Stepping into the Spotlight: Estefania Rosas '26 Joins the CCI Internship Diaries

Photo courtesy of Estefania Rosas. This was taken at the Warner Brothers Studio Tour, which she visited the one day after her internship ended to make the most of her time in Los Angeles.

Drumroll, please… For the third installment of our CCI Internship Diaries, we’re shining the spotlight on none other than our very own Estefania Rosas ‘26! In case you’re new here, this series highlights students who are taking everything they’ve learned in the Creative and Cultural Industries and applying it to real world internships. It’s all about showing how CCI translates from the classroom to the careers students are dreaming of and Estefania’s journey is another perfect example.

Originally from Mexico, Estefania has always been driven by passion, curiosity, and big dreams. From a young age, after moving from Mexico to Texas, she knew the Lone Star State wasn’t quite big enough for the life she envisioned. California, on the other hand, had always held a special place in her heart. So when it came time to apply for college, she looked everywhere but Texas. That search eventually led her to Chapman University.

She began her college journey as a Political Science major, but it didn’t take long for her to realize it wasn’t the right fit. What truly felt like home was the world of entertainment, something she had once only dreamed of being part of. She made the switch to Public Relations, Advertising, and Entertainment Marketing, and it instantly clicked. Wanting to push herself even further, she added a minor in the Creative and Cultural Industries where she is constantly challenged on an intellectual, cultural, and artistic level.

Photo courtesy of Estefania Rosas. Taken on the last Wednesday of her study abroad experience, with all her best friends at the Duomo.

Through CCI, Estefania has explored topics like affect in CCI 444: Media, Culture and Emotion where she learned about the emotional experience of media. She published an article in Film Matters, a professional undergraduate film journal, through her CCI 304: Creative and Cultural Industries in Practice class. And even studied abroad in Florence, Italy, where she took classes like Introduction to Museums in Florence and The History of Luxury Fashion in Italy. 

This past summer, Estefania dove into the world of entertainment PR through an internship at Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis, which is a leading agency in the communications industry. What’s exciting is how seamlessly her classroom experiences connected to the real world not just through her major, but through everything she’s learned in CCI. From understanding how to think critically and responsibly about creative work, to discovering new career paths she never imagined wanting to pursue, Estefania shows us how CCI opens doors and ways of thinking.

So without further ado... let’s dive into her story. 

Photo courtesy of Estefania Rosas. Taken at the Hofburg Palace’s official government library in Vienna. Estefania enjoys reading and always makes time to visit libraries wherever she goes.

Q: Tell me all about your internship. What’s was the title, how did you land it, and what did you do?

ER: I interned at a PR firm called Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis this summer. Landing this role wasn’t easy, it took about 52 applications before I finally secured a paid internship, so I feel incredibly lucky to have found a place that perfectly combined my interests in public relations and the entertainment industry. My official title was Public Relations Intern, and my work covered a little bit of everything: media coverage, creating face sheets, building media lists, and doing lots (and I mean lots!) of research for specific campaigns or projects I was assigned to. One of the best parts of working at Sunshine is how much people genuinely want to help you grow. I’ve had the chance to connect with professionals across so many areas including lifestyle, talent and influencer relations, tech, crisis management, and more.

Q: You mentioned that you’ve published a piece for an undergraduate film journal through your CCI classes. How does that experience relate to your internship?

ER: Great question! It actually relates in more ways than I expected. If there’s one thing PR teaches you, it’s how to write and not just write, but write well. Working under Professor Kelli Fuery in CCI 304 helped me develop writing skills I hadn’t tapped into before, and that experience has made me a stronger communicator overall. On top of that, that class taught me the importance of research. And not just basic research, but in depth research. I’ve learned that the success of any PR project depends entirely on the foundation of a solid campaign analysis. Without it, the entire strategy falls apart. That’s something I used every single day in this internship.

Photo courtesy of Estefania Rosas. This was Estefania enjoying the rooftop at the Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis office. She often headed up there to soak up the sun and work outside, plus the view of Los Angeles is incredible.

Q: What would you say is the biggest takeaway from your being at Sunshine?

ER: One of the biggest takeaways is how grateful I feel to get this real world glimpse into PR and figure out if it’s something I want to pursue long term. As students, we often have this surface level idea of what a job will look like, but once you’re actually doing it, you realize it can feel completely different. Now that I’ve seen what PR really looks like behind the scenes, I can better decide if this is the career path for me, or if I want to explore something else like advertising or entertainment marketing. Even though they’re connected fields, I’ve learned that businesses approach them in very different ways.

Q: How do you see CCI directly reflected in your internship?

ER: Honestly, in so many ways. Public relations itself is a creative industry, and CCI has taught me how to approach creative work with a sense of social responsibility. For example, I never expected that PR could intersect with nonprofits and social causes the way it does, but this internship opened my eyes to that. It’s also made me think critically about the work I’m doing, what we promote truly matters morally and ethically. It made me stop and ask myself, Do I really want to represent this person or brand? Am I okay with the message this sends? CCI really shaped this way of thinking. In my classes, we’ve been challenged to ask tough questions about the impact of the creative industries. It’s made me realize that PR isn’t just about working for a company; it’s about influencing people in a meaningful way.

Photo courtesy of Estefania Rosas. Taken at the Warner Brothers Studio Tour in front of the iconic Friends door. Friends is one of Estefania’s favorite shows, and whenever she thinks of comedy, she thinks of them.

Q: Lastly, what advice would you give to people thinking about joining the CCI minor?

ER: Honestly, allow yourself to get lost. That was me. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, and that uncertainty pushed me to explore paths I had never considered before. I’d say give yourself that chance to explore and find what truly excites you. I’ve been so lucky to learn from professors like the Fuerys, who genuinely care about what we’re being taught, and from program manager Shannon Halverson, who is a complete wealth of knowledge. The professors in CCI make time and space for their students in a way that’s rare. For me, this minor came into my life at exactly the right time. It challenged me, inspired me, and gave me the tools I didn’t even know I needed.

Well, would you look at that! We’ve officially wrapped up the third installment of our CCI Internship Diaries, and we couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead for our CCI community. Estefania’s journey is a great reminder of what can happen when you give yourself the chance to try, stumble, and keep going. We love hearing about the amazing things our CCI students are up to, and we know there’s so much more to come. If you’re a CCI student who’s had an internship and wants to share your story, don’t be shy reach out to erosas@chapman.edu or slide into our Instagram DMs. We’d love to feature you next!