Gaylord Students Continue to Reach New Heights With Impressive Internship Opportunities

Two Gaylord students had the opportunity to grow and gain new skills during their respective internships. Broadcast journalism major Christian Nunley and public relations major Lauren Szmutko applied their classroom experience to hands-on learning opportunities as media professionals and are eager to share their stories.

Nunley, who interned at Bloomberg Media, said that although his internship experience was virtual, he was equipped with the necessary tools to succeed.

“In Gaylord they do an excellent job of using ‘experiential learning.’ I was able to seamlessly transition from the OU Nightly production staff to Bloomberg’s production staff with a clear understanding of the nuances behind show creation,” Nunley said. “I had the privilege of rotating throughout the television newsroom. I was able to work with the radio team, news desk and help produce segments for the different shows. I reached out to potential guests, did research for anchors, prepared TV segments and everything in between.”

While Nunley’s internship experience took place from his home in Virginia, Szmutko’s experience stayed a little more local. The current public relations senior is a digital marketing fellow with Freestyle Creative, a creative agency in Moore.

“This internship has really helped me take a deep dive in several subjects we’ve studied and has helped me utilize classroom skills while exploring my interest in advertising,” Szmutko said.

Szmutko, who does everything from creating copy for newsletters to managing client Facebook and Google ads, says that this incredibly unique opportunity helps her feel more prepared for her 2021 graduation by allowing her to touch all facets of the business. Upon graduating, Szmutko will be able to apply her skills learned as a digital fellow to virtually any position in advertising, be it an account executive or project manager.

While Szmutko and Nunley had two different internship experiences, they both say that the exposure and experience gained was invaluable.

“There’s a ton of good advice I got from the staff at Bloomberg. It’s hard to pick out one individual note. However, one thing I’ve already experienced in my life is to always be open to new opportunities. They often have unforeseen benefits down the road and can propel you to places you didn’t think possible,” Nunley said.

Szmutko agrees.

“The most important thing I’ve learned is to ask questions after receiving a task to make sure it’s fully understood, apply it, ask to review it with whoever is overseeing the project and walk them through it,” she said. “By walking someone else through your thought process and what you’ve applied to the project, it helps see possible errors and help make sure you completely understand what the client needs and how the campaign will run. When launching digital ads, there is a lot of trial and error, but it’s all about optimizing as the campaign runs!”