Grady InternViews: Ciera Walker

This is part of a series where we ask Grady College students to describe their summer internship experience.

Briefly describe your internship and responsibilities.

As a social media intern for ESPN, my daily duties include creating posts for engagement on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok based on what’s trending in sports. I work with my team to discover new viral content and create videos and graphics to share across social media platforms.

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned so far?

The most valuable lesson I’ve learned so far is to volunteer for extra work outside of my regular duties and responsibilities. I’ve found that when I pitch in to help out with something or ask to help out on a particular project, that both my co-workers and managers are appreciative and take note of those gestures. It gives me the opportunity to connect with other individuals in the company that I might not typically work with and gain different perspectives on what this position totally encompasses. When I ask to help out, it shows that I’m serious about what I do and want to soak up as much experience from this role as possible.

How has this role helped you discover what you are passionate about?

This role has helped me discover what I’m passionate about by allowing me to see my own reactions to certain tasks given to me. When certain initiatives come up or campaigns take place, I find myself growing excited and almost giddy to work on the content that needs to be created. I know that I’m passionate by the response I have for the work that I’m doing. When I end an entire work day still energized and eager for what might come tomorrow, I know that’s only possible because of the passion that’s fueling me.

How will this role guide your future career path?

As I move forward in my career, I want to continue working in social media. This role has guided me towards that by preparing me for what a job in sports social media will look like. This position has shown me different sides of this industry that I had never recognized before and has pointed out the areas that I need to continue developing in order to truly excel in this field.

What advice would you give to other students who are looking to pursue similar opportunities?

The advice that I would give to students looking to pursue similar opportunities is to always take the risk, because you never know what might come from it. Originally, I was skeptical about applying for this internship because I was worried that I wasn’t qualified enough for it. I thought maybe I hadn’t done enough or didn’t have enough experience to be considered. However, I took the risk, applied, and placed confidence in myself to know that I was capable of working in this role. Many students miss out on amazing opportunities because they count themselves out before ever trying. My advice is to never walk away from an opportunity because of a fear or doubt that you’re not enough.

What has been your favorite part about your internship so far?

My favorite part of the internship so far has been getting to create content for major sports events including the NBA Finals, the NBA Draft and the Title IX project. I love seeing the vision that the team creates come together and the reaction that fans have to the work that’s been done. It’s fun to see certain Instagram posts or TikTok vides pop up on my own social media accounts from ESPN that I worked on and created.

If you could describe your internship in only three words, what would they be?

Surreal, invigorating, dynamic