LAURINBURG — The Laurinburg Exchange welcomed its newest college intern this week when Octavia Johnson joined the newsroom staff.

Johnson, a senior at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, began her internship on Thursday and will be with the newspaper for the fall semester.

“We are pleased an excited to welcome Octavia to the newspaper, and look forward to working with her over the next few months,” said W. Curt Vincent, editor of The Exchange. “Octavia brings a positive attitude and keen interest in journalism that will blend in well with the staff here.”

Johnson is pursuing a bachelor of science degree in mass communications/journalism with a minor in creative writing from UNCP.

“I originally heard about the internship opportunity from my academic adviser Dr. Judy Curtis,” Johnson said, “but my decision on wanting to do the internship came from Jessica Horne, former UNCP Pine Needle senior staff member, after she completed her internship at The Laurinburg Exchange back in the spring.”

“Hearing about how much she felt welcomed and ‘learned the difference between a good journalist and a great journalist’ made me want to gain that same experience to push my career on becoming a journalist,” she added.

Johnson has served as the campus life editor for the Pine Needle and has had extensive experience with posting to social media as a communications intern with Volunteers of America.

“Writing for the college newspaper gives Octavia valuable experience and serves as a good springboard into the professional world of journalism,” Vincent said. “We hope she will leave here after a solid experience that will help her obtain a job in the field.”

While with The Exchange, Johnson will have the opportunity to write a wide variety of stories, from features to news, as well as sharpen her editing skills.

Johnson
https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_Octavia-Johnson.jpgJohnson
Senior at UNCP to serve as a fall semester intern

Staff report