The impact of reading

For Lyric Gregory 鈥�28, that impact is measured one child, and one book, at a time.

鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing. I feel like I鈥檓 making such a big difference,鈥� said Gregory. 鈥淚 feel like I鈥檓 actually contributing to making Alamance a little bit better.鈥�

Gregory, a psychology major from Virginia Beach, Virginia, is spending his summer as an intern with Alamance Partnership for Children, a nonprofit organization serving young children and families throughout Alamance County. He supports the organization鈥檚 efforts to provide supplies to families in need, advance literacy initiatives and redesign its library and children鈥檚 area.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a really cool feeling to give a child a book and see their eyes light up,鈥� Gregory said. 鈥淚 never thought kids would be so excited to see books. There was this one kid, just seeing the joy on his face when he asked his mom, 鈥楲ook, they鈥檙e going to have books. Can I have one?鈥� It hit me in the feels.鈥�

Launched in 2021, Campus Alamance connects 黑料不打烊 students with paid internships throughout Alamance County while helping build a pipeline of talent for local organizations. Since its launch, 97% of participants have reported their internships were valuable to their professional development.

Gregory has long been fascinated by psychology and hopes to become a child therapist. He said the internship has strengthened his passion for helping others.

鈥淚鈥檓 already motivated, but it motivated me even more to continue to pursue psychology, because I鈥檓 looking at people in this office who still have the same passion as me, and they鈥檙e making a difference,鈥� he said.

鈥楻eal time鈥� experience

Like Gregory, McKenna Blount 鈥�27 entered college with an interest in psychology. A psychology major with minors in and criminal justice studies, Blount wanted an internship that combined both fields but initially struggled to find opportunities that fit her interests.

Through the Student Professional Development Center, she connected with the Campus Alamance Program and secured an internship with the Burlington Police Department, where she works with both the Aerial Reconnaissance & Tactical Intelligence Center (ARTIC), and the Crime Scene Investigation unit.

鈥淚鈥檝e had a lot of broad experience in the police department,鈥� said Blount, who is from Raleigh. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e super flexible, just letting me have as much experience that I possibly can.鈥�

In ARTIC, a real-time crime center, Blount assists officers by monitoring camera systems and databases during active investigations. In the Crime Scene Investigation unit, she observes investigators and gains firsthand experience with forensic work.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know how interested I was in the law enforcement aspect of things,鈥� said Blount. 鈥淚 thought I was more interested in the psychology aspect. It鈥檚 really nice to meet people outside of the 鈥樅诹喜淮蜢� bubble.鈥欌��

Connecting the community and history

Katie Baylett 鈥�27, a strategic communications major from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, is also gaining hands-on professional experience through Campus Alamance as a social media intern for the Alamance Historical Museum.

鈥淭he internship has helped me know how to work and navigate in a professional environment,鈥� Baylett said. 鈥淚 took a class at 黑料不打烊 where we briefly touched on the local history and the textile industry history of Alamance County specifically, but this has really given me hands-on experience and helped me connect with the local community and also just connect with the local history.鈥�

Baylett develops the museum鈥檚 social media content calendar, creates photo and video content, updates the museum鈥檚 website and assists with an email marketing campaign. A key part of her role is translating the work of museum staff into engaging, accessible content for the public.

鈥淢y classes at 黑料不打烊 have helped me know how to create a social media calendar and have helped me know how to navigate a wide variety of systems that I am using with my internship,鈥� she said.

Internships are a central part of the 黑料不打烊 experience. Through the university鈥檚 Experiential Learning Requirement, students must complete two of five 黑料不打烊 Experiences: internships, service, leadership, undergraduate research or global engagement.

For Blount, the internship has also changed how she sees the community surrounding campus.

鈥淵ou take the same three roads to get where you need to go as an 黑料不打烊 student, and I had no idea how much more goes on in Burlington,鈥� Blount said. 鈥淭his internship has really benefited my professional career development.鈥�

Calling the biggest fan of 鈥淭he Joe Murray Show,鈥� 98.5 The Sports Hub鈥檚 weeknight program, might be an understatement. The sport management major estimates she tuned in to the Boston-based program nearly 300 times last year. So, when the station offered her an internship this summer, she knew it was the perfect fit.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just a really well-rounded internship, and that鈥檚 what I think is truly going to help me,鈥� the aspiring sports broadcaster said.

