Schools
WHIZ KID OF THE WEEK: Brandon Goldner
Pikesville High School graduate has a career in journalism in his sights. Now a student at the University of Maryland he's already on his way with a job as intern at NBC's "Meet the Press," in Washington.
Whiz Kid's Name: Brandon Goldner
Whiz Kid's Age: 18
Whiz Kid's School: University of Maryland
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Whiz Kid's Accomplishment: Interns at NBC’s “Meet the Press” in Washington
Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness: Already interned at WMAR for two years while at Pikesville High School, and was editor of school newspaper.
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Brandon Goldner can’t stay out late on Saturday nights like most freshmen at the University of Maryland. But that’s fine with him.
The reason: Goldner is an intern at NBC’s reknowned “Meet The Press” TV show, and he’s required to make his way to Washington by around 5 a.m. Sundays for taping.
The internship basically serves as a class for Goldner, who wants to be a journalist. “I’ve learned so much, and it’s a lot of fun watching all these correspondents on TV and then seeing them in the hallways and in real life,” Goldner said. “It’s been an amazing experience.”
Goldner works there two to four days a week, with a schedule that varies. He does the kind of tasks that interns do, escorting the guests and running scripts around during the controlled craziness that taping a TV show brings.
But it’s also a lot of fun because Goldner gets to see some big-name folks.
“You’re meeting so many people there,” he said. “One weekend I’m meeting Gov. Mitch Daniels (R-Indiana), another week I’m meeting the Rev. Al Sharpton. It’s all these powerful people, and it’s amazing. (Each is) a regular person, just like you and me.”
Goldner has been through some of this before. He worked at “Teen Perspective 2 News” at WMAR during his junior and senior years at Pikesville. In addition, he was on the staff of the Pikesville High School newspaper, The Pipeline, for three years, eventually serving as the editor his senior year.
But for Goldner, the “Meet the Press” internship has taken the journalism experience to a different level, and he'll be there for the rest of this semester. “I’m learning how to research guests, how to prepare an interview,” he said. “'Meet the Press' is known for asking politicians all these tough questions, and it’s just amazing to see the process going into it. It’s just interesting to see how it all comes together.”