By Lauren Irwin (Jour'22)

How to support CMCI

Alumni, parents and friends who want to support CMCI while creating a personal legacy often choose to establish an endowment with the University of Colorado Foundation. Endowments are held in perpetuity and invested to provide annual support for donor-specified purposes through market gains.

Donors can create endowments to support scholarships, programs, departments, faculty chairs and professorships, or nearly anything else at CMCI. The minimum gift to establish an endowment is $25,000, which can be given over up to five years. To learn more or establish an endowment, contact Mary Beth Searles, CMCI assistant dean for advancement.

An internship in Washington, D.C., changed Heidi Wagner’s life. Now, she’s working alongside her alma mater to create similar opportunities for CMCI students.

“D.C. is one of those places that opens doors,” said Wagner (Jour’86). “You really can’t go wrong getting some experience here in Washington.”

As a college senior, Wagner was accepted to the Sears Congressional Internship, where she did media-related and administrative work for Rep. Stan Parris, of Virginia. Wagner had set out to be a broadcast reporter but was surprised by how much she liked learning about politics, policy and process—an interest “that just grew exponentially from being a part of it all.”

“That internship changed the trajectory of my life.”

She stayed in D.C. after graduation and is currently senior vice president and global head of government affairs at ElevateBio, a biotechnology company. Additionally, she serves as a university trustee and member of the University of Colorado Foundation Board, and was a founding member of CMCI’s advisory board.

It wasn’t a path the Boulder native envisioned when she enrolled at the university, but her time at CU “gave me a sense of the possibility that was out there for me,” she said.

Looking back to the beginning of her career, she wanted to be a part of providing students with life-changing opportunities similar to what she experienced. CMCI in D.C., which allows students to earn both course and internship credit as they explore Washington, matches that vision.

  “That internship changed the trajectory of my life.”
Heidi Wagner

The CMCI in D.C. staff leverages an extensive network of professional contacts to curate internships in the fall, spring or summer semesters that suit the interests and career goals of each student. Over the summer, 20 students studying advertising, information science, journalism and media studies lived in Washington, where they interned at The Hill, The Brand Guild, Williams Whittle, The Parks Channel and elsewhere.

As both the biggest benefactor and “number one cheerleader” of the program—she regularly meets with participants while they’re in D.C.—Wagner hopes students appreciate the possibilities Washington has to offer.

“It’s really important to expose yourself to other things, because you just don’t know what’s out there,” she said.

Wagner said she and Dean Lori Bergen set a goal that a D.C.-based experience shouldn’t be limited to those who can afford to make the move. Over the last five years, she has created an endowment that allows CMCI to offer this experience to more students.

“If the barriers aren’t eliminated, then there’s all kinds of reasons not to do it,” Wagner said. “So, if we can eliminate those barriers, let’s do it.”

After graduating with her journalism degree, Wagner worked in political communications before going to law school, holding multiple high-profile roles in government affairs and policy. She said the skills she learned in her journalism courses have been invaluable to her success working in policy and lobbying.

“I rely heavily on what I learned in journalism classes, just in terms of writing well, writing quickly, writing succinctly, being able to communicate directly and effectively, and being able to advocate internally very effectively,” she said.

Whether it’s journalism, public relations or corporate communications, Wagner hopes the internship program creates a strong pipeline of CMCI students in Washington. She knows the opportunities are waiting to be grasped.

“I certainly found a life here that I love and a career and all that comes with it, but I think Washington is a uniquely wonderful place for young professionals,” she said.

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By Hannah Stewart (Comm’19)

It’s an early Wednesday morning in July, yet it seems most of Washington, D.C., has already been up for hours.

Riders swarm the Metro on their way to work. Above ground, everyone from power brokers to power couples crowd local coffee shops while runners squeeze in a jog.

Amid the bustle, four students from CU Boulder are headed to their internships, where they are responsible for public relations at The Hill, covering news in real time and managing sound at a multimedia festival.

“This is such a great program because you get professional experience,” said Reede Ottenstein (CritMedia’23). “You’ll feel so much better when you graduate, and you’ll have a better idea of what you want to do.”

Through the support of CMCI in D.C.—a semester-long study abroad-style program in Washington—Ottenstein landed an internship with Capital Fringe. This multiday, multimedia festival was particularly enticing since she focused on sound design as a CMCI student. She even had the chance to work with the audio engineers for the performances.

“In my classes, I was learning sound and audio,” Ottenstein said. “Now that I’ve interned with this festival, I will get to take what I learned and put it in a real-world context.”

Students in this program earn both class and internship credit during a semester or summer session in Washington. In addition to learning from guest speakers—many of whom are program alumni and media professionals—students have the chance to explore the city, both on assignment and for personal enrichment. Along the way, they discover new passions and opportunities for growth while forming close bonds as peers.

“Washington, D.C., is an incredible place to spend a semester,” said Lori Bergen, CMCI founding dean. “The communications, media and information landscape is a laboratory for new ideas about how to inform, influence and inspire people.” 

CMCI students on their D.C. experiences

 "The Hill has been very eye-opening and has shown me what the real world of PR looks like. Connecting with people is something that really holds true to me.

Michael Bass
Intern, The Hill

 “You get to experience a new American city and learn from great professors.

Jenna Gainsboro
Intern, D.C. Witness

CMCI’s partner in delivering the program, the Washington Media Institute, encourages students to develop new skills through practical learning in the field.

For instance, media studies junior Jenna Gainsboro tried her hand at court reporting. An illness in Gainsboro’s youth led to seemingly endless days reading and watching television, inspiring her to pursue a career 
in media. She spent a previous semester writing for a fashion magazine, but with this new opportunity, she wanted something different.

“They pitched me this internship with D.C. Witness in a social justice kind of way,” Gainsboro said. “I appreciate how individualized it is. They really work with you to find 
an internship that will give you the experience you need.”

 “The fact that internships are hand-selected for our students gives them an advantage in getting settled in this exciting city and building professional and personal relationships that will last a lifetime.
—Dean Lori Bergen

That feature helps the program stand out among other experiential-learning opportunities.

“The fact that internships are hand-selected for our students gives them an advantage in getting settled in this exciting city and building professional and personal relationships that will last a lifetime,” Bergen said.

As part of the application process, staff from WMI interview students to assess their career goals, then identify ideal internships for each student. WMI staff also use their Washington networks to bring in guest lecturers and instructors for classes.

“I know that every time I come to class, we’re going to be doing something that might be challenging in the moment, but is still helpful and a good experience for my growth,” said senior Tessa Stigler, a journalism student who interned at Voice of America.

After graduation, she hopes to be a multimedia journalist. Although she’s had an “overwhelmingly positive experience” in her classes in Boulder, she said this program has helped her see new aspects of the media.

“It’s interesting to see how different everybody’s internships are, and the different skills they’re focusing on,” Stigler said. “CMCI in D.C. encourages you to get career minded, feel set up to graduate and know that you can get something afterward.”

CMCI in D.C. is open to all CMCI majors and minors.

This unique, immersive experience allows students to develop skills directly related to their career aspirations, and includes a customized internship tailored to each participant’s career aspirations. Students may apply to be part of the program in any semester.

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