While on the job, Nancherla has gained valuable experience in the world of radio and journalism. "Participants in the internship program have the opportunity to work with experienced professionals in all divisions of NPR, from production of news and programming to human resources, information technology and more," the station's press release claims. "The interns are making tangible and valuable contributions to NPR as well as gaining hands-on professional experience."
Nancherla corroborates the release's depiction of her role with NPR, one of the world's largest news distributors, although her position does not entail much close work in radio. "I actually work for the Web site so I don't get as much direct access to the radio programs, but I get to sit in on editorial meetings, help produce supplemental content to the stories on the Web site, help analyze blog reader comments, put up music links and a variety of other tasks," Nancherla said. "There are also intern brownbag sessions where we meet with various staff members to learn more about what they do."
As a function of her position, Nancherla has often been at the forefront of the country's most pertinent happenings. "The best part about the job is just being in the environment of daily news and constantly hearing what's coming up or getting different perspectives of a situation," she said. "It's a very unique place to work. I got to work on a partial birth abortion project as well as a project dealing with Jack Abramoff. You learn a lot more than you thought you would just by reading through so many different news sources."
In addition to assisting the behind-the-scenes machinations at NPR, Nancherla will assume a more prominent role today when the station airs this spring's Intern Edition. The show, produced by Georgetown University senior Catherine Xu, is also written and directed by the 33 interns serving at the station's D.C. office. Considering that 25 million Americans tune in weekly to one of NPR's 800 affiliated stations, the onus of putting together a show is a hefty one. Interns work in teams with each other and with full-time NPR employees Doug Mitchell and Amy Blaszyk to produce the show. Nancherla, wary of revealing too much prior to Intern Edition's airing, described her segment as "a commentary on what life in the real world is like after college, and about how everything can become a metaphor for your future."
Life in the real world is understandably a topic on Nancherla's mind. After her internship with NPR concludes later this spring, Nancherla plans on seeking a job elsewhere in journalism. According to the profile on Intern Edition's Web site, her dream job is as a columnist. "I'm definitely interested in the world of media, be it TV, print, online, or radio," she said. "I'm still finding my bearing. Check back in five years; make that 10, actually."
Nancherla, who majored in psychology, claims that her experience at Amherst was largely responsible for her concern with media, and her present position with the station. "I developed my interest in journalism through Prism Magazine and the Hamster Satire Journal," she reported.
Nancherla's courses also helped cultivate her understanding of Intern Edition's performance component. "One of my favorite classes … was a history of comedy class I took with [Assistant] Professor Rossi in the classics department," she recalled.
Nancherla is the third Amherst student or alum in recent years to find employment with NPR. Dylan Schneider '06 held an internship with NPR over the summer and Martina Castro '04 recently obtained a job at the station's National Desk shortly after working there as an intern.
Nancherla's position was the result of both good fortune and hard work. "I actually applied a few times to the summer program during my time at Amherst, but did not get accepted," she remembered. "Persistence is a good thing."