Under the leadership of Laurie Brady, who serves as the Department of Communication Internship Director, students have gained hands on learning experiences within a variety of career fields. Students bring classroom lessons into real life scenarios while gaining career readiness skills and expanding their network.
Brady has worked to grow the internship program. She has coordinated multiple internship information sessions that give students the opportunity to have one-on-one consultations about finding internship positions, earning course credit for their internships, reviewing resumes, and collaborating with COMM M.A. alumna, Sarah Denison, and her team from the Fulbright Career Connections Center.
Communication students hold internship positions in a wide variety of industries and fields of work, from event management, to marketing, politics, advertising, health, and beyond.
Featured below are two students who held influential internships over the summer.
Sydney Roulhac:
Sydney Roulhac in Washington DC
Sydney Roulhac is a communication major and Lambda Pi Eta member, who served as an intern in Senator John Boozman’s office this summer. Roulhac said that she greatly enjoyed meeting other interns and giving tours of the capital.
Having been involved in student government previously, Sydney’s experience on and off campus allowed her to become a winning candidate in this year’s student government race. Roulhac is the Student Government Secretary for the 2024-2025 school year. Roulhac ran on the “Advance Arkansas” ticket, a platform of growing involvement on campus with a focus on accessibility, transportation, and engagement.
Roulhac received a scholarship from the Women’s Congressional Scholarship Fund to support housing during her internship. Out of many applicants, there were 16 total scholarship recipients, representing 14 schools and 12 states. Roulhac added, “The scholarship fund also hosts speaker series biweekly, and I have been enjoying those.”
Sydney was inducted into the Lambda Pi Eta honor society in Spring 2024. Sydney was also named Model Initiate, Kappa Kappa Gamma, by the Panhellenic Council of the University of Arkansas 2022.
Emma Williams:
Emma Williams at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Emma Williams is a senior communication major who recently served as an intern at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. This was Williams’ second internship with Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, where she has been an intern in the inclusion and belonging department since January 2024. During her internship, Emma’s responsibilities ranged from leading the Employee Resource Group co-chair onboarding processes to planning internal and external events. These events included a Mental Health First Aid training, an Immigrant Heritage Awareness Month celebration, and Bridge Day. Bridge Day is an all-day, monthly event that welcomes all to enjoy the museum in a sensory friendly and accessible environment. Additionally, Emma collaborated on a group project that involved researching and presenting solutions, focusing on accessibility and its impact on programming, policies, and procedures.
Emma said, “This experience has enhanced my skills in leadership, project management, event planning, and effective organizational communication.” She added, “I’m excited to continue this work at Crystal Bridges this fall. I am so grateful for my time in Inclusion and Belonging at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Communication Department at the University of Arkansas. I cannot be more appreciative of my mentors and peers for always encouraging my growth and believing in my potential.”
Williams has been awarded many scholarships, including the Virgil and Lillian Baker Scholarship, the Fulbright College Scholarship Fund, the Fulbright College Endowed Scholarship Fund, among others. Williams has also participated as a mentor in the UARK Girls Group Service-Learning program under the direction of Dr. Angela Mensah.
Written by Lacie Bryles, marketing and programs specialist
Photos submitted by students