Trent University’s Chris Chang-Yen Phillips, a graduating fourth-year student in International Development and Environmental and Resource Studies / Science, was selected as one of four students from across Canada to spend the summer working with CBC Radio as part of the prestigious Peter Gzowski Internship Program.

This month, Mr. Phillips began his internship by working on a morning program at the Canadian Broadcasting Centre in Toronto. Following some preliminary training, Mr. Phillips is now working to find stories, write scripts for program hosts and prepare guests. In the near future he hopes to engage with more in-depth areas of broadcasting, including mixing audio and making mini-documentaries. Mr. Phillips will spend the remainder of his internship working for various radio shows across the country until August 2011.

Mr. Phillips believes Trent’s broad-base of interdisciplinary learning has helped nurture his journalistic inclinations. “The International Development Studies department has a strong culture of asking critical questions and digging behind surface stories,” said Mr. Phillips on his experiences at Trent.

In addition, Mr. Phillips has had a vested interest in the student-run media available at Trent, such as Arthur newspaper and Trent Radio. On the importance of these outlets to his experience, Mr. Phillips added, “There aren’t many opportunities you’ll have in life to get such broad license to find stories or issues you’re interested in and just run with them.”

Following the internship, Mr. Phillips is interested in a career in journalism as his passions for learning, telling stories, and finding out more about the world are flourishing with this internship.

Created to honour the memory of Peter Gzowski, who died in 2002, the internship program with CBC Radio is available to final-year university students at four institutions across Canada. Each institution has a link to the well-known author, broadcaster and columnist. The schools are: Trent University, McGill University in Montreal, Memorial University in St. John’s and Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. Peter Gzowski was chancellor at Trent University from 1999-2002.

A highly coveted employment opportunity, the CBC Radio Peter Gzowski Internship Program seeks out students who are highly creative, curious about the world, engaged in the community, and have an interest in pursuing a career with public radio. The selection committee looks for students who are adaptable, think critically and have a love for writing.