2016 irts summer fellows

 2016 IRTS SUMMER FELLOWS Steven Baron
Saint Joseph’s University The IRTS Mel Karmazin Fellow
Steven Baron is a graduating senior from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA; majoring in marketing and minoring in communications, focused in entertainment. Steven has been fortunate to participate in multiple internships ranging from real estate (Very Real Estate) and radio (93.3 WMMR), to management (Target) and most recently, a two-­‐term marketing and sales internship with The Walt Disney Company/WPVI-­‐
TV 6abc. Enthusiastic and highly motivated, during his time on “Hawk Hill,” Steven was a Resident Assistant, Tour Guide, Actor, Men’s Rower, as well as a member of Delta Sigma Pi and the American Marketing Association. Steven wants to utilize his creativity paired with business intuition to bring the joys of entertainment to the world. This summer he will be interning with Wee Beastie. Danielle Brooks University of Wisconsin-­‐Milwaukee The IRTS Thomas S. Murphy Fellow sponsored by ABC National Television Sales Danielle Brooks embraces challenges, and her desire to work in an ever-­‐changing industry sparked her interest in digital media. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism, advertising and media studies and her master’s degree in media studies from the University of Wisconsin-­‐Milwaukee. Danielle is the creator of the lifestyle brand, From a Butterfly, which encourages people to be intentional and live life with purpose. She serves her community by mentoring teenage girls with the organization Young Pearls of the Promise. Danielle’s experience as a mentor and mentee has taught her the value of building relationships and diversity. Her service as an intern for Nina Holiday Entertainment and the 2015 Trumpet Awards enabled her to gain experience working with entertainers, production professionals, and event planners. This summer she is an IRTS Broadcast Sales Associate interning with ABC National Television Sales. John Byon University of Pennsylvania The IRTS Joe Cohen/University of Pennsylvania Fellow sponsored by Bruce Lefkowitz John Byon is a rising senior at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he is double major concentrating in Operations, Information, and Decisions (on a Business Analytics track) and Legal Studies. Through experiences ranging from working at an early stage startup to conducting business policy research, John has enjoyed exploring his keen interest in how business can make a positive impact on the world. He has always been fascinated by emerging technologies and is especially interested in how they are changing the media and entertainment industries. This summer, John is looking forward to working in digital strategy at Initiative, a subsidiary of IPG Mediabrands. Ultimately, he aspires to become a leader in media, using business and creative ventures to improve people’s everyday lives. Katharine Callahan The College of New Jersey IRTS Summer Fellowship sponsored by Verve Mobile Born and raised in the suburban wilderness of northern New Jersey, Katharine Callahan is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Public & Mass Communications at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) with minors in Marketing and International Studies. Katharine studied abroad at the Florence University of the Arts this past spring and spent her time studying marketing in English and ordering food in Italian. While home in the states, she keeps herself occupied as an intern at Princeton Partners Marketing, a preschool teacher at CYO Preschool of Ewing, and an office worker at the TCNJ Tutoring Center. In the past, she has worked as a top sales representative at Vivint, mentor to inner-­‐city students in Trenton, and production manager of the TEDxTCNJ conferences. This summer, Katharine will be a marketing intern at Verve Mobile. 2016 IRTS SUMMER FELLOWS Chandler Condrone University of Tennessee, Knoxville The IRTS Thom Casadonte Memorial Fellow sponsored by Bloomberg Chandler Condrone is a recent graduate of the College of Communication and Information at UTK and a member of the inaugural cohort of the Leadership Studies minor. He graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Journalism and Electronic Media after being named journalism student of the year in 2016. As an undergraduate, Chandler was involved with campus media outlets in many capacities, including writing, reporting, editing, producing, promotions, sales, and management at The Daily Beacon, UT Today, and WUTK-­‐FM. He also completed sales practicums with the top-­‐rated Journal Broadcast Group radio cluster and WVLT-­‐TV, a local CBS-­‐affiliate. As an IRTS Fellow, Chandler will be interning with the