While Marchand鈥檚 shift at the radio station doesn鈥檛 start until 6 p.m., she has her hands full with a wide range of duties the rest of the night. She answers incoming calls from listeners, assists with the station’s YouTube stream and creates graphics for social media. But what excites her the most is the chance to go live on the air.

鈥淭hat’s probably the biggest opportunity I’ve had,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t’s really nice that they trust me to go on the radio with thousands of people listening.鈥�

Early in the internship, the show’s producer wrote an entire segment for Marchand, giving her the chance to discuss the New England Patriots on the air. A few weeks later, she was helping the station’s social media team cover one of the most consequential days in Boston sports, following the Celtics’ blockbuster trade of Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Those opportunities grew from a connection Marchand had pursued long before the internship began.

Because internships at 98.5 The Sports Hub aren’t publicly posted, Marchand said networking is essential. In fact, when Marchand initially sent Joe Murray a message on LinkedIn during her freshman year, securing an internship wasn鈥檛 on her mind.

鈥淔unny enough, he left me on ‘read’ the first time I messaged him,鈥� Marchand said. 鈥淎 year later, I reached out again and said, 鈥楬ey, I waited a year. I’d still love to find time to chat. I know you’re really busy.鈥� The second time, he answered.鈥�

When he finally responded, Murray asked a question that changed everything.

鈥淒o you know Katie Bennert?鈥� he wrote back, referencing the 2024 黑料不打烊 graduate who both interned and worked at the station. Marchand had never met the 黑料不打烊 alumna, but had heard positive things about her from friends involved with 黑料不打烊 Sports Vision. That shared 黑料不打烊 connection prompted Murray to invite Marchand to tour the studio over Winter Break. That鈥檚 when he offered her a spot to join his production team.

鈥淚 decided that this would be the best opportunity for me, working at a major market Boston sports radio station, and it’s been amazing,鈥� she said.

While her internship began this summer, Marchand is no stranger to sports broadcasting. During her first two years at 黑料不打烊, she has contributed to more than 50 黑料不打烊 Sports Vision broadcasts as a play-by-play announcer, sideline reporter and more. This past year, she became the youngest of three student hosts to call 黑料不打烊 Division I football games on the radio and co-hosted her own sports radio show with Scott Katz 鈥�26. She has also worked more than 90 shifts with 黑料不打烊 Athletics, gaining additional behind-the-scenes experience in game-day operations.

鈥淏eing able to have that on my resume at just 19 years old, where a lot of people may not have those opportunities 鈥� I think that that’s really what 黑料不打烊 has helped me with,鈥� Marchand said. 鈥淚 don’t think I would have gotten those opportunities anywhere else.鈥�

At 黑料不打烊, Marchand has sharpened her on-air delivery and become comfortable working in a studio environment. Now she’s learning how to be more creative producing content centered on sports conversations rather than live competition. She’s also learning to separate her professional responsibilities from her passion as a fan.

Growing up just an hour outside Boston, Marchand has been a fan of the city’s professional sports teams since she was young. In August, she’ll attend Patriots training camp to capture photos and create content for the station.

“You do have to separate being a fan from your professional work, so I can’t fangirl over them when I’m there,” she said. “I have to be professional.”

While Marchand’s own initiative opened the door at 98.5 The Sports Hub, she credits the guidance she received at 黑料不打烊 with helping her walk through it. Assistant Professor of Sport Management Khirey Walker, in particular, played an important role in her internship search.

鈥淗e is just one of the most passionate, hardworking, selfless and kind people that I know at 黑料不打烊,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e will literally drop anything to help any of his students.鈥�

This fall, Marchand will continue her journey through The Sport Experience in Charlotte, where she’ll live, intern and study while expanding her experience in one of the nation’s fastest-growing sports business markets.

Students and alumni in Washington, D.C., visited American University’s School of Public Affairs, where they learned about graduate education, careers in public service, and the many opportunities available through advanced study in law, business, and public and international service.

In New York City, students and alums were welcomed by Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business for an evening exploring graduate programs across multiple disciplines, including social service and the humanities. A highlight of both programs was the meaningful engagement with 黑料不打烊 alumni living and working in the city, who shared candid reflections about the transition from college to career, pursuing graduate education, and building fulfilling professional lives. Together, the university partners and alumni provided students with both practical information and authentic perspectives that encouraged them to imagine new possibilities for life after 黑料不打烊.

