Malik Zorrock discusses his internship with the Lowell Sun.

Northern Essex Community College alumni and interns shared a meal as well as industry inside information during the recent fall semester’s Internship Program Recognition Luncheon.

Journalism & Communication, Business, Art and Computer Information Science students who participated in the 14-week long internship program, dined on a luncheon catered by Simply Elegant Caterers. Alumni, faculty, and students talked shop, engaged in small talk and shared their stories of what brought them to NECC. Alumni outlined their journey while interns discussed their future path.

Following the dinner Malik Zorrok, who interned as a sports reporter at the Lowell Sun, presented an overview of the internship. He said his job included writing sports “roundups” and quickly moving on to covering events like half marathons, women’s college basketball, local football and soccer. In addition to punching up his writing skills, he said he had to learn the more subtle act of “reading” his boss and “getting to know” his coworkers.

“I learned a little something every single day,” he said.

Cleo Brigham talks about her internship at NBC Boston.

Cleo Brigham, who also presented, interned at NBC Boston. She landed the gig after meeting NBC Boston lead meteorologist Matt Noyes, who was NECC’s guest graduation speaker last May. After two months of persistence she was hired for the Special Projects Unit where she transcribed video footage for reporters and when necessary assisted photographers and researched stories.

Zorrock and Brigham agreed that their internships provided valuable hands-on experience which has actually helped them redefine their future goals.

The presentations were followed by a panel discussion of NECC alumni including Peter Provencher, a senior at UMass Lowell; Carl Russo, a staff photographer at the North of Boston Media Group; Joanel Vasquez, a PhD candidate at UMass Lowell; Alison Posey, a finance and accounting associate at a venture capital group; Bobby Karlberg, an account manager at Verizon; and Rachel Burgard, a relationship strategist.

Participants in the internship program each received a certificate of completion.

NECC Internships provide students with a great opportunity to gain real-word experience and insight into a career. NECC students can gain credit through an internship course or pursue internships independently by applying through NECClink.

For details on the NECC internship class, please contact Ashley Moore at 978-56-3964 or amoore@necc.mass.edu.