Up next: Roxy LaFarre’ 26 takes the stage for this week’s CCI Internship Diaries

Photo courtesy of Roxy LaFarre. This was taken in Bali for her last summer vacation!

Everyone, please give a round of applause for our fifth installment of the CCI Internship Diaries, featuring none other than Roxy LaFarre ’26!

With graduation just around the corner, Roxy, a Public Relations, Advertising, and Entertainment Marketing major with a CCI minor, has endless opportunities ahead of her. This past summer, she wasn’t just “busy”… she was busy at the Television Academy (yep, the home of the Emmys ).

Before we spill the behind-the-scenes tea, here’s a quick refresher: the Internship Diaries spotlight students who’ve turned their CCI experience into real-world wins, showing just how valuable creative and cultural industries are across fields.

Now, back to Roxy. Growing up in the North Bay, Roxy always knew that she wanted to stay in California for college. When she arrived at Chapman, though, she started out undecided, still exploring her options. “I’ve always been interested in the arts and creative fields, so I wanted a program that would let me blend those interests with my newly found major in PR and advertising,” she explained. That’s where CCI came in. With its mix of fashion, music, art, and culture, the minor was practically calling her name. After a few semesters of trying different classes, she discovered how seamlessly advertising and CCI worked together. From then on, her path started to take shape, and she’s been thriving ever since.

Photo courtesy of Roxy LaFarre. Taken at the LA Area Emmys, this photo features Roxy with her fellow interns who worked alongside her at the event.

Roxy recently returned from a semester abroad in Paris, where she immersed herself in fashion-focused classes that tied perfectly into CCI. Once summer rolled around, she wasted no time applying for internships far and wide, and that’s what brings us to where she is today. 

Now that you’ve gotten a glimpse of her journey, let’s dive into her internship story!

Photo courtesy of Roxy LaFarre. This photo shows real Emmys at the LA Area Emmys, where Roxy was working the event for social media. These awards are specifically given to local news channels and reporters in the LA area.

Q: You’re a senior now, so your journey’s wrapping up. Tell me about your internship experience. How did you land it, and why that company?

RL: Over the summer, I interned with the Television Academy as a digital marketing intern. I found the posting on the Dodge College career site, reached out to an advisor for tips, and landed an interview. From the moment of the interview, I felt a connection, the team was all-female, collaborative, and supportive, and I knew I wanted to work there. Plus, the Television Academy is such a major part of the entertainment industry, especially since they host the Emmys, so it felt like an amazing opportunity.

During my internship, I did a little bit of everything: writing social media copy, learning to edit Instagram reels in Premiere, highlighting interns accepted into the Television Academy Foundation’s internship program (the Foundation is a nonprofit branch separate from the Academy that matches college students with host companies like NBC), working on Emmy Magazine copy, editing photos, and creating recap reels for events. Toward the end, most of our work focused on building excitement for Emmy nominations and the ceremony itself.

Q: That’s so wonderful! You’re literally working with one of the biggest industries in the CCI space. With that in mind, have you noticed any connections between your CCI coursework and your internship?

RL: Definitely. Many of my CCI classes abroad focused on fashion, but here at Chapman, in CCI 100: Introduction to the Creative and Cultural Industries, we’re studying creativity and its impact on culture. That connects directly to my internship because the Emmys, and entertainment in general, both shape and reflect culture in big ways. Working at the Television Academy really showed me how film and TV influence American culture and how they’re perceived internationally.

What I love about CCI is the freedom it gives you. Everything relates to culture in some way art, media, creativity and it makes you realize just how important creativity is in our lives. I’ve enjoyed taking classes I didn’t expect to connect with, only to have moments where I think, Wow, I’ve never looked at it that way before. Even in CCI 100, we read about creativity, language, representation, and symbols, which made me reflect on how different cultures interpret the same things differently, yet we all find meaning in our own ways. The classes are thought-provoking and encourage you to think deeply about yourself and the world around you, which is incredibly valuable.

Photo courtesy of Roxy LaFarre. This was taken at the Television Academy offices in LA, where Roxy worked three days a week in the office and one day from home.

Q: Switching gears a bit: What was one of the biggest challenges you faced during your internship, and what did you learn from it?

RL: One of my biggest takeaways was learning that less is more, especially in social media. I love writing, and I tend to use a lot of words. But when I was drafting copy for things like the Emmy Magazine, I realized people don’t want to read long captions; they want something short and direct. Sometimes my supervisor would cut down my copy significantly, and that taught me to condense my thoughts and get to the point. It’s a skill I’ve been carrying forward, especially with platforms like TikTok and Instagram where attention spans are so short.

Q: What advice would you give to a student who’s considering adding CCI as a minor, and how do you see it playing a role in your career after graduation?

RL: I’d say, do it! The CCI minor is incredibly flexible, and you can shape it to fit your own interests. There are so many electives that let you explore areas like fashion, music, art, or media, while the core classes give you space to focus on what excites you most. It’s not only fun, but it also opens your eyes to new ways of thinking. Beyond that, I think minoring in CCI will really help me stand out in my career. With marketing and advertising I can apply to almost any industry, but CCI has allowed me to explore my passions in fashion, music, and art alongside PR and advertising. That combination means I can bring unique knowledge and perspectives to the table and apply for a wide range of jobs, whether at an ad agency or in a more culture-focused role. 

Q: Now tell me, Roxy. What do your future plans look like? What’s next for you?

RL: My supervisors at the Television Academy reached out to me, and I’ll be working the Emmys this fall! I’m incredibly excited to be part of this opportunity, and it’s amazing that they specifically invited me back. The best part is that I get to work both the Creative Arts Emmys and the Primetime Emmys in September!!

Photo courtesy of Roxy LaFarre. Another shot of the real Emmys at the LA Area Emmys, captured while Roxy was managing social media coverage for the event.

Isn’t that incredible?! One of our very own will be working the Primetime Emmys this semester! We can’t thank Roxy enough for sitting down with us and sharing her experiences at the Television Academy and the Television Academy Foundation. From learning to use Premiere Pro to attending events, and even being invited back to work an event, Roxy is living proof of how successful you can be. We loved hearing about Roxy’s success in CCI, and we’d love to hear more about you! If you or someone you know has an internship and wants to share their experience, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at erosas@chapman.edu