Living, Working and Learning in New York City Before Graduation

Q&A with two students who went to the first semester of UTNY

Writer Jessica Lenamond Designer Helen Hulsey

The dream of living in New York City one day is familiar to many college students because it is the global center for media, entertainment, finance, and the arts. That dream can come true for UT students before they even graduate with the UT in New York Program. UTNY provides the chance for students to live, work, and learn in NYC to kickstart professional opportunities before they start their careers.

The program’s first semester was Fall 2019 and it is an internship-first experiential learning program open to all majors. The UTNY campus is in Manhattan and students can attend either the fall, spring or summer semesters to earn between nine and 12 credit hours towards their degree. A three or 6-hour internship credit must be completed and then additional courses are taken with UT faculty members. To see courses offered with UTNY, visit https://utny.utexas.edu/learn.

For housing, students have the option of living in the provided student housing in Brooklyn Heights near Manhattan or they can find their own housing.

The UTNY summer 2020 program will now be online for a virtual experience because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new virtual program will be June 4 to August 7 and courses will be offered online on Canvas. Students will still take 9 hours of coursework and can complete a three or 6-hour internship credit but an internship is not required for this summer semester.

Two students who went to the first semester of UTNY gave their feedback on the program and how the experience helped shape their career. Laura Laughead is a senior journalism major and interned at “Good Morning America” at ABC News. Saskia Gregg is a senior advertising and music major and interned at Sony Music Entertainment and a Broadway producing company, the John Gore Organization. Here is their take on UTNY:

Laura Laughead: My time and internship in NYC have given me a clearer image of what I want to do with my life and what I don’t want to do with my life. While I missed UT and Austin, it was great to be able to have the opportunities that only New York City could provide. Plus, there’s nothing like Christmas in the city. I’ll remember that for the rest of my life! The UTNY experience has already opened a ton of career doors for me that I didn’t think were possible.

Saskia Gregg: UTNY was one of my favorite semesters I’ve had at UT because it gave me a chance to essentially “try out” my post-grad aspirations. I got exposure to the entertainment industry with a scope that I never had the opportunity within Austin, which taught me a lot about what I want to pursue after graduation.

Would you recommend that other students go on this program? What would you tell a student who is interested in applying?

Laughead: UT students should definitely consider doing UTNY before they graduate. You get to “test drive” a career before you enter the “real world.” You can find out if what you’ve been studying in school and what you think you want to do with your life is actually what you want to be doing 40 plus hours a week for the next 40 years after all. Having this experience will definitely make your resumé stand out. The program offers you so many professional and life experiences you can’t get anywhere else.

Gregg: I would definitely recommend this program to other students if they want to try out living and working in NYC. There’s no pressure if you don’t like it because you always have UT to come back to. And if you take advantage of this opportunity, it opens the door to some fantastic companies that UT has built relationships with.

Where did you intern? How was that experience?

Laughead: I interned at “Good Morning America” at ABC News, and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life, both professionally and personally. I grew up watching “GMA,” and I wanted to intern for the show for years. It was incredible because I not only got to help out with the show in the mornings, but I also got to write stories for the GMA website and ABC News. I ended up with 75 national bylines by the end of my internship.

Gregg: I interned at the John Gore Organization (a Broadway producing company) and Sony Music Entertainment. Both internships were very different but gave me interesting perspectives on the breadth of the entertainment industry. Working two internships was also a great way to get a taste of working full time, plus I made so many great connections.

What is the most memorable thing that you did at UTNY?

Laughead: I interviewed Helen Mirren and Ian McKellan on the red carpet at the premiere of their movie “The Good Liar.” I interned with the digital department of “Good Morning America,” and after work one day, they asked me if I would be interested in covering the premiere for the “GMA” official Instagram. I immediately said yes and dashed across town with my equipment to the theater. I was a little nervous, but the interviews went great. Ian even made a joke about how late it was for a “GMA” employee to be out. I bonded with another young journalist next to me on the carpet, and she gave me her spare ticket for the movie screening and the after party. I left my apartment that morning at 6 a.m. and didn’t get back until after 1 a.m., but it was so worth it!

Gregg: I camped out for SNL with some friends one night which was one of my favorite memories. We brought towels and blankets and slept on the street outside of the Rockefeller Center in 40 degree weather. Probably lost a year off of my life from everything we went through, but worth it for Chance the Rapper!

What is it like to live in New York City?

Laughead: Living in New York City was very intimidating at first, but I fell in love with the city by the end of UTNY. There are so many moving parts and interesting things to do and see and — my personal favorite — to eat. I don’t have a car, so the subway system was a lifesaver. I feel like everyone dreams of living in New York City at one point in his or her life, so I still can’t believe I’ve already checked that off my bucket list. So many movies and TV shows are set in NYC, so I had a fun time trying to find their real life locations, like the “Law and Order” courthouse and the “Friends” apartment.

Gregg: As someone who was always overwhelmed by the city on brief trips in the past, I didn’t expect to fall in love with it as I did. Living in New York City is so different from visiting it. The energy of the city is contagious and there’s always something interesting to do if you want to -- but having months to explore it also gives you the chance to relax sometimes and find the quieter corners of the city. I’m also not a huge fan of driving so the subway was a game-changer for me.

What resources did you find beneficial for finding housing?

Laughead: I used the housing that UTNY provided. I loved the Brooklyn Heights location. If I ever move back to New York City, that neighborhood is definitely the place to live.