marketing and data team at Bloomberg Media. In 2017, he will be attending the Newhouse School’s Advertising Master’s Program at Syracuse University with his twin brother, Chase. The two brothers hope to go into business together in the future, creating innovative advertising work with a focus on positive global messaging. Amy Dai University of Southern California IRTS Summer Fellowship sponsored by Simulmedia Amy Dai is currently one of 50 students annually accepted into the joint program of Business Administration & Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. She is enthusiastic to learn more about efficiencies in the media and entertainment business, such as how to apply available resources to best align business goals with digital marketing strategies and technology in the international market. Previously Amy worked with Turner Broadcasting Systems and Disney ABC Television Group in technology and research roles. Growing up in Cumming, Georgia, Amy volunteered with non-­‐profits and did event planning, which she continues to do today. Amy is interested in optimizing data-­‐driven analytics in marketing and operations and helping companies adopt efficient technologies. This summer Amy will be interning at Simulmedia. KaraAnne Galante Brooklyn College The IRTS Brooklyn College Fellow sponsored by Scott Herman KaraAnne Galante graduated with a B.A. in Communications and a minor in Marketing. While at Brooklyn College, she founded, hosted, and produced City University of New York’s (CUNY’s) first all female sports radio show titled Throw Like a Girl. KaraAnne undoubtedly has a passion for sports that goes beyond what happens on the court, field, rink etc. Some of her past interning experiences were at HBO, News 12 and Don Buchwald & Associates. KaraAnne’s ultimate goal is to make an impact and break the glass ceiling even further for women in sports. She is very excited to start her journey this summer as she interns at CBS Radio’s WFAN. Nicole Godreau Ithaca College The IRTS Helen Karas Memorial Fellow sponsored by Rick Sirvaitis Nicole Godreau, a native New Yorker, is a recent grad from Ithaca College, where she majored in Integrated Marketing Communications -­‐ a mix of advertising, public relations, and business. Recently named the Most Promising Multicultural Student by the American Advertising Federation, Nicole hopes to contribute, engage, and implement change in the media industry by focusing on inclusion and bringing diverse voices to the forefront. She studied abroad in London, and spent a semester in Los Angeles, where she interned at the Discovery Channel and Krupa Consulting. In 2014, Nicole won a New York Women in Communications Award, along with the Park Scholar Rising Junior Award, which granted her a full-­‐tuition scholarship. As an Emma Bowen Scholar, Nicole was able to intern at Food Network every summer throughout her college career. This summer, she will be interning at Spotify on their Ad Sales Monetization team. Nicole aspires to become a Chief Marketing officer for a major television entertainment company. 2016 IRTS SUMMER FELLOWS Nicole Hall University of Florida IRTS Summer Fellowship sponsored by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Nicole Hall is a proud Florida Gator and recent graduate of the University of Florida. With a degree in TV production, she has always had a passion for creating stories and working within the entertainment industry. Nicole has previously held internships with several organizations such as the Home Shopping Network, ION Media Networks, and NATPE in Miami. This summer she will be interning as a Development Fellow at Blackfin. Following the IRTS Fellowship program, Nicole will be entering her first year as an MFA Screenwriting candidate at Boston University. Ultimately, Nicole aspires to write and develop meaningful stories and characters for the television audience. Dana Hilgers University of Illinois Urbana-­‐Champaign IRTS Summer Fellowship sponsored by Turner Dana Hilgers is a rising senior at the University of Illinois, Urbana-­‐Champaign where she is studying advertising and is involved in the American Advertising Federation and Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority, all while working her way through school as an event caterer. She also loves to dabble with photography and videography in her spare time. This summer she will be interning with Turner as an Entertainment Sales Intern, and is excited to be exploring advertising sales through the IRTS program. Ultimately Dana sees herself doing client services or strategy at an advertising agency. Kyle James Ithaca College IRTS Summer Fellowship sponsored by Havas Media Hailing from the small city of Massillon, Ohio, Kyle James is