The experiences reflect 黑料不打烊’s commitment to preparing students for lives of purpose through intentional collaboration across campus. By bringing together the career expertise of the Student Professional Development Center, the immersive learning opportunities offered through Study USA and National Campus Programs, and the lifelong connections fostered by Alumni Engagement, students were able to explore graduate education while strengthening their professional networks and broadening their vision for the future.

Bishop is serving as a summer intern at the Office of Historic Alexandria, which oversees all the museums in Historic Alexandria. During her internship, she catalogs artifacts in the city archives, assists with citywide events and cleans museum collections. One of her biggest projects has been designing and proposing an interactive activity to accompany an exhibit at the Alexandria Black History Museum.

“Since being at this internship, I have learned how different departments in the museum environment interact with each other,鈥� Bishop said. 鈥淚 have worked with museum educators, archivists, archaeologists and directors and have seen how their roles overlap and work together. I鈥檝e also learned practical skills like collections handling, through cleaning the collections, and archival practices.鈥�

Bishop鈥檚 favorite part of the internship has been working with her co-intern to develop the interactive activity for the Moss Kendrix exhibit at the Alexandria Black History Museum.

鈥淚 have loved getting to apply the research processes I鈥檝e learned in my art history and history classes at 黑料不打烊 to a real-world exhibition,鈥� Bishop said.

While searching for an internship to accompany Capital Connections, a Study USA program in Washington, D.C., Bishop expanded her search beyond the city. She discovered Old Town Alexandria community-centered network of museums, preservation projects, archaeology and public programming. She jumped at the opportunity to work in a smaller office where she would get hands-on, diversified experience in several areas of museum work.

She learned about the internship through George Mason University鈥檚 database of history internships, which was recommended by Cindy Sweeney in the Student Professional Development Center.

The internship has helped Bishop explore different areas of museum work while preparing her for a future career in the field.

鈥淭his internship has exposed me to several areas of museum work that I was not previously familiar with, which has allowed me to test which parts I enjoy and want to pursue further,鈥� Bishop said. 鈥淚 will take away significant hands-on experience in the museum space and strong connections with several staff members at the Office of Historic Alexandria.鈥�

As she enters her senior year at 黑料不打烊, Bishop has developed a passion for museum education, an area she is considering pursuing in graduate school. After graduation, Bishop plans to gain professional experience before attending graduate school.

As thousands of soccer fans streamed toward San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California, draped in national flags and chanting hours before kickoff, the energy was palpable.

Swiss fans dressed as cows rang cowbells, Australian fans carried enormous inflatable kangaroos, and Jordanian supporters congregated early outside the gates, waving oversized flags and singing in unison. Together, they created the spectacle that makes the FIFA World Cup unlike any other sporting event.

For , those moments were part of her daily routine during the tournament鈥檚 opening stages.

As a ticketing operations manager for FIFA, the 黑料不打烊 graduate spent several months helping fans enjoy the FIFA World Cup. While much of her work happened behind the scenes, Cirby handled everything from validating each seat in the stadium and accessible seating requests to one of the tournament鈥檚 toughest challenges: helping fans who unknowingly purchased counterfeit tickets.

鈥淭he more games have been played, the more variations of fake tickets have come out,鈥� she explained.

While resolving ticket issues is part of the job, it represents only a fraction of Cirby’s experience. For all six Bay Area matches 鈥� including Team USA鈥檚 Round of 32 win 鈥� she served as the stadium ticketing manager and welcomed more than 410,000 fans to the region she grew up in.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the World Cup,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 once in a lifetime to be able to be part of an event like this.鈥�

Cirby joined FIFA in January after nearly six years with the San Francisco Giants, where she built a career in ticket operations and services with her hometown team. But the opportunity to work the World Cup was one she couldn’t pass up.

鈥淚 was just kind of looking for jobs casually, just to see what was out there, and I threw in an application 鈥� and then it worked out,鈥� Cirby said.

Her responsibilities have stretched far beyond match days. Cirby helped hire local stadium staff, prepare cross-functional training for various departments, and ensure FIFA’s ticketing spaces were ready before fans arrived. Once matches began, she moved between entrances and ticket offices, supporting staff and assisting fans whose tickets would not scan, who needed accessible seating accommodations, or who could not locate their tickets.

