Samantha's internship experience in the United Kingdom during the summer of 2026

When presented with the choice of interning part-time and taking a class at the same time in London, I did not hesitate to accept the opportunity.

The London Youth Games quickly became one of the best parts of my summer. Not only was the work rewarding and the projects meaningful, but the people made the experience unforgettable. From my very first day, I was welcomed into a small, close-knit team that genuinely enjoyed working together. The office environment was unlike any workplace I had experienced before, especially since I wasn’t inside much. Most of my work days took place outside of the office, whether that was at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park or Mile End Stadium, it was incredible to see so many different places in London that I wouldn’t have visited if it wasn’t for LYG.

As someone pursuing a career in sports media, it was exciting to work for an organization whose mission aligned so closely with my own interests. Rather than focusing on professional athletes, London Youth Games celebrates young people from across the city, providing opportunities for

Watching hundreds of young athletes compete with so much passion and enthusiasm reminded me why sports storytelling matters. Every competitor had a story worth sharing, whether they won a medal or simply had the opportunity to represent their borough. Covering events like rounders, dance, sitting volleyball, and ParaGames gave me a behind-the-scenes look at the planning and teamwork required to organize these competitions.

Beyond the professional experience, this internship also taught me what I value in a workplace. Working with a supportive supervisor, Yolanda Martin, who trusted me with meaningful responsibilities showed me how much workplace culture influences both productivity and personal growth. I felt encouraged to ask questions, contribute ideas, and take ownership of my work, which helped me become more independent and confident in my abilities.

them to compete, build confidence, and create lifelong memories through sport. Being able to tell those stories made every assignment feel purposeful.

Throughout the internship, I had the opportunity to write news stories, interview team managers, edit media, and create content for the organization's website and social media platforms. Each task challenged me in different ways, pushing me to step outside of my comfort zone, and allowed me to strengthen skills I had already begun developing through my journalism coursework and work at The Daily Iowan. I became more confident conducting interviews, video editing, and adapting content for platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the internship was attending the events themselves.

Looking back, accepting this internship was one of the best decisions I made while studying abroad. It not only gave me opportunities to try different roles in sports media and prepared me for a future career in athletics, but it also gave me a greater appreciation for the role sport can play in bringing communities together. The relationships I built, the stories I told, and the experiences I gained will remain some of the most valuable memories from my summer in London.

This experience strengthened my skills in video production, editing, digital storytelling, and audience engagement while reinforcing the importance of creating content that is both visually compelling and purpose-driven.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my role was the opportunity to interview athletes and team managers throughout the summer. These conversations allowed me to move beyond simply documenting events and instead focus on capturing the personal stories, motivations, and experiences that make youth sport meaningful.

Conducting interviews challenged me to develop strong communication skills, create a comfortable environment for interviewees, and ask questions that encouraged deeper conversations.

Through these interviews, I was able to highlight the impact of LYG beyond competition. showcasing how sport builds confidence, friendships, and a sense of community among young people across London.

Through my work producing and editing content for LYG, I gained valuable experience creating videos from start to finish. From capturing footage at events to conducting interviews and transforming those moments into engaging short-form videos, I learned how each stage of production plays an important role in telling an effective story. I focused on creating content that not only showcased the excitement of competition, but also highlighted the personal journeys, achievements, and impact of the young athletes involved.

This experience strengthened my ability to combine journalism and visual storytelling in a fast-paced sports environment. By balancing creative editing decisions with meaningful storytelling, I developed a deeper understanding of how social media can be used to connect audiences with athletes and communities. The opportunity to produce content that reached thousands of viewers reinforced my passion for sports media and the power of video to celebrate the stories behind the sport.

Throughout the summer, I produced and edited short-form video content that showcased the events that I covered. Working from initial concept to final publication, I helped transform interviews, event footage, and behind-the-scenes moments into engaging videos tailored for Instagram Reels and TikTok. My responsibilities included interviewing team managers, capturing and organizing footage, editing for pacing and audience retention, incorporating captions, and adapting content to suit each platform's best practices.

Much of this work focused on highlighting the experiences of what it’s like to attend these competitions, emphasizing themes of community and the importance of the events. Rather than simply documenting events, these videos were designed to tell meaningful stories that reflected the positive impact on young athletes from across the city. Collectively, these videos generated more than 30,000 impressions across platforms.

Covering the LYG dance finals was, without a doubt, one of my favorite experiences of the summer. Unlike traditional sporting events, dance combined athleticism, creativity, teamwork, and self-expression, creating a unique atmosphere that was exciting to be involved in and captured through video.

I enjoyed documenting the energy of the performers, the support between teams, and the passion from team managers. It was interesting to speak to the team managers about the concept of their dances and their favorite parts as well. The difference between each and every dance made the day so much fun.

The best part, without a doubt, was dancing with everyone before awards. Dance circles were made and I was thrown in the center of everything with just my phone. You could really feel the energy and fun that all of the athletes were having, despite the looming award ceremony, and it is something that I will never forget.

I also edited and curated photography to help showcase the excitement, emotion, and community behind youth sport. Working through hundreds of images from competitions and events, I selected the strongest photos that captured key moments, athlete reactions, and the overall atmosphere of each event. I used these images to create engaging photo dumps and social media posts that highlighted the experiences of participants while encouraging audiences to connect with the organization’s mission.

Using Adobe Photoshop and my existing photography skills, I isolated parts of the picture I needed and put various ones together to create a cohesive slideshow. I focused on maintaining the authenticity of each moment while improving the visual engagement for digital platforms.

This experience strengthened my ability to make creative decisions with photos that are not mine, from identifying the most impactful images to designing content that performs well on social media. The photography content I edited contributed to more than 20,000 impressions on Instagram, helping capture and share the energy, dedication, and community that define the LYG experience.

When I was not on-site at events, I edited short-form video content captured by others. Working with raw footage from competitions, interviews, and events, I transformed clips into engaging social media videos that captured the energy and emotion of each moment.

Using video editing software, I focused on creating content that was visually engaging and accessible for platforms such as Instagram Reels, TikTok, and LinkedIn. My editing process included selecting the strongest clips, creating a clear narrative structure, adding captions, and improving pacing. For example, I had a lot of fun going through footage from past LYG finals and altering a first cut to fit what we had wanted the video to convey.

The videos I edited generated more than 23,000 impressions across platforms, helping expand the reach of LYG and connect audiences with the stories of supporters from across the city. This experience strengthened my skills in digital storytelling, social media content creation, and producing video that is both visually compelling and purpose-driven.

Letter of Recommendation