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Marquis Scholar Rachel Heron ’09 (Downingtown, Pa.) recently served a three day alumni-hosted externship with art graduate Michelle Angelo ’02, who is associate producer for the interactive PBS television series “Kid Fitness.”
During her externship, Heron, an English major, observed how “Kid Fitness” is put together, from script writing to set design to taping at Pro Image Studios in Islandia, N.Y.
“This experience really gave me an idea of what the television industry looks like,” she says.
As a student at Lafayette, Angelo completed an externship that influenced her decision to pursue a career in television production. Now, she wanted to give another Lafayette student an opportunity to see how the industry works.
“I thought it would be nice for someone to be able to spend time observing production to see if it’s something they’re interested in getting into,” she says.
The show features the super hero Kid Fitness and his jungle animal friends who promote a healthy lifestyle. Designed for children two to six years old, the show incorporates exercise, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, original music, and educational and adventure storylines.
“Kid Fitness” is now in post-production, so Heron was able to watch the editing process and learn about the behind-the-scenes work that goes into putting a program on the air. She helped Angelo find clips to be used in one episode and sat in on a voice-over taping for another scene.
Heron also accompanied Angelo to several meetings, including one with representatives of the New York City school system, which will be incorporating “Kid Fitness” into its curriculum.
“Rachel also sat in on a company planning meeting, which was a terrific opportunity to learn about all the aspects of the production company,” says Angelo.
Angelo gave Heron a realistic and balanced view of the career opportunities available in her field.
“I went through both the positives and negatives of the industry with her,” she explains.
Heron is still exploring her career options, and television script writing is one possibility that interests her. She and Angelo talked about the writing process, and Angelo introduced her to the show’s head writer.
“Michelle was incredibly helpful. She put me in touch with a lot of different people,” says Heron.
Heron is a member of Newman Association, College Democrats, The Lafayette newspaper, and Delta Delta Delta sorority. She also is a Writing Associate.
Chosen from among Lafayette’s most promising applicants, Marquis Scholars like Heron receive a special academic scholarship and distinctive educational experiences and benefits. This includes a three-week, Lafayette-funded course abroad or in the United States during January’s interim session between semesters or the summer break. Marquis Scholars also participate in mentoring programs with Lafayette faculty and cultural activities in major cities and on campus.