This is the 19th and final in a series of articles about summer internships for students in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications.UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Benjamin Dennis wants to be on camera, and he doesn’t care if he looks a little disheveled — in fact, he may prefer it.“When the anchor in the studio goes live to someone on the street, I want to be the guy on the street,” the Penn State senior journalism major said. “I want to be the one investigating the story … no tie, top button unbuttoned, in the field getting dirty.”This summer, Dennis interned in Washington, D.C., at NBC’s “Meet the Press,” the top-rated Sunday morning news program and, at 70 years old, the longest-running television show ever. Dennis set his sights on journalism after auditioning for the School of Theatre. After four tries, barely missing on a few roles, he joined the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications. Now, he says, working on camera professionally has become an inevitability — and others agree.“Ben loves the camera,” said Justin Peligri, who hired Dennis at “Meet the Press.” “It would not surprise me if he had a front-facing role on TV someday working on Capitol Hill.”This summer, Dennis rubbed elbows with not only “Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd, but a number of guests like Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore.Dennis was tasked with making guests feel at home while they prepped for their interview with Todd. However, during the week he also dug up information and research topics that would help Todd grill guests the following Sunday. “The show is once a week, so there is a lot to cover,” Dennis said. “I worked with the producers to make content for the show by presenting all the information that I can find on an issue. I found sound bites, b-roll video and op-eds in newspapers that provided insights for our panelists.”Peligri, a former producer at “Meet the Press,” said Dennis’ enthusiasm and passion for politics shined as he greeted and ushered in in-studio guests each week. “Ben is personable and really enjoyed the social aspect of getting to know D.C. A-listers and chatting with them in the green room,” he said.In addition to the weekly “Meet the Press” responsibilities, Dennis also contributed to MSNBC behind the scenes. Over the summer, the news network changed office buildings and Dennis had the opportunity to see the organization transition to a new headquarters just blocks from the Capitol Building.Dennis said seeing directors working in the control room every day and watching stories come together were especially thrilling experiences. Recording on-location tapings all around D.C. also was a highlight. Hours were sometimes long and the tasks challenging, but it was exactly what he hoped for when he accepted the position.“I had a meeting with Chuck Todd a week ago and I told him my story,” Dennis said. “I said, ‘Chuck, it’s easier to be opinionated, and I don’t like easy, so that is why I work in the news.’ I would much rather investigate things that people need answers for than just state my opinion.”The interest in news gathering started at a young age for Dennis. Growing up in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, he said the local-to-DC newscasters on WRC-TV/NBC4 were like “childhood heroes.” Little did he know by his senior year of college, he would be walking by those same heroes in the NBC hallways.But Dennis doesn’t do a lot of looking backward. When it comes to college, his career, even the state of the journalism industry, it’s all about moving forward.For much of last year, Dennis was heavily involved in the Students for Hillary Clinton group. He had been interested in politics before, but his experience with the organization put him in the middle of a heated election attending rallies and canvasing neighborhoods. In November, Dennis didn’t dwell on the loss. He took his new-found passion for politics and kept moving forward.“It’s important to keep your head on straight and don’t look back, so I’m trying to take every opportunity I can while doing that,” Dennis said. “Penn State has the resources to make it work, it’s up to me to go for it. Put my foot in the door. No matter what happens, I am going to learn something.”Peligri said Dennis’ work with the Clinton Campaign helped him secure one of the four summer intern spots at “Meet the Press,” which focuses almost exclusively on politics. He added that the program recruits students who have a combination of research experience, interest in politics, and enthusiasm.“Ben is attuned to politics on Capitol Hill and has an intellectual curiosity about all things D.C.,” Peligri said. “Plus, he has a universal sense of enthusiasm, and he was really excited to be a part of the ‘Meet the Press’ team.”Summer internships at “Meet the Press” require a lot of social sacrifice, Peligri said. It can include working on weekends and very early Sunday mornings. “It is not how a lot of college students want to spend their summer,” he said. “But Ben volunteered to work whenever I needed him, sometimes outside normal hours, and never complained. He did it with gusto, which speaks to his character.”Dennis finished his time with “Meet the Press” on Aug. 20 and was already onto his next internship by the following day. He will be interning at CNN’s “The Lead” with host Jake Tapper this fall. The internship is a part of the Bellisario College’s Stanley E. Degler Washington Program, which offers a variety of opportunities for undergraduates in the Washington, D.C., area.“It’s exciting,” Dennis said. “It’s a blank canvas. I don’t have any barriers of what I’m working on. I am just ready to get out there and get my boots wet and feet in the dirt.” Let’s block ads! (Why?)
Source: Princeton

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