The work that Schieffer College students do at TCU prepares them to make an impact well beyond campus.
Internships give students the opportunity to put that preparation into practice, take on meaningful responsibilities and learn directly alongside professionals in their fields. Three Schieffer students did just that, gaining experiences that strengthened their skills and gave them a clearer sense of the careers ahead.
Each walked away with a different story — and a clearer picture of what comes next.
Communication Studies
Luke Sinatra
In his interpersonal communication course, Luke Sinatra’s classmates selected him as a group leader, giving him experience working with others and communicating effectively with an audience. Recently, the communication studies major took his classroom experience to New York City, where his first major internship put his skills in presenting, collaborating and building professional relationships into practice.
“I was able to apply my leadership skills honed in my classes to my projects at Morgan Stanley and I definitely felt more confident in my abilities such as keeping my audience engaged when I was giving my presentations,” Sinatra said.
Sinatra, a junior in Schieffer College, interned with Morgan Stanley’s Polk Wealth Management Group. Among his summer work was an individual stock pitch that required him to research a company, analyze data and present why the team should consider it as an investment opportunity. He also collaborated with other interns on a large-scale project examining data centers.
Both of these projects culminated in presentations to members of their professional team. Outside of the presentation room, Sinatra grew more comfortable approaching colleagues, asking questions and building professional relationships, something he now encourages other students to embrace early in their own internships.
“The main thing for me that I wish I did from the very first week was asking associates if they could spare a few minutes to talk about their careers and how they started out because everyone is so open to sharing their journey,” Sinatra said.
The experience gave Sinatra a chance to see firsthand the versatility of his communication studies education, from presenting complex information and collaborating with a team to confidently starting conversations in a professional environment.
Journalism
Delayna Zepeda
Delayna Zepeda started her fall semester viewing journalism with a fresh perspective. She began her senior year with a summer internship on her resume from CBS 11 News.
The Schieffer College journalism major worked across the newsroom, accompanying reporters on community stories, observing live broadcasts and creating digital and social media content over the summer. She also spent more than two weeks covering a court case, where she tracked developments and provided updates that were shared with journalists across the station.
The assignment challenged Zepeda to quickly determine what information mattered and communicate updates accurately. After initially feeling unsure in the unfamiliar environment, she began to see herself as a journalist trusted to do the work.
“I feel like I just gained comfort and like, OK, no, I belong here,” Zepeda said. “I was probably the only reporter who was there every single day.”
Zepeda also created graphics and Instagram content, building on skills she developed through TCU 360, where she serves as director of audience engagement. The experience showed her how social media is becoming increasingly integrated into professional newsrooms.
“This internship definitely helped me determine what is next for me,” Zepeda said. “Getting to actually go be in a newsroom prior to graduation gave me more insight into what it really looks like.”
Her advice to other journalism students is to be proactive. Zepeda’s own professional experience began during her first year when a conversation during Assistant Professor Patty Zamarripa’s office hours led to a connection with an older journalism student and, eventually, her first internship.
“Don’t shy away from asking questions, from making connections,” Zepeda said. “I think that’s so important from day one.”
Zepeda’s summer gave her the opportunity to put her reporting and digital storytelling skills into practice while gaining a clearer picture of where journalism can take her next.
Film, Television and Digital Media
Camden Stone
Cam Stone returned to campus with a behind-the-scenes look at one of the world’s biggest sporting events after spending the summer interning with FOX Sports during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Schieffer College sports broadcasting major rotated through several production departments at FOX’s Los Angeles headquarters, contributing to live broadcasts by researching officials, sourcing social media content, editing highlight packages and assisting studio productions. The experience gave him a firsthand look at how hundreds of professionals work together to bring one of the world’s largest sporting events to television audiences.
One of Stone’s favorite assignments involved the Tagboard team, where he searched social media for content that could be featured during live broadcasts. Seeing content he helped discover appear on national television showed him how even small contributions can make a meaningful impact.
Stone also worked alongside FOX’s rules analysts, compiling referee statistics and preparing notes that commentators could reference during live coverage. Later in the internship, he served as a stage manager inside the studio, observing broadcasters and former international soccer stars as they prepared for live shows.
“My goal is to be an on-air talent,” Stone said. “Getting to see how everything works when the cameras aren’t rolling was one of the most helpful and coolest experiences I could have ever asked for.”
Throughout the summer, Stone interacted with producers, broadcasters and professional athletes, experiences that reinforced one lesson above all else. 
“The most valuable lesson I learned is that people are people,” he said. “Whether they’re the biggest star in the world or someone just starting out, if you introduce yourself with a smile and a handshake, that’s how you make a connection.”
The internship also strengthened Stone’s confidence in pursuing a career in sports broadcasting by showing him what the profession looks like behind the scenes.
His advice to other students is to pursue internships early and immerse themselves in professional environments whenever possible. Watching experienced professionals collaborate on live productions, he said, offers lessons that can’t be replicated in the classroom.
“It’s so important just to be around, you never realize how much you’re going to learn just from being a fly on the wall.”