creating packages and utilizing social media to reach a larger audience. The highlight of my internship was covering the South Carolina state primary and runoff elections.

I have always known this was the career path for me. From a young age, I loved reading. I always saw books as an escape, a learning experience, and an opportunity to let my imagination roam free. During elementary school, my love for reading stories translated to a love of writing them. Shortly after I entered high school, I realized that I enjoyed writing not because of the characters I could create or the adventures I could envision but because of my passion for telling stories. Through competing on my high school’s speech and debate team, I found that sharing the stories of real people and events impacting our world today was as inspiring and exciting as imagining my own. My passion for journalism emerged overnight, and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was born to share people’s stories.

They say if you love what you do you will never work a day in your life. If that is the case, I can’t wait to get down to work in a newsroom.