The Program
For ten weeks each summer as part of the Charmaine McKissick-Melton Communications Fellowship, NCCU Mass Communications majors are embedded in working communications offices throughout Duke University – from the medical center to the dining service, from documentary studies to university communications.
This is real-world work interviewing, writing, recording and strategizing with close supervision and coaching from professional staff. The experience gives students a glimpse into possible careers, adds published works to their personal portfolios, and connects them with references and mentorship they can draw on for years to come.
Summer 2025 will be the 18th year of this program, which has provided opportunities to nearly 200 NCCU students so far. Many alumni have gone on to careers in public relations and media and some have been hired by Duke.
The Process
January – March: Students will complete a Boot Camp at NCCU, led by Brett Chambers, to prepare for the application process, job interviews, and professional expectations.
Early February: Applications are due. Interested students must submit their resumes and work samples for review.
Mid -February: Internship job descriptions will be shared with applicants. Students must select and submit their top three internship preferences. Their materials will then be shared with the appropriate Duke supervisors for review.
March 5: Students and sponsors will participate in a Matching Mixer, where they will engage in speed interviews. Both parties will rank their preferences, with matches being made based on student priorities. Attendance at this event is required.
May 27: Fellowships begin. Fellows will work 20 hours per week on a structured schedule determined in collaboration with their supervisors. Interns are expected to be on campus and engaged with their teams as much as possible.
May – August: Fellows will attend Lunch and Learn sessions featuring program alumni, career counselors, media professionals, and industry experts to deepen their understanding of the field.
Early August: The program concludes with a Portfolio Showcase, where Fellows will present their work and reflect on their experiences. By the end of the Fellowship, students will have published work for their portfolios and a professional reference to support their next career steps.
The Compensation
Mac Fellows will be compensated at a rate of $18/ hour, up to 20 hours per week, over a period of 10 weeks. In addition, they will receive a stipend of $3,500, taxed, as a living allowance to help cover expenses for housing, transportation, and meals. For Fellows who require housing arrangements, the $3,500 stipend will be utilized to facilitate the housing arrangements.
Trusted Partners: Our Past Sponsors
Over the years, the Mac Fellowship has been supported by a diverse network of sponsors committed to mentoring the next generation of communications professionals. Our past sponsors have provided invaluable hands-on experience, helping fellows develop essential skills and build lasting industry connections. Our past Sponsors have included:
- Durham Community Affairs
- Department of Medicine
- Kenan Instititue of Ethics
- Sanford School of Policy
- Faith & Leadership
- Office of Communications, Marketing, and Public Affairs
- Dept of OB/GYN
Our Namesake
In 2021, we renamed this life-changing experience for Charmaine McKissick-Melton Ph.D., who was an award-winning professor at North Carolina Central University for 15 years before retiring in 2022. She founded this internship partnership with Duke, led the creation of the NCCU Mass Communications Department, and spearheaded the creation of NCCU’s first digital media lab.
Dr. Mac received her B.A. and master’s in speech communication with a specialization in radio, television, and film from UNC-Chapel Hill and Northern Illinois University, respectively. She worked in the communications industry for ten years, in radio and television sales and management. From 1993 to 1996, she was a Lyman T. Johnson Research Teaching Fellow at the University of Kentucky, where she earned her Ph.D. in communications with a focus on race relations. She previously taught at Notre Dame and Bennett College in Greensboro, NC.
A daughter of Durham, Charmaine was one of the students who helped desegregate the Durham public schools as a third-grader. Her father, Floyd McKissick Sr., was a civil rights lawyer and co-leader of The Durham Committee on Negro Affairs who helped defend the Royal Ice Cream Parlor sit-in defendants in 1957. Her parents welcomed into their home and shared meals with civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr., Jesse Jackson, Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael, Ralph Abernathy, James Farmer, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Harvey Gantt.
In other words, Charmaine McKissick-Melton is Durham royalty, in addition to being a much-admired professor who touched many young lives at NCCU. We are proud to honor her with this program.