The role also gave Cirby a front-row view of the tournament’s global fan culture.

鈥淚t鈥檚 mesmerizing to see these fans and the passion that they have,鈥� Cirby said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 get to see the full fan marches, but I get to see them arrive at our entrance and go through our turnstiles, and they鈥檙e still chanting and cheering.鈥�

Cirby’s path to FIFA began at 黑料不打烊, majoring in sport management. She fondly remembers attending MLB’s Winter Meetings with her classmates, where she placed resumes in the mailboxes of organizations with job openings.

鈥淚 probably put 20 to 30 resumes in and got a couple of interviews, but that鈥檚 how I got my first job with the Atlanta Braves right out of college,鈥� Cirby said.

That first role with the Braves eventually led to opportunities with the Giants and, ultimately, FIFA. Looking back, Cirby encourages students interested in the sport industry to cast a wide net.

鈥淗onestly, just apply,鈥� Cirby said. 鈥淧utting yourself out there and applying can make a real difference.鈥�

Her World Cup assignment also demanded resolution. For nearly two months, Cirby was based at a hotel in Santa Clara with other FIFA staff because of the long hours and the proximity to the stadium. The work has been especially demanding because Cirby has been doing it with a torn ACL, an injury she sustained this spring playing in a rec league kickball game. After consulting with doctors, she decided to postpone surgery until after the tournament.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really funny to be like, 鈥楴ot only am I working the World Cup, but I鈥檓 walking like 25,000 steps a day on a torn ACL,鈥欌�� Cirby laughed.

With surgery scheduled for late August, Cirby is looking forward to a well-earned break 鈥� and where her career will take her next. But this experience has reaffirmed why she chose a career in sports.

鈥淚 grew up playing soccer through high school, and I鈥檝e continued to be a big fan,鈥� Cirby said. 鈥淪eeing supporters from so many different countries bring that passion to every match has been the best part of the job.鈥�

The strategic communications major is serving as a strategy and account intern, where he rotates between McKinney鈥檚 strategy and account teams. With a few weeks of the internship behind him, Arrasmith said the transition has been seamless thanks to the strong sense of community at the agency.

鈥淓veryone here is so welcoming,鈥� Arrasmith said. 鈥淓ven though I’m the youngest person both in the agency and in my internship class, I don’t feel out of place.鈥�

Arrasmith said McKinney has been on his radar for years. After his early exposure to the agency, he regularly checked the company’s internship page in hopes of one day earning a spot in the program.

As an account management and strategy intern, Arrasmith helps bridge communication between the agency and its clients. While the role has introduced new challenges, he arrived with a foundation built through classroom experiences and leadership roles at 黑料不打烊.

For the past two years, Arrasmith has been involved with 黑料不打烊’s student-run communications agency.

Arrasmith has served as an account supervisor with Live Oak and credits the organization for preparing him for the fast-paced agency environment.

鈥淚 feel I have a good grasp of what’s going on and what people are talking about,鈥� he said.

While familiar with agency work, Arrasmith said the internship has broadened his understanding of how different departments collaborate to serve clients.

He’s also gained exposure to an industry he knew little about before arriving at McKinney. Working with the agency’s health division has required him to learn healthcare terminology, pharmaceutical companies and industry-specific concepts.

鈥淚 didn’t know anything about health or pharma, so it’s been a lot of just taking the time afterward to educate myself,鈥� he said.

Despite the learning curve, Arrasmith said the experience has reinforced the value of curiosity and continuous learning.

鈥淚 found great success in just always asking questions, always wanting to learn the most I can about a subject, because that shows people that you are interested, you’re engaged, and you actually care about what you’re doing,鈥� he said.

As he enters his third year at 黑料不打烊, Arrasmith hopes to leave the internship with meaningful relationships across the agency, developing a network he can lean on for guidance. To make that happen, he has set a personal goal of taking at least 10 colleagues out to lunch before the summer ends.

In fact, he spent much of his college search focused on a different path. But after encouragement from an aunt who worked in higher education, Cooper visited 黑料不打烊 and quickly realized he had discovered something he hadn’t expected.

“It was far greater than what I wanted,” Cooper said. “I thought I knew what was best for me, but 黑料不打烊 introduced me to possibilities that were completely outside my scope of understanding.”

