This meteorology student’s summer internship was a breeze

For rising senior Hanna “Bell” Tucker, an internship with the FOX 5 News Weather Department was a long shot. 

“As a meteorology student, it was hard to find a media-based internship,” said the George Mason University atmospheric sciences major. “[In my field] it’s mostly researching and working with data, so trying to find a position where I’d get experience with both my major and communications was really difficult.”

Many of the internship job descriptions specified that they were looking for journalism majors, said Tucker, but she was not deterred. 

Tucker was eventually interviewed by FOX 5’s human resources director Murphy Baker and two weeks later was told that she had been accepted for the internship position. She has spent her summer in the Bethesda, Maryland, news studio gaining experience as a weather personality. 

“I’m the only meteorology major, but they've been really helpful in showing me what to do. You just really have to take initiative there and ask questions about how you can contribute,” said Tucker, who transferred to George Mason from Liberty University.  

Tucker said the College of Science course CLIM 301 Weather Analysis and Prediction, taught by Bohua Huang, a professor in the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences, helped her prepare for the responsibilities of her internship. 

The course has two parts—a lecture session and a lab session. The lab simulation led by Professors Zafer Boybeyi and Steve Zubrick was another important resource, said Tucker. 

“We would do presentations where we would screenshot the models to predict and describe the weather for the week and present them to our peers in the lab,” said Tucker. “I'd say that was my most useful experience in regards to going into broadcast meteorology.” 

Zubrick, who was previously a senior meteorologist and experienced weather forecaster with the National Weather Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, was able to provide great insight for Tucker as she prepared to apply for internships. 

“The student-led weather briefing is a major part of the lab sessions, where students lead a weather discussion with the whole class,” said Huang.  

“Students learn how communicate information of weather analysis and forecasts through presentation and discussion. Weather briefing and discussion is a daily practice in many weather forecast offices, so this is great training for students in the atmospheric sciences major,” he said. 

“I love attending George Mason, especially because of the people that I’ve met and the [Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences] Department,” said Tucker.  

“The biggest lesson I've learned is to try to be confident,” she added. “I put myself out there, and if I hadn’t, I would’ve never gotten this opportunity. I think just by taking small steps and putting yourself out there, it could take you a long way.”