Scoring an Internship: Hilltop Experiences Help Daelyn Waters (C’23) Work with Orioles & Wizards
A Maryland native, Daelyn Waters (C’23) completed an internship with the Baltimore Orioles this past summer, where she was able to apply skills she learned from her academics and extracurriculars at Georgetown.
This “incredible experience” enabled Waters to get a digital media internship with her dream team, the Washington Wizards and launch her career path as a sports videographer.
A Passion for Production
Waters working at Camden Yards filming for the Orioles
Waters’ interest in production and sports videography started while taking a television production class in high school. After coming to Georgetown, Waters’ passion increased through her sports journalism work with the Voice and as a video content intern with the athletics department.
“I learned so much through my experience with GU Athletics because I was not only able to make social media content and film games, but also had the opportunity to attend meetings with experts in their fields,” Waters says.
One such individual was Tony Price, video director for the Baltimore Orioles. Through the GU Athletics meetings, Price became one of Waters’ mentors and encouraged her to apply to the Orioles internship position for that summer for which she was later accepted.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Waters completed the first half of her internship virtually, where she worked on editing the videos that were projected on the stadium’s large screens during games. After getting vaccinated, Waters was able to come into the Orioles office, The Warehouse, where she shot games alongside her boss and coworkers.
In the span of a few months, Waters learned filming, editing and technical skills that are crucial in a sports videography career.
“The internship was such a rewarding experience because I learned so much both in person and virtually and I was able to see my work showcased on the video boards at games which was amazing,” Waters says. “ It also gave me the knowledge and qualifications I needed to apply for an internship with the team of my dreams — the Washington Wizards.” Waters says.
Midway through the fall semester, Waters began working as a digital media intern for the Wizards. As part of this, Waters attends home games to create video content for social media platforms like Twitter, Tik Tok and Instagram. She is also able to collaborate with full time employees and work different media events such as training days at the Wizards’ practice facility.
Academics Aiding Athletics
Waters at her Washington Wizards internship
An American music culture major in the Department of Performing Arts with two minors in journalism and film and media studies, Waters’ academic studies are deeply tied to her zeal for sports. The junior says that her coursework helped hone her interests and prepare for the sports team internships.
“I am able to take what I learn in my film classes or my journalism classes and apply that to my real world experience with the Orioles, the Washington Wizards or Georgetown athletics,” Waters explains. “My journalism courses in particular helped me when I was working with the Voice and doing sports recaps and articles for any of the games I have attended.”
As a student studying a range of subjects in the humanities, Waters has had numerous professors and members of the Georgetown community support and encourage her work. Professors Anthony DelDonna, Jay Hammond and Robynn Stilwell mentor Waters in both her performing arts department classes as a student and in her participation in the Friday Music Concert Series as an employee, where she videos the concerts.
Waters also found great encouragement from former assistant director of marketing, Vaughan Moss, and Kynan Marlin, the manager of creative content for GU Athletics. Both helped her grow as a videographer and connected her with opportunities and individuals in the industry.
Marlin says that “Daelyn has an extremely great work ethic and always puts out amazing products.”
“She is extremely creative and I can always trust that whenever she picks up an assignment, she will do an excellent job on it,” he continues. “Her work is incredible and I think that’s evident through all of the projects she has done for us, and by all the opportunities she has been able to do outside of Georgetown Athletics.”
Ann Oldenburg, assistant director of the journalism program at Georgetown who taught Waters says that she “is truly an outstanding student.”
“When Daelyn took my Digital News course, which includes an assignment involving creating a news video, Daelyn turned in a report about local sports returning after being sidelined by the pandemic. It could easily have appeared on any TV evening newscast; it was that good,” Oldenburg continues. “I can’t wait to see where her career path takes her — any media outlet will be lucky to get her. She’s creative, she’s hard-working and she’s thoughtful of everyone around her.”
Hilltop Hobbies
Waters working for GU Athletics at the Capital One Arena before a Georgetown basketball game
In addition to her academics and internships, Waters is also a dancer and creative director for the coed hip hop dance team Groove Theory.
As part of her federal work study, Waters is a Georgetown storyteller through the Georgetown Stories Initiative. Through this program, Waters serves as a representative for the university and produces video and multimedia content to post on the school’s various platforms.
The junior says that she is thankful for the opportunities that she has had while she has been a student on the Hilltop.
“Georgetown was my dream school, so I’ve been pleased with all the communities and networks that I’ve built during my time here,” Waters says. “I look forward to continuing on my path as a sports videographer because I truly love it, it never feels like work. The connections I’ve made through the university have helped set me on that path.”
– by Shelby Roller (G’19)
