Taylor Brumbaugh and Scotlyn Ogle
Editorial interns Taylor Brumbaugh (left) and Scotlyn Ogle (right)
An internship at Fort Worth Magazine is always a whirlwind experience. But perhaps no one experienced the whirlwind quite like our spring 2020 editorial interns — Taylor Brumbaugh (TCU'20) and Scotlyn Ogle (UNT'20) — who, about halfway through the semester, were consigned to work from home due to COVID-19.
Still, both continued plugging away at their assignments, doing everything from updating the Dining Guide to covering stories online — you may have even seen their bylines once or twice.
But, alas, their time at the magazine has come to a close. Before they head off to conquer the world, Taylor and Scotlyn are sharing about their experiences and also have some advice for those who follow their footsteps.
Before you started your internship, what did you imagine working at a magazine would be like? How did that change when you started working with us?
TB: Well, for one, I thought I would be coming into work every day, but then COVID-19 had other plans. I also thought that as an intern I would be handed the boring stories nobody wanted to pursue, but that was not the case. I had a blast writing every single story assigned to me.
SO: I always imagined working at a magazine would be just as hectic as newsrooms, but they are way more laid-back. Fort Worth Magazine showed me how to balance the fun aspects and the business aspects of working for a magazine, and that finding a happy medium is possible.
What's the craziest thing you've had to do as an intern?
SO: The craziest thing I had to do during my time at Fort Worth Magazine would have to be when I went to the Fort Worth Zoo to watch a rhino predict the 2020 Super Bowl winner. We stood in freezing weather for an hour before the rhino finally made his prediction, but it was definitely worth it for the experience, even if he guessed wrong.
TB: The craziest things I’ve had to do as an intern was learn how to do my job under social distancing conditions (shoutout to FaceTime and Zoom for coming in clutch) and watch "Tiger King" as "research" for a story.
What's your favorite story you worked on?
SO: My favorite story I’ve done would probably be when I wrote about the new FreePlay opening up. I had already been going to the one in Denton with my friends, so it was really cool to meet and interview the owner and his wife, and get to see behind the scenes of a fun local business.
TB: "Wilder on the Taylor" is definitely my favorite story I have worked on. As an aspiring travel writer, this was a great way to get my feet wet.
What advice would you give future interns of Fort Worth Magazine?
TB: I would advise future interns to read past articles the magazine has published to get a feel for the writing style, don’t be shy about pitching stories or asking questions. And, of course, have fun.
SO: Take every opportunity that you are given. You only get out of an internship what you put in, so you need to be willing to get out of your comfort zone to learn everything that this internship has to offer.
If you're a college student interested in interning with Fort Worth Magazine, apply here.