Every spring break, aspiring media professionals from UM’s School of Communication gain hands-on experience, spending a week in New York City exploring the world of communications, media and entertainment.

In New York City, Shanken Experience students visit Horizon Media, founded by University of Miami alumnus Bill Koenigsberg.

By Madison Block
5-4-2026

What is New York’s media industry actually like?

For many aspiring media professionals, New York City is the dream, and through a unique opportunity offered through the School of Communication, students have a chance to gain experience that goes beyond the classroom.

The New York Shanken Experience takes a small group of students to New York City to engage with UM alumni and industry professionals across the communication, media and entertainment industry, a School of Communication tradition for over 15 years. Designed for upperclassmen and graduate students, the program provides insight to those looking to build careers in the media industry.

The name “Shanken” comes from Marvin Shanken, B.B.A. ’65, a UM alumnus whose endowment has funded the program for over a decade.

His company, M. Shanken Communications, is behind famous publications like Wine Spectator, Cigar Aficionado and Whisky Advocate.

The program has evolved over the years, originally offering advertising and print journalism students a chance to spend time inside M. Shanken Communications’ office in New York City, gaining hands-on experience in the editorial process and print production.

The program allows students to explore different companies within the industry. This year, students visited ABC News, Front Office Sports and Google, as well as M. Shanken Communications. The lineup changes each year, with last year’s cohort visiting NBC News, InStyle, and more.

At ABC News studios, students met alumnus Danny New, B.S.C. ’17, widely recognized as the “Mr. Positivity” reporter.

Programs Manager of the Stein Family Career Office, Audrey Carballo, has run the program since 2024 after joining the Stein Family Career Office in 2023, specializing in employer and alumni relations.

The opportunity to engage with alumni working in these industries is an aspect of the program that Carballo finds particularly valuable.

“Students have the chance to explore a wide variety of industries — from PR agencies and media companies to tech platforms and entertainment firms — all in one week,” she said. “More importantly, they get to do it alongside UM alumni who have already made that journey…It gives students a sense of community and continuity — a reminder that there is a network waiting for them when they step into the professional world.”

For Carballo, running the experience is more than a job, but a chance to see students gain real, life-changing opportunities, all in one week.

“There is something genuinely moving about watching students walk into a room with senior executives and hold their own,” she said. “Seeing a student leave New York with a LinkedIn connection that turns into a mentorship, or an internship lead that opens a door — that’s what this work is about.”

During an AI workshop at Google, students worked as a junior creative team, using AI tools to create visual assets for a new campus concept.

For students, the experience provides them the opportunity to explore potential career paths within the media industry. Sophomore Jordyn Minnis, a double major in motion pictures and political economics with a minor in business law, decided to apply after finding the experience on the School of Communication’s website.

Minnis attended the 2026 NY Shanken Experience alongside eight other students.

“I wanted to expand my professional network and gain insight into how the media industry functions as a whole. While in university, I have learned that professionals are incredibly willing to share their expertise with students who seek it out,” she said. “After being exposed to so many different pathways during my undergraduate experience thus far at the U, I feel much more assured that I want to work within the realm of media.”

The experience not only contributed to her professional development, but her personal growth and abilities as she continues to navigate the media space.

“The trip made me feel way more self-confident,” she said. “I have often found it easier to be an advocate for others, rather than for myself,” Minnis said.

When asked what advice she would give to aspiring media professionals, she offered this.

“Stay curious and never be afraid to ask,” she said.

Shea McDonald connects with broadcast journalism alumnus Derryl Barnes, B.S.C. ’24 now a Multimedia Reporter at Front Office Sports.

Minnis’ experience reflects a broader trend. According to Carballo, the program administers both pre-trip and post-trip reflection surveys often showing a jump in confidence after the experience.

According to Carballo, this year, the average pre-trip career confidence score was 7.9 out of 10, but rose to 9.2 out of 10 following the experience.

“Beyond the numbers, students describe shifts that are harder to quantify,” Carballo said. “For many students, this trip is the first time they see their career not as a distant possibility, but as something real and within reach.”

The experience is available to undergraduate and graduate students, and for graduate student Amanda Forrest, the experience pushed her both professionally and personally.

“I consider myself a reserved person, so this experience made me step out of my comfort zone in the best ways possible,” she said. “I had the opportunity to get firsthand knowledge from industry professionals, so I had to make the most of the opportunity.”

For rising senior Sierra McDonald, the experience left a lasting impression. McDonald loved meeting the Shanken team, and will be interning with M. Shanken Communications as an editorial intern for summer 2026.

She will be working on web optimization, social media, newsletter and web design, gaining hands-on experience in digital production.

For over 15 years, the NY Shanken Experience has connected students with industry professionals and UM alumni, leaving students with more than connections, but also personal development that prepares them for the years to come.