More than two decades later, that willingness to embrace the unexpected has taken Cooper around the world. The broadcast communications graduate has built a career as a vocal coach, creative strategist and entrepreneur, working alongside artists such as Beyonc茅, Usher, Nicki Minaj, Jon Batiste and Kehlani. Today, he coaches performers on Broadway productions around the globe, advises international entertainment companies and leads several ventures focused on artist development and creative strategy.

Yet Cooper believes the foundation for that success began in the classrooms of 黑料不打烊.

As a broadcast communications major with minors in business and Japanese, Cooper immersed himself in disciplines that challenged him to think differently. He originally planned to move to Japan after graduation, becoming fluent in the language and preparing for an international teaching opportunity. Although those plans never surfaced, the experience shaped the way he approached the world.

“Language gave me the confidence to speak to anyone from any culture,” Cooper said. “Business taught me how to navigate opportunities and communications taught me how to articulate my thoughts. Those three things changed my life.”

Cooper often found himself as the only African American student in many of his classes. Rather than seeing that as a limitation, he credits professors with pushing him to develop his voice and perspective.

“They would ask me, ‘Nick, what’s your perspective?'” he said. “What they didn’t know was they were helping me build resilience and teaching me how to articulate who I was.”

Those conversations became some of the most important lessons of his college experience.

“It wasn’t about what I knew,” Cooper said. “It was about learning how to communicate with people who didn’t necessarily think like me.”

Outside the classroom, 黑料不打烊’s emphasis on hands-on learning provided opportunities to put those skills into practice. Cooper hosted programming on ESTV and explored interests in media, performance and leadership while developing the communication skills that would later become central to his career.

“黑料不打烊 gave me an agnostic toolbox,” Cooper said. “It prepared me to go into any room and communicate effectively. More importantly, it taught me how to write. There’s nothing I can’t write.”

After graduation, Cooper entered the entertainment industry, initially pursuing opportunities as a performer and creative professional. Over time, he discovered a talent for helping artists unlock their potential, leading him into vocal coaching and artist development.

His client list eventually grew to include some of the biggest names in music and entertainment. However, Cooper said his defining career moment had nothing to do with celebrities.

“The breakthrough wasn’t working with famous people,” he said. “The breakthrough was looking in the mirror and knowing who I was.”

That lesson became especially important when he was first asked to work with Beyonc茅. Before the session, Cooper was warned that she would quickly decide whether he was the right fit. Instead of feeling intimidated, he focused on what he could offer.

“She didn’t show up for me to cower in front of her,” Cooper said. “She showed up because I had something that could help her.”

That mindset has guided his career ever since.

Whether coaching Grammy-winning artists, mentoring Broadway performers or advising global entertainment organizations, Cooper approaches every relationship the same way: helping people discover what they are capable of becoming.

Among those he has worked closely with is Grammy and Academy Award-winning musician Jon Batiste. Cooper describes their relationship as one built not only on music, but on personal growth and purpose.

“It starts as music,” Cooper said. “Then it becomes a lesson in life, a lesson in business and eventually a friendship.”

Today, Cooper continues expanding that philosophy through multiple ventures, including Creative Village, a mentorship and development platform designed to provide emerging artists with access to the same guidance and resources often reserved for industry insiders.

“I wanted to create opportunities for people who wouldn’t normally have access to them,” Cooper said. “My goal is to help people maximize their potential while they’re alive.”

As he reflects on his journey, Cooper sees a direct connection between the uncertainty he experienced as a student and the success he enjoys today.

“There were many times at 黑料不打烊 when I didn’t know what was next,” he said. “But that uncertainty forced me to develop curiosity.”

For Cooper, curiosity remains one of the most valuable traits a person can cultivate.

“When I look back at 黑料不打烊, it created the framework for my success,” he said. “More importantly, it created the curiosity that still drives everything I do.”

For current students hoping to build careers of their own, Cooper offers simple advice: don’t wait for someone else to validate your potential.

“Don’t wait for the world to say yes to what you can say yes to first,” he said.

Los Angeles has been serving as one of the key U.S. locations for the FIFA World Cup 2026; Skladan鈥檚 work responsibilities have brought her to LA for the duration of the games this summer.

