From College Radio to International Airwaves: Payton Cavanaugh’s Internship Journey at Voice of America

January 21, 2025 The Washington Center

Payton Cavanaugh at the U.S. Capitol Building during her Academic Internship Program

Payton Cavanaugh, a junior at Emerson College majoring in International Relations, made waves during her internship at Voice of America (VOA). With a passion for storytelling and global communication, Payton took on roles that go far beyond the typical intern experience. From hosting Larry London’s Border Crossings to producing VOA60 World segments, Payton’s hands-on work shaped her future and fueled her passion for a career in broadcast journalism.

“At VOA, I was challenged every day to step outside my comfort zone and grow as a professional,” Payton shared. “It’s been an incredible experience to host real-world radio and work on projects that connect audiences across the globe.”

Tell us more about your internship at Voice of America.

Throughout my time at Border Crossings, I was able to direct, produce and host a real show broadcast around the globe, giving me hands-on experience in the world of radio! My responsibilities were vast and varied a bit from week to week, but one of my favorite weekly tasks was interviewing musicians/bands and producing features on their new music to be aired on the show. I also interned twice a week in the mornings in the newsroom on VOA60 where I collected live-wired footage on the top stories around the world and produced VOA60 World, which is a one-minute compilation of the five top stories of the day in world news!

Tell us about a project or experience you worked on during your internship stood out to you, and how it helped build your confidence or passion for a future job or career.

I’m so fortunate to have worked for someone who allows his interns to truly try everything, and my supervisor tasked me with hosting VOA’s top 40 radio during his weekly time slots. As someone who has only ever hosted college radio, it was such a joy to be able to challenge myself to host radio in a real-world professional setting, getting tips and advice from seasoned journalists.

What are some of the specific skills and networking opportunities you have gained during this experience that you’ll take with you to a future job?

While at VOA I was able to really put into practice editing and operating under a tight deadline. In the journalism industry, one of the most important things is being able to operate under a quick turn-around, and VOA has really allowed me to put that into practice. Not only that, but I’ve learned many tips and tricks on how to effectively and efficiently produce content, which will certainly help me in my future job.

What was your “only in D.C.” moment?

When I first found out about TWC as a freshman in college, I knew I wanted to come to D.C. during the Fall of an election year. Being here, I was able to report on Vice President Kamala Harris’ election night watch party and historic campaign stops. It was such a rewarding experience to be here reporting on an inherently historic election and I’ll never forget that.

What were things that you were concerned about when applying for the program?

When I first applied to TWC, my biggest concern was honestly financial and being able to afford living here. The costs of living in D.C. can be relatively cumbersome, but I lucked out in being roommates with some of my now best friends who were also in similar situations. One way we overcame that was group grocery shopping to split costs and finding fun and affordable experiences in the city. One cool thing about D.C. is that there is always something to do, and you can always find free and affordable events and activities.

What’s the number one piece of advice you would give to a student considering joining the TWC program?

You should absolutely join this program! Being able to expand your horizons and develop professionally while still participating in your studies in a city rich with culture and history is such a unique experience. It’s not uncommon that you might find yourself right in the middle of truly historic moments, and being able to be in the room where it happens is a memorable and rewarding experience.

How has the support of The Washington Center Housing Scholarship expanded your opportunity via TWC and career exploration?

I am so fortunate to have been awarded The Washington Center Housing Scholarship. As a first-generation low-income student, resources like these play a pivotal role in my ability to participate in programs like this. Being able to come to TWC and expand my horizons professionally has truly helped me to find where I fit in my career path. While here I was able to meet with alumni from my college, Emerson College, like Pallavi Reddy, who so graciously took me on a personal tour of CNN’s headquarters in D.C. and answered all my questions about the career field. As a senior journalism major graduating in May, experiences and connections like that truly help me to break into the spaces I've only ever dreamed of. It’s because of resources like The Washington Center, and the connections I’ve been able to foster at Emerson, that experiences like that are possible.

About the Author

The Washington Center

The Washington Center is the largest and most established student internship program in Washington, D.C. Since our founding, we've helped more than 60,000 individuals from across the U.S. and around the globe expand their academic pursuits into rewarding jobs and careers. We use our scale and expertise to deliver solutions that open career pathways for learners, solve recruitment challenges for employers, while helping create greater access, equity, advancement and representation.

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