International experience helps student stretch comfort zone with Czech TV

(Editor’s note: This is the eighth in a series of stories about students in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications completing summer internships.)

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — When you’re in another country, halfway around the world, it’s sometimes easier to adapt and try things, and Jake McGlinchey has been doing that quite well.

McGlinchey considers himself a behind-the-scenes guy, but he’s been front and center at times during an internship with Czech TV this summer. He’s part of a team of Penn State interns who are helping create content and curate the network’s English language social media channels and website.

McGlinchey works in the TV network’s newsroom a couple days a week. On other days, he’s in the field. Students regularly accompany reporters who go into the field to report their stories. The interns are there to shadow and support, and they’re also expected to create their own content.

Along with timely, almost-breaking news pieces for the website, McGlinchey has put together more evergreen pieces — including videos about cultural differences between the Czech Republic and the United States. Those have included topics like tipping culture and the tram system. One of his first on-location stories was about a garlic festival.

“It’s been kind of a belly-of-the-beast thing,” McGlinchey said. “I was a little overwhelmed at first. You have to keep asking questions. You’re asking the reporter about their angle for a story, trying to do some behind-the-scenes things related to their story and at the same time preparing for your story that’ll go on the website.”

McGlinchey, a junior telecommunications major from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, has worked as a production associate for the State College Spikes, as a television studio lab assistant for PSN-TV and as a member of live production teams for the Big Ten Network and CommAgency during his time at Penn State. Again, those are almost exclusively behind-the-scenes roles.

His summer internship as part of the CzechMates program in conjunction with Masaryk University has given him a different perspective. He’s a little more visible, but the same person at the core.

“Jake is thoughtful, self-reflective, kind and curious,” said Michael Elavsky, the Masaryk University faculty member in charge of the program. He was previously a faculty member at Penn State. “He is also committed to getting as much out of the experience here — in and beyond our program — as possible. His work ethic is also notable.”

McGlinchey told Elavsky he was most comfortable with a behind-the-scenes role when he was first applying for internships as part of the program. But nothing was available. Plus, after seeing McGlinchey’s approach and work in class earlier in the year, Elavsky was confident he’d thrive in the internship, he said.

“I’m loving it so far. It’s a lot of fun,” McGlinchey said. “You get involved with the community as well, and you get a lot of freedom with what you want to create.”

McGlinchey, who rarely wastes a minute with inactivity, has also been working with fellow Penn State student Catherine Pinto on a side project. It’s a documentary focused on Walk of Peace, an organization that examines how World War I and its history impacted the community and country.

The students conducted four days of filming along with a significant amount of research related to World War I and its impact.

Elavsky has helped 12 Penn State students find internships through the CzechMates program this summer. That’s part of his plan to build a community around the students’ experience in the country — typically the combination of a Maymester course, an internship and weekly meetings to nurture connections.

“This summer Penn State students are interacting with not only other students from around the United States, but also to those from around the world,” Elavsky said. “It’s truly an international experience of a deeper sort for those who actively engage in it while they’re here — and Jake is one of those who’s doing that really well.”