a recent magna cum laude graduate of Ithaca College. An academic at heart, Kyle pursued a dual degree program completing a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications, a Bachelor of Arts in Sport Studies, and two minors in Economics and the Ithaca College Honors Program. As a Roy H. Park Scholar, Kyle had the opportunity to cultivate his passion for using media to drive social change. Most recently, he used social media to showcase the work of LGBTQ+ artists, cover the student protests at Ithaca College surrounding racial inequality on campus, and bring awareness to the issue of active gay men still being unable to donate blood. Formerly an Intern at Out Leadership, a global LGBTQ+ strategic advising firm, he will spend this summer pursuing his passion for media planning at Havas Media. As someone who shares Havas’ commitment to innovation, Kyle is excited to intern with the company. Mylan Jefferson University of Notre Dame IRTS Summer Fellowship sponsored by Facebook Originally from Los Angeles, California, Mylan Jefferson is a rising senior studying finance at the University of Notre Dame. She has had the opportunity to develop strong experience at her campus job with Notre Dame Athletics Communications, as well as at her internship with the Los Angeles Dodgers Media Relations. This summer, Mylan will be interning in the Global Accounts department at Facebook. In the future, she hopes to continue a career in media that will allow her to combine her love of the industry with her passion to give back to the community. 2016 IRTS SUMMER FELLOWS Malik Johnson Monmouth University IRTS Summer Fellowship sponsored by CNBC/NBCUniversal Malik is a rising senior at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, NJ, majoring in Television Broadcasting and minoring in Screen Studies. At Monmouth, Malik is active in many of the clubs and organizations the school has to offer. He has been Scholarship chairman, Recruitment chairman and Social chairman for his fraternity (Phi Kappa Psi), as well as worked on the school’s Interfraternal Council as Fellowship chairman. This past spring, he interned for a TED talk (TEDxNavesink); where he was the video production intern. Malik plans to work within the television industry as an editor after he graduates from Monmouth University. Malik will be interning with CNBC this summer as a Technical Operations intern. Braxton Jones Kansas State University IRTS Summer Fellowship sponsored by Rajah Maples Braxton Jones is a rising senior at Kansas State University, majoring in Mass Communication and minoring in Leadership Studies. Braxton first discovered his passion for the media industry after interning at KAKE-­‐TV (ABC) in Wichita, KS, as well as for the Kansas City Chiefs after his sophomore year. Braxton currently works in the Athletic Communications department at Kansas State and will serve as the Sports Information Director for the Men’s Golf team next fall. Outside of media, he enjoys hanging out with friends and family, watching movies, and playing video games. Braxton’s career aspirations include becoming a sports anchor in a top television market, and this summer he will be interning with CBS News. Raha Maalin College of the Holy Cross IRTS Summer Fellowship sponsored by Unilever Raha Maalin is a rising senior at the College of the Holy Cross, where she is a history major with a Women and Genders Concentration. On campus, she is a Resident Assistant and is involved with many different student organizations. This past summer, she worked as an Account Management intern at BBDO in New York City. Raha is excited to have been selected as an IRTS Fellow and looks forward to spending this summer interning at Unilever in the Media Strategy and Digital Engagement Department. In the future, Raha hopes to have a long successful career while becoming an influential member of the media industry. Alana Martinez Florida International University The IRTS Ari Bluman Memorial Summer Fellow sponsored by GroupM Alana Martinez is a rising senior at Florida International University studying advertising with a minor in marketing. She was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and has been living in Miami, Florida for over 15 years. In the past, Alana has interned at Zubi Advertising, a Hispanic agency, where she focused on media planning. She was also part of the re-­‐launching of the student-­‐run communications agency at FIU where she was in charge of research and strategy. Alana looks forward to an exciting summer as an IRTS Fellow with an internship at GroupM in the broadcast media division. In the future, Alana hopes to establish a career in media planning or media research with the ultimate goal of becoming Vice President of Media Integration for a top advertising agency. 