Over the last several months Leanna Wells ’22, a Political Science major from Brooklyn, New York, has been living her dream, working as a Talent Development Intern at NBCUniversal’s CNBC network. Having a career in the television news industry has always been a goal for Wells, who fondly remembers how that dream began. “When I was a little kid, each morning, while I was getting ready for school, I would watch the Today show on NBC,” recalls Wells. “I knew the music and intro by heart, you know where the guy says: ‘From NBC News, this is Today. With Meredith Vieira.’ I was captivated by it. There was something just so magical about the news.”
“This experience has given me a behind-the-scenes look at how the magic happens. It’s opened doors for me that I never thought were possible, and it’s introduced me to so many people. I can’t wait to see what my future holds.” —Leanna Wells
Whether she was learning about world events, gaining insight into breaking news, or watching a human-interest story unfold, Wells felt a deep connection to the news industry and its mission. “It revealed to me a passion for storytelling, for providing information, and for connecting with others that I didn’t know I had in me,” says Wells. “My love for the industry has only been strengthened by this internship with NBCUniversal and CNBC. This experience has given me a behind-the-scenes look at how the magic happens. It’s opened doors for me that I never thought were possible, and it’s introduced me to so many people. I can’t wait to see what my future holds.” We sat down with Wells to learn more about her internship with NBCUniversal and her goals for the future.
Gaining Journalism Skills at John Jay
Wanting a well-rounded, justice-focused college experience, Wells knew John Jay College would be the perfect place to get an education. “Anything can lead you to journalism because journalism connects to everything. Every action has the potential to be a story, and everyone has a story to tell,” says Wells. “When I tell people that I want to be a journalist and that I come to John Jay they get this puzzled look on their face, but to me it makes perfect sense. So much of the news revolves around the injustices in the world. I knew that at John Jay I would be able to learn about these issues and the role I could play in helping to shine a light on them.”
“So much of the news revolves around the injustices in the world. I knew that at John Jay I would be able to learn about these issues and the role I could play in helping to shine a light on them.” —Leanna Wells
As an APPLE Corps student and Peer Success Coach, Wells has gained essential skills that could prove to be very useful to her as she pursues a career in journalism; she learned the value of community and the importance of listening to others. “I’ve always been a really good public speaker, but in APPLE Corps I learned how to be attentive, how to be a really good listener and how to provide constructive feedback. These are skills that are so important in life and especially in journalism,” says Wells. “I know that I’ll be able to take what I learned at John Jay College and apply it in any newsroom in the world.”
“Anything can lead you to journalism because journalism connects to everything.” —Leanna Wells
Making Her Dream Come True
When Wells got the call for an interview at NBCUniversal she was filled with an overwhelming sense of joy. “I just couldn’t believe it. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to hear back from them so when I did, I couldn’t stop smiling and telling everyone I was going to intern at NBCUniversal,” she says with a laugh. As a Talent Development Intern at the company’s CNBC network, Wells found herself being part of a team that valued her input and willingly included her in the work process. “Everyone at CNBC was so welcoming and went out of their way to include me. I would participate in daily team calls and researched potential guests and contributors who could appear on the network,” says Wells. She also navigated production clips, contributed to NBCUniversal’s intern insider newsletter, and even got a byline in a story for CNBC’s “College Voices” series. “Writing that story for the CNBC website and seeing it published was really a highlight for me. I’m just so proud of it.”
The internship also allowed Wells to interact with interns from across the company and learn from industry experts who have given her a greater understanding of what it takes to have a successful news career. “I’ve been very fortunate because I had three amazing supervisors at CNBC who really were mentors to me, guiding me and uplifting me along the way.” One of those supervisors was Mary Duffy, Vice President of Talent Development and Senior Executive Producer at CNBC Business News, who was a staunch champion for Wells. “Here is this Vice President who is incredibly busy, yet she would find the time to check in on me, answer my questions, guide me with kindness, connect me to other people in the industry, and share her knowledge of the news world with me,” says Wells. “She wanted to equip me with the right tools so that I could go out into the world, showcase my best self, and succeed. That meant a lot to me.” Her other two supervisors, CNBC Coordinating Producer Megan Rogers and CNBC Producer Emily Lorsch, created a space for Wells to feel completely comfortable being herself. “I came to this internship with doubts and few on-the-field experiences, and they really took a chance on me. I had little knowledge of business and they let me know that that was okay. It’s okay to not know everything. They explained that they also learned as they went along. I really did appreciate them sharing that with me because I think for interns or when you’re first starting in your career, you feel this pressure to get everything right, to be perfect or an expert,” says Wells. “They let me know this was a space where we work as a team, so communication is important. We have each other’s back, we ask for help when we need it, and if a mistake happens it’s okay, we learn from it and keep going.”
“I had three amazing supervisors at CNBC who really were mentors to me, guiding me and uplifting me along the way.” —Leanna Wells
Dreaming of the Future
While her internship officially ended in early December, Wells’s time with NBCUniversal will continue. Starting early in 2022, she’ll be part of the NBCUniversal Page Program, a yearlong program dedicated to giving people starting their careers “a well-rounded experience along with unmatched exposure to the media industry.” Through the program, Wells will be working with different groups at NBCUniversal and participating in skills and development learning opportunities. “I’m really excited to be part of the program and can’t wait to start rotating around the company, learning about what the other groups do. I know it’s going to be an amazing experience,” she says.
“This internship has shown me so much, not just about networking, learning new programs or gaining skills, but also about myself. I came into it with doubts about my abilities but through this experience I learned that nothing is impossible for me.” —Leanna Wells
Afterward, the sky’s the limit for Wells. “This internship has shown me so much, not just about networking or learning new programs or gaining skills, but also about myself. I came into it with doubts about my abilities, but through this experience I learned that nothing is impossible for me. Anything I set my mind to I can achieve,” says Wells, turning her attention to the future. “My dream is to work in network news one day as a producer, on-field reporter, and then possibly an anchor. Maybe one day, some kid will turn on the Today show while getting ready for school and hear, ‘From NBC News, this is Today with Leanna Wells.’ That would be a dream come true.”
