Senior journalism and broadcasting major Jennifer Yuma has always known she’d be a writer. After taking a few journalism courses at CoJMC her freshman year, her dream to become an entertainment writer at a lifestyle magazine solidified.
Yuma remembers asking herself “How do I get there? How do I make this dream a reality?” and most importantly “Who in Nebraska has already accomplished this goal?”
She spent some time researching Husker alumni who are in the entertainment industry and came across Kirstin Wilder, senior director of publications at the Nebraska Alumni Association.
Before her role at the alumni association, Wilder was the international editor for Variety magazine in Los Angeles In 1992, she started her journey at Variety as the copy and layout editor then became the publications managing editor before being named international editor.
Yuma remembers nervously walking into Wilder’s office her freshman year and telling her, “I want to do what you do.” Wilder told Yuma she reminded her of a student she had mentored, and the duo connected on their love for entertainment and writing.
“Kirstin handed me a Variety magazine that I still have and told me that she was going to mentor me and help get to where I wanted to be,” Yuma said.
During her junior and senior year of high school, Yuma was on the newspaper staff and covered cultural events. Then, after working for the Daily Nebraskan as an arts and entertainment reporter, it finally hit Yuma that she had the skills to become the writer she’d always hoped to be.
“I’ve always been that friend who knows random facts about celebrities,” Yuma said. “I figured why not try to make a career out of the pop culture things bopping around inside my head.”
Yuma’s determination, talent and connection with Wilder led her to an internship with Variety magazine. She leaves mid-July to begin her role as an editorial intern at their Los Angeles office.
See the story: https://journalism.unl.edu/news/senior-jennifer-yuma-earns-internship-variety-help-husker-alum