Each year, the Communications Department at Barnard supports a number of student interns, from first-years to seniors. Working in tandem with faculty and staff editors to craft stories, conduct interviews, and edit videos, the Comms Department’s interns harness the abundant resources at Barnard while community-building. Not only is it an opportunity to develop new skills, it’s also a chance to further enrich their time at the College.
With Commencement only two days away, we highlight three graduating senior interns — Isa Gerondelis ’22, Maya Gilbert ’22, and Solby Lim ’22 — who share how their experiences at Comms have laid the foundation for their future careers.
Bonus: This article was written by one of Comms’ newest interns, sophomore Zuyu Shen ’24.
Isa Gerondelis ’22, Sociology Major
“As a prospective film major first-year, working in the Comms Department was an invaluable, hands-on way to get a Barnard job in something that I was passionate about while also being able to connect with the College community in a unique way.
“I really love the trajectory of growth that I’ve experienced while working with Carrie Glasser, associate director of multimedia, in the Comms Department. As a first-year, I started by coming along to shoots to observe the process and select the best bites from interviews. Now as a senior, I’ve progressed to editing a couple of interviews and short videos from raw footage to publication.
“Honing my editing skills and telling people’s stories through video will be valuable in the future, as I strive to work toward improving public health communication and access.”
Isa’s four years on campus, L-R, from her first to final year:
Maya Gilbert ’22, Political Science and Human Rights Double Major
“Something I truly loved about this position [in Media Relations] was the opportunity to learn more about my community here at Barnard. During my time [as an intern], I was able to read and write about all of the amazing accomplishments from our faculty and got to interview students about their experiences as research assistants in our labs.
“Through this position, I learned how to successfully curate media reports, write succinct summaries of faculty and College news, and compile lists of important resources, events, and outlets to promote faculty and the College. This all has helped me grow as a writer. For example, by writing faculty news reports, I learned how to write succinct but factual reports without giving unnecessary detail or fluff.
“This role has taught me how to be a valuable member of a team. Unlike other positions, I felt that I was enhancing the skills I would need to be successful in a post-graduation job.”
Maya, over her four years on campus, L-R:
As a writer, I learned how to enrich a story with archival materials, but as a student, I also gained a much greater appreciation for the incredible legacies of Barnard alumnae.
Solby Lim ’22, Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies Major
“My internship with Barnard’s Communications Department pushed me to fully realize my passion for storytelling and narrative crafting. This experience was an important source of creative inspiration, [as well as a] challenge that helped me grow as a student — just as much as my classes and other activities.
“One of my favorite projects was taking on stories for our “You Oughta Know” web series, where we dig into the Barnard archives and highlight alumnae who have made outstanding contributions to science and medicine. As a writer, I learned how to enrich a story with archival materials, but as a student, I also gained a much greater appreciation for the incredible legacies of Barnard alumnae.
“Being able to work in the welcoming, enthusiastic, collaborative environment that is Barnard’s Communications Department is an experience I will forever cherish. Despite going virtual during my second year, my wonderful mentors in editorial — N. Jamiyla Chisholm, Nicole Anderson ’12JRN, and Veronica Suchodolski ’19 — fostered a caring space where I felt comfortable writing stories and reporting on campus events that mattered.”
Solby, below, over her four years at Barnard:
—ZUYU SHEN ’24