Lucy Mason’s Experience at Omaha Magazine
For Lucy Mason, writing has always been at the center of her academic and professional journey. From working on the school paper in high school to contributing to The Gateway at UNO as their Culture Editor, she knew her next step needed to push her creativity while sharpening her reporting skills. That’s what drew her to an internship at the Omaha Magazine.
“I wanted to see the difference between how a newspaper ran compared to a magazine,” Mason explained. “With newspapers being very news-driven, I wanted something that let me lean into my more creative side.”
After discovering the internship opportunity on a University of Nebraska at Lincoln intern page, Mason reached out directly to the hiring manager, submitted her CV and writing samples, and soon found herself sitting across from Daisy, a managing editor for the magazine who would later offer her the position.
From the start, Mason’s internship balanced familiarity with new challenges. She wrote event calendars and contributed to the “economic insights” section of the B2B issue, but she also stepped outside her comfort zone by tackling research-heavy assignments and reaching out to sources that weren’t always the easiest to get a hold of. Along the way, however, she also covered concerts, interviewed a touring musician, and even wrote a dining feature for CATALYST, which she noted were some of the most exciting parts of her internship experience.
Her time at the magazine taught her valuable lessons beyond writing. She strengthened her time management skills, gained confidence in office culture, and learned how to make opportunities for herself. However, she said, “I am most proud of how I reached out to places and learned how to get opportunities made for me, or to get sources to respond who were difficult to get in contact with. This is the toughest part of the job, and it is something that I am very glad I got to practice because it was not my strong suit.”
Looking ahead, Mason sees her future in media as dynamic, and people focused. While she loves writing, she also hopes for a career that keeps her moving, exploring, and connecting outside of a desk. “[Working at the magazine] taught me that working with a team and putting a project together is what I am really passionate about and what I enjoy doing in terms of a future career, which is essentially what media is at its root.”
Her advice for future interns? Be proactive. “Walk in, being prepared to make opportunities for yourself and really try to get as much out of it as you can. Omaha Magazine has a huge name, and you can milk it correctly if you try. You'll have the opportunity to interview people you want, review shows you want, be able to go to places and do interesting articles if you make space for yourself to do so.”
