Meet the summer 2026 AFRO interns 

By AFRO Intern Team

Each summer, students from around the country participate in the AFRO internship program. Whether it be winter, summer, spring or fall, the student journalists who participate in the program gain valuable technical skills and experience in the field of journalism.

The National Survey of College Internships (NSCI) 2021 Report from the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that 21.5 percent of the 12,130 college students surveyed reported taking an internship. The AFRO celebrates having our dedicated interns in the 2026 summer session.

The AFRO internship remains special to former interns, including Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott. 

The AFRO interns had an opportunity to speak with Mayor Scott after a chance meeting downtown while on a lunch break during their orientation session. He spoke about the importance of the AFRO internships.

“The AFRO internship is a little different. It’s the history you get to learn, and you get to be a part of history at the same time,” he said. “Spend time at the archives, learn about preserving your history and writing. I learned so much about the responsibility I had when I had a voice like that. That’s where I learned it–at the AFRO.”

Read below to discover more about the summer 2026 AFRO interns. 

Briannia Robinson 
Villanova University

Briannia Robinson is a rising sophomore, political science student on the pre-law track at Villanova University. She was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised there until the age of 8. She then moved to Philadelphia, Pa., and has since lived in the area. She serves as the real chat coordinator for Villanova’s Black Student Union and is involved in the university’s public speaking and debate program and Black Law Student Association. Briannia’s experience includes advocacy work with Philly Bolt and Urban Advocates, as well as serving as an election poll worker. Through her work with AFRO News, she looks forward to strengthening the writing and storytelling skills that will support his future career in law and public service.

“I always wanted to strengthen my writing and comprehension skills in pursuit of my law career. This internship would teach me how to analyze facts, think critically and meet deadlines in a professional environment. This experience will prepare me to effectively advocate for clients and succeed in my legal career,” Robinson said. 

Makayla Walker 
Clark Atlanta University

Makayla Walker is a rising sophomore at Clark Atlanta University, majoring in mass media arts with a concentration in journalism. Born and raised in Baltimore, she feels a deep sense of pride working for one of the most notable papers in the Black Press, which got its start in her hometown. She’s conscious of how crucial journalism is within this current political climate and aims to further the legacy of previous Black journalists who refused to be silenced. Her writing will be informative and serve as a vessel for connection within the Black community. She looks forward to gaining hands-on experience in the newsroom, while also forming lasting connections with my peers and supervisors. 

“I always enjoyed curating stories growing up, and I’ve always understood the importance of representing Black stories due to growing up with a lack of positive and accurate depictions of Black people,” said Walker. 

Morgan Carpenter
North Carolina A&T State University

Morgan Carpenter is a rising honors sophomore at North Carolina A&T State University, majoring in journalism and mass communications with a concentration in public relations. Born in Fairfax, Va., but raised in Fayetteville, N.C., Morgan is proud to have her roots in the South. She serves as an honors ambassador for the College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences and a basketball and football sportswriter for the NC A&T Chapter of APSE. Through the AFRO, Morgan is looking forward to gaining hands-on experience in journalism and strengthening her public relations skills. 

“I really want to be a sports PR agent,” said Carpenter.  “I would love to work my way up to having my own PR agency that more than just sports. It would touch the entertainment, music, fashion and luxury industries.” “Just become a tycoon essentially,” she finished.

Andrew Hall
Morgan State University

Andrew Hall is a rising sophomore, multimedia journalism major from Baltimore, currently attending Morgan State University. During his freshman year, Andrew served as an intern at WEAA 88.9 and was a photojournalist for Morgan’s student-run newspaper, The Spokesman. As a published writer and former student apprentice for the Baltimore County Public Schools Department of Communications and Community Outreach, Andrew has experience with writing, graphic design, shortform video content and photography. From the AFRO, Andrew seeks to gain experience in the field, form relationships and build his portfolio. 

“My favorite part of journalism is telling stories about people. I like to tell positive stories … stories of people who are underappreciated in the community,” said Hall. “I think we have enough negative stories in the world.”

Goundo Gueye
Towson University

Goundo Gueye is a rising junior at Towson University, majoring in communications. Before joining Towson University, Goundo received her associate’s degree in general studies from the Community College of Baltimore County, where she was part of the honors program and a dean’s list student. Born and raised in Baltimore, she has been a long time participant of the Bridges Baltimore program, where she has been able to learn about different careers and gain new opportunities to propel her future in human resources and talent acquisition. With an interest in creative writing, she is excited to further explore that interest and learn the positive impacts that writing has on communities. Goundo hopes to further sharpen her skills in problem solving, team building and communication through her internship at AFRO News. 

“I like building people from the ground up, kind of like helping them grow,” she says. “I want to be able to gain a sense of fulfillment through these stories and see how much these stories create such a positive impact on the Black community.”

Zeasia Long
Morgan State University

Zeasia Long is a rising junior at Morgan State University, majoring in strategic communications. Long is a Bard High School Early College graduate, which allowed her to excel and advance two years above her peers. She wishes to hopefully pursue a career in public relations or marketing, as Long has built a strong interest in poetry and fashion. For the past 10 years, Long has been a part of Bridges Baltimore, an organization that played a crucial role in helping her gain exposure to many different career paths. She credits the organization with opening the door to many new opportunities, such as her two-week internship at the AFRO News. Through this experience, Long wishes to build a strong foundation as a writer and incorporate these improved skills into her career.

“I want to be able to become a better writer and be able to apply it to my everyday life, such as being able to write newsletters and emails,” she says. “Hopefully this experience will help me figure out what I want to do with my degree and with public relations. There are so many aspects to it, so I feel like having this experience will help me be more hands-on while exploring different opportunities as well.”

Shawn Ware
Syracuse University

Shawn Ware is a sophomore at Syracuse University majoring in television, radio and film. Born in Baltimore, Shawn found her passion for writing and film through writing in English classes at school. She has shown strong leadership skills through co-founding the theater department at her high school, and serving as the set manager and audio operator in film clubs at Syracuse. Shawn is published in multiple publications, and served as an intern for Baltimore Public Media through the Bloomberg Arts internship during the summer of 2024 through the spring of 2025. In the future, she hopes to go into a career of screenwriting and directing. Through the AFRO, Shawn is hoping to gain more writing experience, and explore different forms of writing.

“The AFRO teach me different writing avenues out there, and teach me more about Baltimore,” she says. 

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