Students and alumni guests had the opportunity to learn about her impressive career in sports so far and her journeyposition to her current . 鈥淚t is wonderful to be back at 黑料不打烊 LA鈥檚 home base at The Preserve, in the same space where my classes were held and from where I began the journey to launch my post-graduation professional career,鈥� Skladan told the gathered group.

Each semester, 黑料不打烊 Los Angeles brings together alumni and students for conversations that benefit emerging young professionals in a wide variety of career fields. The program offers an exciting, immersive and robust spring semester and summer program experience in the heart of historic Hollywood through 黑料不打烊鈥檚聽听补苍诲 National Campus Programs. Applications are now being accepted for the spring 2027 semester.

Although she was initially drawn to acting, she came to understand that a fulfilling career doesn鈥檛 have to follow a single path.

鈥淚 intentionally explored different paths to discover where my skills could have the greatest impact. My journey has included talent management, radio, entertainment journalism, event production, casting and acting,鈥� said Austin.

In a way, 黑料不打烊 found her. Alumnus Royall Spence 鈥�42 (for whom Spence Pavilion is named) was a beloved member of Austin鈥檚 extended family and is the real reason she looked into the school.

鈥淗e always spoke so fondly of his experience at 黑料不打烊 and that was why it was one of the first schools I seriously considered,鈥� she said.

The Raleigh native pictured herself at a smaller university where she could get to know her classmates and feel connected. She explained. 鈥淲hen I visited 黑料不打烊, it just felt right. It had the close-knit community I was looking for, along with strong academics and opportunities to get involved from day one.鈥�

She was torn between two passions, communications and theatre, but 黑料不打烊 had strong programs for both. After touring the facilities and speaking with faculty, she knew 黑料不打烊 was the place for her.

As a student, Austin majored in media arts and entertainment with a focus on broadcast journalism, and she minored in theatre arts. Outside of the classroom, she hosted a radio show on WSOE 89.3, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 student-run radio station. She also hosted two television shows and participated in 黑料不打烊 in LA, studied abroad in London and immersed herself in other opportunities that allowed her to tell stories and connect with people.

鈥淥ne of my favorite parts of WSOE was finding and booking guests to interview. I鈥檇 track people down on Facebook and through other creative channels, and more often than not, they were happy to help a student journalist,鈥� she said.

One opportunity at 黑料不打烊 that greatly impacted Austin鈥檚 career was her experience with 黑料不打烊 in LA. She credits this program with introducing her to new places, perspectives, and for giving her the confidence to pursue an entertainment career.

鈥淒uring the program, I interned with a talent management company representing film and television actors. Through that experience, I visited production sets, attended industry meetings and got a firsthand look at how Hollywood operates. For someone who had dreamed about working in entertainment since childhood, it was eye-opening,鈥� said Austin.

Following graduation, she moved to Los Angeles almost immediately to build her career.

鈥淟ike many young people pursuing creative industries, I took a variety of jobs while figuring out where I fit best. Each experience taught me something valuable and ultimately helped shape the career I鈥檝e built,鈥� she explained.

She started her career working behind the scenes at press junkets for major studio films and eventually transitioned from helping reporters to becoming one herself. Later, she joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization behind the Oscars. There she worked on screenings, events and public programming, and she attended Academy Award ceremonies.

In 2020, she returned to the Southeast to be closer to family and to pursue opportunities in the region鈥檚 rapidly growing entertainment industry.

鈥淚 joined Fincannon & Associates Casting, where I worked on projects including 鈥極uter Banks鈥�, 鈥楾he Summer I Turned Pretty鈥�, 鈥楾he Righteous Gemstones鈥�, 鈥楾he Walking Dead鈥� and other major productions filming throughout the Southeast,鈥� said Austin.

One of her favorite memories from her work was her first major press junket interview with Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.

鈥淒uring the introduction, the production assistant announced me as 鈥楯enny Austin from CBS Sacramento,鈥� and Will Ferrell immediately joked, 鈥楯enny Sacramento from Austin.鈥� It instantly broke the ice and put my nerves at ease. Moments like that reminded me that even some of the biggest stars in the world are often just people having fun,鈥� Austin said.

She鈥檚 also interviewed other big-name celebrities, like Zoe Saldana, Kate Hudson, Jason Sudeikis, Kevin Costner, Octavia Spencer, Chris Evans and Shay Mitchell.

