Olivia Lyons, ’19 on Getting Behind the Camera, Internships, and Student Life

A Q&A with Olivia Lyons, ’19 // Broadcast Media Production

Broadcast Media Production major Olivia Lyons, ‘19, turned her internship at a local news station into a job offer. In this interview before she graduated, we talked with Lyons about her classes, internship, and experiences as a student at Champlain in Burlington, Vermont.

Q: What was your favorite Broadcast Media Production class you took at Champlain?

A: My favorite class was Video Field Production, which you take your sophomore year with Keith Oppenheim—my favorite professor. You work a lot with cameras. The course really helps you develop a journalistic style, get experience behind the camera, go out and interview people, and learn more about how the media works.

Q: What’s the most memorable project you did in your major?

A: As a senior, everyone does a Capstone project. We did a 10-minute documentary about house concerts. We traveled all over to film, including to Canada and Connecticut. It was so much fun meeting new people and seeing artists perform. And then, we went through all the footage to pick the best shots and make this movie ours.

Q: You had an internship with a local news station. What was that experience like?

A: When I first began interning at one of the local television stations, I worked hard to really prove that I was here and wanted to do the work, and it ended up paying off. Now, I am a fill-in reporter and an associate producer for the same local television station that I interned with. They’ll call me up and ask, “Hey, can you fill in on this day? We have a reporter out,” and I’ll go in and do what they do.

Q: Did Champlain prepare you for your internship?

A: Champlain definitely prepared me for my internship. I had a lot of hands-on experience with cameras and editing during my classes. When I got to my internship, they said, “Okay, here’s a package, help us edit this.” If I didn’t have that experience at Champlain, I would have been dumbfounded. Luckily, I had spent a lot of time working and developing my skills.

Q: What’s it like to be a college student in Burlington?

A: I love Burlington. I’m from a place where there isn’t a whole lot going on. So, coming to Burlington, there’s always an event happening, places to go, new spots to find. And being a college town, there’s a lot of people your own age to meet and hang out with. I think the waterfront is my favorite place to go in Burlington.

Q: Where’s your favorite place on campus?

A: Oh, my favorite place on campus is definitely the third floor circle room, the Vista Room, in the library. It has a very nice view of the lake and it’s usually quiet, so you can read and do homework.

Q: How has Champlain helped you grow in the past four years?

A: I definitely gained a lot of confidence while at Champlain. Looking back at my first-year self, I thought I was confident and mature and had it all together. But now, I think I’m leaps and bounds from where I was back then.

Lyons is now working as a Multimedia Journalist and Producer at WCAX-TV in Burlington, Vermont.

Are you passionate about creating amazing media? Check out all the majors that the Division of Communication & Creative Media has to offer and find the perfect fit!