2016 IRTS SUMMER FELLOWS Micah Minter University of Arkansas The IRTS Leslie Moonves Fellow sponsored by CBS Television Station Sales Micah Minter is a 2016 graduate of the University of Arkansas, where he double majored in Communication and Journalism with a focus on Advertising and Public Relations. Micah values education and has a passion for reading, while also enjoying singing. He has studied music for over 10 years. In the past, Micah interned at Batten, Barton, Durstine, and Osborn (BBDO Worldwide), where he focused on Account Management with the Bacardi Limited team. He also interned at Nickelodeon, where he helped manage the Nickelodeon brands sold at Walmart Worldwide and Walmart Online. Micah is a member of Lambda Pi Eta (National Communication Fraternity) and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. This summer, Micah is an IRTS Broadcast Sales Associate and will be interning at CBS Television Station Sales. Micah is seeking a career in media where he can help “build strong brands.” Amala Okpala University of Southern California IRTS Summer Fellowship sponsored by Horizon Media Amala Okpala is a rising senior at the University of Southern California where she is majoring in Communication and minoring in Marketing. Besides balancing her academics, Amala is highly involved at the university. She is currently the Director of Social Awareness for her sorority, the School Site Director for the mentorship organization Women and Youth Supporting Each Other, and a member of USC’s Student Alumni Society. Last spring, Amala interned with Allied Integrated Marketing, an entertainment agency where she helped market Hollywood’s biggest films like Zoolander 2. Amala also worked as a College Marketing Representative for Warner Bros. It was after her internship experiences that Amala found her love for both the media and entertainment industries. This summer, Amala is excited to be interning for Horizon Media in brand strategy. In the future, Amala aspires to work in marketing and business strategy where she hopes to create content that will connect with audiences worldwide. Brian Robins Georgia Institute of Technology IRTS Summer Fellowship sponsored by Facebook Brian Robins is currently a rising senior at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. He is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Literature, Media, & Communication with concentrations in Interaction Design and Media Studies, as well as a certificate in Management Marketing. Since a young age, Brian has always had an interest in the advertisements and promotions associated with media and technology. Next year, Brian will be serving as Georgia Tech’s Student Center Brand Marketing Assistant and will help plan media marketing strategies for the Student Center’s expansion project. He is thrilled and honored to intern with Facebook this summer on their Global Accounts team. In the future, he hopes to combine his media, design, and marketing skills to influence the way we experience controversial topics, pushing for the acceptance of creative, unique, and innovative ideas. Carlamarie Rodriguez Columbia University The IRTS Joanne Mercado Memorial Fellow sponsored by Nielsen Carlamarie Rodriguez is driven by her love of investigating and communicating knowledge to influence personal and societal renewal. She is a rising senior at Columbia University studying Psychology and Statistics. She runs a student non-­‐profit that provides premier college counseling resources to underprivileged high school students, as well as mentoring to first-­‐generation college students. She discovered her love for the media industry as an analytics intern at The Huffington Post, where she analyzed data on North American digital video-­‐viewing behavior and created an insightful slide deck about digital video strategies that optimize consumer reach for OTT services across various platforms. She is grateful to hold the Fellowship named in honor of Joanne Mercado in Client Services at Nielsen this summer. Ultimately, she aspires to spearhead initiatives for audience and content development at a media company. 