McKenna Brennan ‘28 felt drawn to IC's Park School for its resources and its emphasis on experience from day one. She didn’t hesitate to embrace roles on campus as a Producer for the Career Corner podcast and Social Media Director of Park Promotions. In fact, those positions helped earn McKenna a Creative Internship at American High, a local production group, and a Social Media Internship at Purple Banana, an acai cafe.
"I was set up right away to take on a leadership role,” says McKenna.
Working on the Career Corner Podcast connected McKenna with dozens of alumni, faculty, staff, and students as she coordinated interviews and recordings. She also learned how to edit and upload footage to various platforms, promoting the podcast on social media. The experience equipped McKenna with the concrete skills and confidence she needed to apply to content creation and account management during her internships.“All of my professors and extracurriculars have paved the way for my professional growth.”
McKenna had already built a connection with American High during high school, but it was her work on the Career Corner Podcast that helped her become a qualified strategic communicator ready to tackle assignments for the production company with over four million subscribers.
In the role, McKenna managed three social media accounts and led promotions for American High’s New York State High School Film Festival. “I discovered that I love to be able to reflect on my past and offer opportunities to support the creative community.” Her work helped publicize the accomplishments of high school students and aspiring filmmakers, a position she was once in. “I also found the joy in being able to work for myself and come up with ideas for content that other people find inspiring.” McKenna has harnessed social media as a tool for building community and amplifying the stories she values.