As the PNA Foundation wraps up its inaugural internship pipeline program, which placed Pennsylvania college students in paid summer positions at PNA member newsrooms, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s intern, Jaison Nieves, shared his thoughts about his experience.

“My experience at The Inquirer has surpassed my expectations. My team has done a great job teaching me a variety of skills. I didn’t expect the level of creative freedom I was given to make decisions and adjust content on the website—but I appreciated it. I’ve become more versatile as a news media professional thanks to everything I’ve learned. Most importantly, I’ve gained confidence through the mentorship I’ve received.”

Ray Boyd, director of syndication and social media at The Inquirer and Jaison’s mentor, offered similar sentiment. “We haven’t had an intern at our desk in quite some time. I am very pleased with how much Jaison stepped up to do in such a short amount of time. It’s been wonderful to have him.”

The initiative was made possible through partnerships with the National Association of Black Journalists, the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation and Temple University, with support from The Lenfest Institute for Journalism and private donors. The PNAF intends to offer this opportunity again next year. Contact PNAF Executive Director Tanya Henderson for more information.