When I first heard Jeff Gray speak in early October, I noticed he had a Southern accent. He was an editorial intern for Street Sense and he was giving out papers to the vendors. As we engaged in conversation he told me he was from Little Rock, Arkansas, and that he had gone to Ole Miss. As we continued our conversation the topic turned to one of my favorites: sports. I found out that Jeff and I had something in common: we both like sports.
As time went on I found we had something else in common. We both like to write. When it was time for me to have my profile in the paper, Jeff wrote it. During the interview we got to know each other better.
When our editor asked me to do a recap of the Super Bowl I jumped at the opportunity. I got with Jeff so that he could give me some pointers. That’s when I found out what a good teacher Jeff was. He showed me the format to use when writing a recap. He also showed me how to use different words so that you can keep the attention of the reader. But most of all, he was patient.
When I found out that Jeff’s internship would be over at the end of March I decided I would write about my experience working with him and what he plans for the next part of his life. He’s looking to stay in DC and find a job by June.
“What I’m looking for is anything to do with writing,” he said.
He is now a volunteer writer for an Ole Miss sports blog. He expects this experience to add to his resume. Jeff hopes his future lands him with a job as a sports writer.
“I’ve always been good at writing and always had a passion for sports. It makes sense to put them together,” he said.
Jeff says that he’s gained a lot of experience during his time at Street Sense.
“I’ve learned a lot about journalism. Because I never had it in school, everything I’ve learned about journalism comes through the internship.”
Jeff’s internship has ended, but he still volunteers at Street Sense. Jeff, I just want you to know that it has been a pleasure learning from you and working with you. I wish you the best with your career.