2016 IRTS SUMMER FELLOWS Brendan Shyrer The City College of New York The IRTS City College of New York Fellow sponsored by Betsy Frank Brendan Shyrer is a graduating communications student at The City College of New York, specializing in Advertising and Public Relations. As a child, he was captivated by the showmanship of infomercial hosts like Billy Mays and Ron Popeil. At 16, he pursued a part-­‐time mall kiosk job where he learned the art of the pitch, rehearsing product demonstrations as if he were preparing for a television audience. Since then he’s sold more than $1.5 million in merchandise. Brendan was President of his school’s student chapter of the American Advertising Federation in 2015, and he conceptualized and implemented an agency-­‐modeling plan to promote school events such as the college’s first annual Relay for Life. He began an advertising strategy internship at Young & Rubicam New York in January 2016, where he practiced developing consumer insights and worked on Dell, RetailMeNot, J.P. Morgan Chase, and new business. As an IRTS Fellow, he will continue to intern at Young & Rubicam, where he hopes to launch his career and further immerse himself in their culture. He aspires to create distinctive advertising and branded entertainment that consumers crave. He says that if a pitch or idea doesn’t make you smile, it’s not good enough. Akiah Singfield Howard University IRTS Summer Fellowship sponsored by NBCUniversal Born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida, Akiah Singfield is a rising senior pursing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Strategic, Legal, and Management Communications with a focus in Media Management and a minor in Business Administration at Howard University. Raised in the south, Akiah has acquired a passion for always having a sense of urgency and sharing her southern hospitality to touch the lives of those within her sphere of influence. She is responsible for implementing the largest school-­‐wide student run media organization through WHUT TV-­‐32 PBS affiliate at Howard University. Akiah’s many leadership positions on campus include being the Student Council President of her class and a Public Relations intern for Spotlight Network, a student run organization for students interested in careers in media. Her future aspirations include graduate school where she wishes to pursue a degree in Communication Policy. This summer she will be interning with the Ad Sales team at NBCUniversal. Margie Smith College of the Holy Cross The IRTS College of the Holy Cross Fellow sponsored by Crown Media Family Networks Margie Smith is a 2016 graduate of the College of the Holy Cross where she majored in Economics, volunteered in the College Marketing and Communications Office, and captained the varsity lacrosse team. She chose Economics because she believes it provides the best insight on the workings of the world, including business, politics and specifically, media. She has interned in Marketing /Public Relations at IT Radix, DeVries Gobal and Kaplow Communications, working primarily with consumer products. Margie is fascinated by the intersection of digital media and consumer behavior. This summer she will be interning at Tremor Video on their Marketing/Communications team. In the future she would like to influence either a segment of the media or a brand; and sees herself working with people -­‐ always -­‐ managing, planning and making things happen! Rob Storey Syracuse University IRTS Summer Fellowship sponsored by Giant Spoon Rob Storey is a rising senior Advertising major at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Born and raised in Manassas, Virginia, his high school journalism experiences eventually led to his decision to pursue strategic communications. In the past he has been involved with TNH, a student run advertising agency, and last summer he worked with Buzz Media Solutions and Organizational Communications Inc. He is also minoring in Information Management and Technology, and hopes to use his computer skills in digital advertising. He is very excited to intern with Giant Spoon this summer and aspires to pursue a career in media planning and work for an advertising agency after college. 2016 IRTS SUMMER FELLOWS Nia Testamark American University The Neil Postman Memorial Summer Fellow sponsored by Jack Myers Nia Testamark is a Clark Atlanta University alumna and a current graduate student at American University. She is a “Jill of all trades of media” and is ready to make her mark as an emerging media mogul. Nia has interned and worked at companies such as HGTV, BunnerWorks and Morris News Service and also worked in communications at American Cancer Society. She has also been published in The Athens Banner-­‐Herald, The Florida Times-­‐Union, Savannah Morning News, The Augusta Chronicle, HGTVGardens.com and most recently XoNecole.com and The Charreah J. Daily. Nia is very excited to be a part of the IRTS Summer Fellowship Program and will be interning at MediaVillage. Daquan Thomas Syracuse University IRTS Summer Fellowship sponsored by Fox Networks "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has," is a Margaret Mead quote that Daquan Thomas lives by. