DaniRae Renno’s ’25 growth as a writer was accelerated over the summer through a valuable internship with Pennsylvania Legislative Correspondents Association (PLCA), which saw the Elizabethtown College junior Journalism major working with veteran reporters and learning how the state legislature operates.

A student-athlete on the Blue Jay Women’s Basketball and Track & Field teams, Renno’s immersive, real-world experience this past summer complemented her growing list of on-campus jobs and activities which includes a role as an Assistant News Editor with Etown’s student newspaper, the Etownian; a position as a student writer within the Office of Marketing and Communications; and a volunteer with ECTV, the College’s student-run television station.

Through a Q&A below, learn how Renno’s unique internship experience has set her up for future success as an aspiring journalist.

DaniRae Renno’s ’25

Describe your internship experience this past summer. What did a typical day look like?

I interned with the Pennsylvania Legislative Correspondents Association (PLCA), a coalition of Pennsylvania Capitol reporters. Each day I worked from the newsroom in the state Capitol building in Harrisburg. I did two- or three-week rotations with outlets in the PLCA — the Pennsylvania Capital-Star, Penn-Live, The Philadelphia Inquirer, SpotlightPA, and the Lancaster Newspapers (LNP).

I followed the beat of Harrisburg, covering breaking and developing news from the state Capitol. Every day was a little bit different, but I attended press conferences, interviewed legislators, and wrote articles.

What inspired you to pursue this opportunity?

I was sent this opportunity by both of my advisors, Dr. Kirsten Johnson (Elizabethtown College Professor of Communications) and Dr. Tara Moore (Elizabethtown College Assistant Professor of English). They always push me to try new opportunities, and both knew I was interested in political reporting. I’ve had both Dr. Johnson and Dr. Moore in class, and they helped me hone my writing skills and gave me the confidence to pursue the internship! I am passionate about covering state and local politics, and knew this opportunity was perfect for me!

What was the most interesting or surprising part of this experience?

It was very interesting to learn how our state legislature works. The daily processes were different than I expected. My favorite time was during budget week because it was a whirlwind of committee meetings and voting sessions. While it was overwhelming at first, I’m so thankful for the PLCA reporters for helping me learn about the legislature and letting me tag along on stakeouts!

What skills did you learn?

I had the opportunity to meet with a veteran Associated Press reporter every two weeks to go over my stories. These experiences were always humbling but took my writing skills to another level. I also learned different interview skills, and how to obtain an interview and comment from people who don’t necessarily want to comment.

How is Etown setting you up to be successful in your career?

Etown set me up for success right away by providing focused writing classes in my first year. These classes allowed me to secure internships because of the skills I was taught in class. I truly appreciate the personal relationship I’ve developed with many of my professors, and the attention and care they show to each word of my writing.

Talk about the importance of getting involved in internships/opportunities early into your Etown experience and why that is beneficial for your future career. 

Getting involved in internships early is important especially in journalism because experience is the best teacher. Being surrounded by seasoned reporters who are willing to help you is the most beneficial environment I’ve ever been in, and I’m so grateful for the experiences I’ve had.