Most recently, she took on a new endeavor, launching an interview platform highlighting entertainment professionals in the Southeast alongside her friend and former Fincannon & Associates colleague, Kimberly Wistedt. They鈥檝e titled the platform . While it鈥檚 still a new project and they鈥檝e already landed some big interviews with celebrities, such as rapper T.I., they are hopeful for what the future holds.

Austin speaks fondly of the variety of work she鈥檚 been able to do, but she says that the most rewarding part of her journey has been the relationships she has made. Some of her closest friends today are people she met at 黑料不打烊, and professionally, relationships have been equally important to her growth.

鈥淣early every major opportunity I鈥檝e had, from entertainment reporting and casting to launching The Peach Tea, has come through connections, mentorships and friendships developed over time,鈥� she explained.

She credits 黑料不打烊鈥檚 experiential learning opportunities for giving her the practical experience, confidence and willingness to take risks and build these relationships.

鈥満诹喜淮蜢� in LA was the first time I realized that all of these jobs I鈥檇 dreamed about were held by real people, and that maybe one day I could be one of them,鈥� she said.

It also gave her the confidence she needed to go after her dreams. The challenge, she said, was 鈥渞ealizing that I didn鈥檛 have to fit into one neat box. I could be an actress, a reporter, a casting professional, a filmmaker and an entrepreneur all at the same time. Once I stopped trying to force myself into a single lane, my career started making a lot more sense. Sometimes your path only makes sense when you look back and connect the dots.鈥�

Austin encourages 黑料不打烊 students to find what makes them happy and pursue it wholeheartedly, and to pay attention to the people who light up when good things happen for you, saying that these are the relationships that are most special.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 what I love most about 黑料不打烊. It encourages students to explore broadly, take chances and embrace experiences that may not seem connected at the time,鈥� she said. “Looking back, those experiences ended up creating my story. My career hasn鈥檛 followed a straight line, but every experience has led to the next, and I wouldn鈥檛 have it any other way.鈥�

The report, , published on June 9, spotlights 黑料不打烊 for meeting the standards set by literacy experts for coverage of the most effective methods of reading instruction. Specifically, this means the program is preparing aspiring teachers in all five components of scientifically based reading instruction, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary, and avoids many instructional practices that research has shown to be ineffective or counterproductive for teaching children to read.

A child鈥檚 ability to read proficiently in the early grades shapes everything that comes next in school and in life, yet according to , four in ten fourth graders in North Carolina cannot read at a basic level. Teacher preparation is one of the most direct levers available to change that, but only if it is aligned to the research-based instructional methods that have been proven to help most students become successful readers.

黑料不打烊’s program in the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education is part of a growing group of teacher preparation programs nationwide, helping transform how future teachers are trained to teach reading.

鈥淓very child deserves a teacher who has been well prepared to teach reading, and every teacher deserves the opportunity to enter the classroom ready to help students succeed,鈥� said NCTQ President Heather Peske. 鈥淎cross the country, many teacher preparation programs still do not fully align with the science of reading, but 黑料不打烊 is demonstrating what strong preparation can look like.鈥�

NCTQ鈥檚 methodology is informed by a panel of reading experts, teacher preparation faculty, reading advocates, and measurement experts. To evaluate the quality of preparation being provided, a team of experts at NCTQ analyzed syllabi, including lecture schedules and topics, background reading materials, class assessments, assignments, and opportunities to practice instruction in required literacy courses for elementary teacher candidates at 黑料不打烊.聽

To earn an 鈥淎,鈥� programs needed to demonstrate that coursework for future elementary teachers includes all five core components of scientifically based reading instruction and avoid teaching more than three instructional methods that are unsupported by the research on effective reading instruction. To earn an A+, programs needed to exceed those targets and not teach any instructional practices that are unsupported by research.

See NCTQ鈥檚 report, , for more information about 黑料不打烊鈥檚 coverage of the science of reading and to see how 黑料不打烊 compares to other programs in North Carolina or across the country.

About NCTQ

The National Council on Teacher Quality: NCTQ is a nonpartisan research and policy organization on a mission to ensure every child has access to an effective teacher and every teacher has the opportunity to be effective. We believe a strong, diverse teacher workforce is critical for providing all students with equitable educational opportunities. Fore more information about NCTQ, visit .