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, he is a recent graduate of Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. During his time at S.U., he studied Public Relations and explored its relevance in both the music industry and the political arena. He has had the opportunity to intern with various companies including WNYW-­‐FOX 5, on their award winning morning show Good Day NY, and Edelman, a leading global communications marketing firm. An avid traveler, Daquan was fortunate to spend last semester studying abroad in London and discovering the history of major European cities including Madrid, Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris and Rome. This summer, Daquan will begin his post graduate career with an internship at Creative Artists Agency, where he hopes to gain essential skills in artist management and talent booking to help launch his career in the entertainment industry. Timothy Tukes Morehouse College The IRTS Donald V. West Fellow sponsored by the Library of American Broadcasting Foundation Timothy Tukes is a rising senior majoring in cinema, television & emerging media studies at Morehouse College. He writes for The Huffington Post, represents the college as campus ambassador for the White House Initiative on HBCUs for the U.S. Department of Education, and works as a research intern at Envision Business Management Group -­‐ a financial services firm based in Atlanta. This summer Timothy will be interning at NBCUniversal’s TODAY.com as a 2016 Summer Diversity Fellow. In the future, Timothy plans to leverage his experience in production and on-­‐air reporting to forge a path as a media executive. Fredrick Wilson Howard University IRTS Summer Fellowship sponsored by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Fredrick Wilson is a 2015 graduate of Mississippi State University, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication with emphasis in Broadcasting and a minor in Marketing. Although Fredrick was born and raised in Jackson, MS, he always had his eye on chasing his dreams in the Big Apple. Having a passion for storytelling and creating inspiring videos that evoke a spirit of change, he received the Salute to Excellence in Collegiate Journalism Award from the National Association of Black Journalists. After a study abroad trip to London during his senior year, he has become obsessed with travel, entertainment, and lifestyle. Upon graduation, Fredrick began pursuing his master’s degree in Black Politics at Howard University in order to become as knowledgeable about the political arena as he is about pop culture. The self-­‐proclaimed social media enthusiast is thrilled to be interning for MTV/MTV2’s Production Team this summer. In the future, he aspires to pair his love for pop culture and political education to become an entertainment news correspondent. 2016 IRTS SUMMER FELLOWS Omar Wilson Morehouse College The IRTS Sumner M. Redstone Fellow sponsored by CBS Television Station Sales Vernon (Omar) Wilson is a graduating senior, majoring in Business Marketing, and minoring in Sales, at Morehouse College. Having grown up in Durham, NC, home of the Duke Blue Devils and minor league Durham Bulls, and just miles away from the UNC Tarheels, NC State Wolfpack, and Carolina Hurricanes, he has been surrounded by sports since birth. Early in his college career he created BallGame Media, his very own sports media & marketing company. Since inception, his video projects and marketing efforts have helped nearly 50 student-­‐athletes (nationally and abroad) obtain full athletic scholarships. By 2014, his own dream came true when he was "drafted" as an original production intern for the National Basketball Association (NBA) League office. Since then, Omar has continued cultivating his skills in the digital marketing and strategy arenas through his work with organizations including the Chick-­‐fil-­‐A and Chris Paul family foundations. As a Fellow in the IRTS Broadcast Sales Associate Program, Omar will be interning with CBS Television Station Sales this summer. Cathy Zhao Colby College IRTS Summer Fellowship sponsored by Peggy Green Cathy Zhao is a recent graduate from Colby College where she majored in International Development and minored in Cinema Studies. Before IRTS, Cathy had the opportunity to intern with the editorial team at PBS NewsHour, immerse herself in multimedia production for the Asia Society, help implement Public Relations campaigns for various NGOs, and experience film and TV production in Prague and Shanghai. This summer, she is excited to dive into the accounts and data analysis side of media at Fullscreen, Channel+. Cathy looks forward to exploring creative media strategy and hopes to help push the media industry towards maximizing its vast potential in empowering youth from different backgrounds.