Arhlene Flowers, 2/6/2009 · 0 comments
IMC major Alyssa Arminio, class of 2010, just returned to Ithaca after a memorable time in Los Angeles last semester where she interned at the "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." She also became a real "guest" after Ellen saw the video of Alyssa winning a car on "The Price is Right," which Ellen thought was so hilarious that she wanted to show it to the world. Alyssa said, "No one told me I was going to be an on-camera guest, and I was literally thrown up there mid-show! I would certainly say that the friendships I've made and networking connections I've established have really made the whole experience worthwhile. The staff there was so appreciative of our work and really went out of their way to always include us in the fun."
From August to December 2008, Alyssa interned at this popular Emmy Award-winning television show, based in Los Angeles, as part of Ithaca College's Los Angeles program, an extension of the Roy H. Park School of Communications. Alyssa said, "I could not have asked for a better internship or experience in Los Angeles. The thought of working for such a well-known and highly rated television show was intimidating at first, but the people there all made it feel like a second home. The office was always exploding with energy, whether Ellen was yelling down the hallway on her mega-phone or piles of gifts were being sent from companies that wanted to be featured on the holiday shows."
Some of the highlights of her internship were getting to be a part of a few other on-air segments. She helped decorate George Clooney's bungalow for Halloween and dressed up in a silly costume and rolled giant donuts on stage for a game played in a couple of the shows. Alyssa added, "I also really enjoyed being a part of rehearsal; I was once asked to test out a game that required me to stick my head into a deep-dish pizza and pull out a ticket with my teeth, while another time I played blind-folded musical chairs. Interns also got to sit in on musical sound checks on several occasions, which was like seeing free concerts. During Taylor Swift's sound check, Ellen actually ran out from backstage and started slow dancing with me, which was both hilarious and nerve-wracking!"
Alyssa worked five days a week and rotated in five different departments -- audience, production, human interest, Website, and research. Alyssa explained, "I learned about product placement, booking talent, publicity in the entertainment industry, research prior to execution, and how fast-paced this business can be. I even got to dabble in departments like props and wardrobe; there really weren't any boundaries at this internship! The fact that I was able to be so hands on at such a credible and well-established production really made the internship that much more exciting."
In terms of the long-lasting value, Alyssa said, "I've learned that what you gain from any experience, whether it be school or work related, is directly related to the passion you put into it. Going into this internship, I knew that I wanted to make the most of my time at 'Ellen' and soak up as much information as possible in one semester. Looking back, I am confident to say that I really 'gave it my all' and, as a result, I came back with an abundance of knowledge about the industry plus memories that I'll cherish for a lifetime. For me, it proved the fact that hard work brings satisfying rewards."
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