For Sophia Aiello, spending two months in New York City this summer as part of the 2025 International Radio Television Society (IRTS) Summer Fellowship Program was life changing.
The nine-week summer program provides its participants with resources to enhance their media skills and opportunities to network with professionals, all while the participants intern at a top media company in NYC.
“The IRTS Summer Fellowship Program has played a big part, if not the biggest part, in shaping my career goals. As a journalism and media major, I have pushed myself to learn about all things media and how the fields of journalism, advertising, public relations, and communications work together in the real world,” Aiello said.
Aiello learned about the fellowship her sophomore year in a class with School of Journalism and Media Professor of Practice Michael Matinez. Afterward, she began following the program on Instagram until she was eligible to apply.
Aiello was prepped and confident in applying to this prestigious fellowship after gaining hands-on learning experiences in the classroom, at The Volunteer Channel, and through various internships with companies such as Tombras and the University of Tennessee Knoxville Advancement Office.
“I have always pushed myself to succeed academically and get involved,” Aiello said. “I believe that internships are the best way for students to figure out what they want to do post-grad. Since internships are typically short-term commitments for a few months, they are perfect for exploring different companies and roles.”
As part of the IRTS program, Aiello interned for Fox Ad Sales on the Brand Partnerships Team for Fox Entertainment.
Her favorite part of the internship was learning about the brand partnerships process, which was a new concept for her. As part of her duties, she helped monitor competitive programming and report on brand integrations to inform strategic decisions; assisted with social media tracking for two campaigns with FOX Alternative Entertainment shows; and participated in workshops, speaker events, and networking sessions across Fox Corporation.
Aiello also learned from media professionals throughout the fellowship—both one-on-one and through various networking events. She said she felt blessed by being paired with her one-on-one mentor Bailey Coronis, a talent associate producer for the NBC TODAY Show and an IRTS alumnus. Aiello said Coronis’ positivity and go-getter attitude was contagious and learning about his story was inspiring.
She also enjoyed meeting with more than 30 individuals, including IRTS and University of Tennessee, Knoxville, alumni to learn more about their career journeys and advice as someone wanting to start their media career in NYC.
“This fellowship not only provided me with the resources to be successful at my internship, but it opened so many doors for me to learn from media professionals and attend professional development seminars,” Aiello said. “Going forward, IRTS has prepared me for networking and establishing a career.”