Business

The Television Academy Foundation announced the restructuring of its 2021 Summer Internship and Fellowship programs for college students nationwide, offering enhanced professional development for students facing an uncertain job market due to the pandemic.

Applications for the 2021 summer program may be filed now through Jan. 19, 2021, at TelevisionAcademy.com/Internships.

Among the 55 career-advancing opportunities are 20 full-time paid remote internships in program development in a variety of television genres. Additionally, the Foundation offers the “Star Trek Command Training Program,” founded in partnership with CBS Studios, which offers immersive professional experiences within the Star Trek franchise as well as internships for Los Angeles-area foster youth, provided through an endowment gift from Dick Wolf’s Wolf Family Foundation. These summer programs will run from mid-June through mid-August 2021.

The Foundation will also provide more educational and career-building opportunities with 30 remote summer fellowships in 18 different television disciplines including directing, animation, casting, interactive media and scriptwriting. The summer fellows will experience one-on-one flash mentorships with industry pros, online educational panel discussions with entertainment professionals, and customized seminars on personal brand building and navigating the job market.

All chosen interns and fellows become lifelong members of the Television Academy’s alumni network, gaining access to exclusive networking opportunities, industry events and an online alumni platform launching in 2021.

“The Foundation’s Internship and Fellowship programs serve as a pathway to employment for aspiring students,” said Madeline Di Nonno, chair of the Television Academy Foundation. “We provide unique opportunities for students to gain experience and network with top creative and executive talent, which can directly impact their career. The challenges of launching a career post-graduation during the COVID-19 pandemic is daunting. We are committed to offering these outstanding students added remote opportunities to help further their professional development during these unprecedented times.”

A fundamental precept for the Internship Program is to identify, educate and empower an inclusive group of future television leaders. Finalists for these prestigious and coveted opportunities are selected by members of the Television Academy; the final selection is made by participating host companies such as Valhalla Entertainment, Act III Productions and The Wolper Organization. The program is designed to train, inspire and open doors for diverse and highly motivated students who might not otherwise have access to the industry.

Since its inception in 1980, the Foundation’s Internship Program has been instrumental in launching the careers of prominent writers, producers, directors, executives, and Emmy® nominees and winners. Notable Foundation alumni include: four-time Emmy-winner Rachel Axler (Veep), five-time Emmy-nominee Kristen Bartlett (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee; Saturday Night Live), The Sopranos producer Martin Bruestle, CNN correspondent Natasha Chen, Emmy-winning animator Jorge R. Gutierrez (El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera; The Book of Life), two-time Emmy-winner Craig Mazin (Chernobyl), writer/director Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Secret Life of Bees; The Old Guard) and FX Networks Vice President of Development Kevin Wandell.