Jonah was a Legal Analyst for the Media Research Center during Summer 2025.
Briefly explain what you did and the result of your internship.
I researched media bias and censorship in advocacy for free speech and equal platforming of liberals and conservatives. My research centered around AI and I would then write articles exposing the bias or censorship that the AI chatbot had produced in its generated response. I also helped my Boss in preparation to testify before Congress about the rise of antisemitism and participated in various other workshops that helped me develop professional competencies and better market myself to future employers. Here is a link to the articles I wrote: https://mrcfreespeechamerica.org/user/jonah-messinger
What did you learn on your internship that you were not expecting to learn?
I learned how to write more persuasively, in a journalistic fashion rather than an academic one. I learned how to get people to want to read what I wrote.
How have your future plans changed because of what you learned from your internship experience?
Not as of yet, but I would definitely be open to exploring options to do journalism or article writing/editing in the future. However, I do still plan on attending law school first.
Please share how your experience led to personal inspiration or insightful revelation.
The biggest revelation to me was just how hard writing can be. Before the internship, I was overly confident in my writing abilities, but the internship humbled me as the editing process thoroughly and repeatedly humbled me. However, it also taught me many new things, including how to accept criticism and feedback.
Would you recommend this internship to other students?
Yes! The work atmosphere is amazing and it was a ton of fun to work with the people there. They also really invest in the interns and provide workshops for you to grow in your professional capacities.
Is there anything else you would like to say regarding your internship?
I believe that this internship was a great balance of investing in my own professional development while also demanding that I work hard and improve over time. However, the supervisors at the MRC are very nice, and while stern at times, are easy to get along with. They do not mince words, which may be hard for some but was great for me.