Charmaine McKissick-Melton received her B.A. in radio, television, and film from the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill and a master’s in speech communication with a specialization in radio, television, and film from Northern Illinois University. She worked in the communications industry for ten years, in radio and television sales and management. From 1993 to 1996 she was a Lyman T. Johnson Research Teaching Fellow at the University of Kentucky, where she received her Ph.D. in communications with a focus on race relations. She previously taught at the University of Notre Dame and Bennett College in Greensboro, NC.
A daughter of Durham, Charmaine was one of the students who helped desegregate the Durham public schools as a third-grader. Her father, Floyd McKissick Sr., was a civil rights lawyer and co-leader of The Durham Committee on Negro Affairs who helped defend the Royal Ice Cream Parlor sit-in defendants in 1957. Her parents welcomed into their home and shared meals with civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr., Jesse Jackson, Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael, Ralph Abernathy, James Farmer, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Harvey Gantt.
In other words, Charmaine McKissick-Melton is Durham royalty, in addition to being a much-admired professor who touched many young lives at NCCU. We are proud to honor her with this program.
Shaping Communicators: Brett Chambers’ Dedication to the Mac Fellowship
Brett Chambers, a 1979 graduate of Duke University’s public policy program, has been instrumental in the Charmaine McKissick-Melton Communications Fellowship since its inception. For more than a decade, Chambers had dedicated himself to nurturing the next generation of mass communication professionals through the Mac Fellowship.
With over three decades of experience in broadcasting, including roles as a producer and director for ABC’s WTVD in Durham, Chambers brings invaluable industry expertise to the fellowship. Transitioning from media to academia, he now imparts his extensive knowledge to students, preparing them for the dynamic field of communications.
Through his unwavering commitment, Brett Chambers continues to shape the Charmaine McKissick-Melton Communications Fellowship into a transformative platform. His efforts bridge academic learning with real-world application, offering aspiring communicators a comprehensive and enriching experiences.
See What Some Former Interns Thought
“I interned at Duke University two summers in a row, in 2021 remotely, and 2022 in person. Both internships provided a great learning experience. My first internship at Learning Innovation helped me learn how it would be to work from home while still doing my job. I also gained a better understanding of how it would be to attend professional meetings. My second internship at University Communications provided work experience that would be closer to my future career goal of being a news producer. At UComms, I improved my video editing and writing skills.
Duke’s internships have been such a helpful resource for me and have prepared me for what it would be like to actually have a job in my major.
Rebecca Smith
Mass Communication – Broadcast Media
North Carolina Central University Class of 2023
“This internship allowed me to become comfortable with public speaking and confident about sharing my ideas judgement-free. I have learned and improved on so many different levels and I know that I will continue to utilize the skills I’ve learned.
Not only has this helped me zone-in on an area of communications I enjoy working in, I now have a partnership with one of the top schools on my resume and professional work to show.”
An anonymous member of the 2022 program.
“The Charmaine McKissick-Melton fellows’ program was an eye-opening experience that led me to curate my portfolio, build connections, and have hands-on experience in the health care industry. It was incredibly helpful to see the types of jobs available with a Mass Comm. degree and the fellows program offered a variety of avenues for us to pursue.
Dr. Mac was my academic advisor at NCCU and those moments in her office every semester were so meaningful. I recall thinking ‘Dr. Mac has so much soul and passion – we are so blessed to be able to learn from her,’ I looked forward to going to her class each day.”
Chelsea Taft
Mass Communication – Public Relations
North Carolina Central University Class of 2021
For More Information:
Brett Chambers |NCCU Department of Mass Communication | bchambers@nccu.edu | 919-530-5046
Pamela Gibbs-Smith | Duke University Office of Communications, Marketing, and Public Affairs | pamela.gibbs-smith@duke.edu
Yvanna Cajina | Duke University Office of Communications, Marketing, and Public Affairs | yvanna.cajina@duke.edu