by Carolina Zimbron, Student Public Relations Writer
For a college student, securing an internship at a leading media outlet in the country is a big deal. Jair Mobley, a senior majoring in broadcasting, digital media and journalism, worked the internship of his dreams this past summer with the Educational Media Foundation--the parent company of K-LOVE and Air1 radio networks.
K-LOVE and Air1 have more than 800 radio stations across the United States and Mobley, from Houston, Texas, spent the summer before his final year at Cedarville University in Ohio working as an audio programming intern with K-LOVE. In this role, he worked alongside local and network production supervisors to develop public affairs segments and network imaging for the radio station.
“I started looking for internships in November last year,” said Mobley. “The reason why I was able to get the internship with K-LOVE was because of one of my professors — Jim Leightenheimer. He sent me the job posting and played a huge role in this process, from inviting me to attend various media conferences to sending me emails of support and guidance. He was a key factor in K-LOVE offering me the internship of my dreams.”
Throughout his time at K-LOVE, Mobley built upon skills he learned in his classes, working at Cedarville’s Resound Radio and as the editing producer of the Cedarville Stories Podcast.
“The professors at Cedarville University prepare students well for their lives after graduation,” said Mobley. “I came into the internship with K-LOVE equipped for the work because I learned these skills in my audio classes and from working at Resound and for the podcast. As a result, I grew a lot in my creative skills, which has allowed me to improve the production here at Resound.”
Being far away from home and in an unfamiliar environment also helped Mobley in his professional and personal development. Although he’s nearing the completion of his academic studies, Mobley realized more than ever the importance of the basics in life — eating and sleeping.
Without assistance from a college dining hall or friends to hold him accountable, Mobley learned how to care for himself — from making his lunches to setting boundaries that allowed him to gain the proper amount of sleep every night.
“There is so much this internship taught me, and the obvious were the audio and editing skills,” said Mobley. “Being on my own, perhaps for the first time, helped me to get a little taste of what life will be like after I graduate and enter the workforce. This was a real-world life lesson for me.”
The internship with K-LOVE was a dream come true for Mobley. It taught him additional skills that will pave the way for a successful career. But it also proved to be an invaluable lesson in being personally responsible for his life’s decisions.
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is a Baptist university with undergraduate programs in arts, sciences, and professional programs, and graduate programs. With an enrollment of 5,456 students in 175 areas of study, Cedarville is one of the largest private universities in Ohio and is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, and high graduation and retention rates. For more information about the University, visit cedarville.edu.