Meet Sydney Greenspan
Major: Journalism
Minor: Communication Studies and Psychology
Hometown: Vernon Hills, Illinois
Sydney, now a junior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, is grateful for the internship she completed as a second-year student in the College of Arts and Sciences. That experience helped her discover the best direction for her future.
Her interest was piqued while taking an interpersonal communication class, and the subject matter felt integral to the kind of career she wanted to explore. The class led her to declare a major in communication studies, with a plan to pursue a career in political communication. In the spring of 2025, a friend recommended her for an internship at the Center for Communication Excellence. Sydney was excited to integrate the communication concepts she was learning in the classroom into her work.
Sydney's tasks included training and coaching students in communication skills, helping to expand the public-facing identity of the center and the communication studies major, working with the department's social media committee, and highlighting department alums and current members.
"The main focus of my internship was helping students in COMM 101, 209, and 286 prepare for their in-class speeches. When we didn't have students in the center, I helped design social media posts about upcoming deadlines and events happening in the department," Sydney said. In fall 2025, she became the center's creative director.
Looking back, Sydney is thankful for the hands-on experience the role gave her. "I learned how to help reduce students' speech anxiety, which was impactful," she said. "I also learned to use Canva and create content for specific audiences."
She credits this experiential learning for strengthening her interpersonal, visual, oral, and written communication skills.
"This internship taught me skills regarding public speaking, mentorship, and teaching," Sydney said. "I also learned how to design social media posts, which helped me learn how to target messages toward certain audiences."
She recalls a specific moment when she realized just how meaningful it was to have a strong support system. "Everyone encouraged me and helped guide me toward the career
I'm interested in. The experience taught me the importance of surrounding yourself with people who believe in you and want to see you succeed."
That support allowed her to become curious about her initial plan and refine which field would work best for her future. She decided to switch her major to journalism with minors in communication studies and psychology.
"It helped me realize that I want to be a writer and that journalism would be the best fit for my career goals," Sydney said.
Sydney is already putting her newfound passion into practice in 2026. While managing a full course load and working as a research assistant, she is also an opinion writer for the Daily Nebraskan.
"At first, I wanted to work in political communications, but now I want to be a reporter," Sydney said. "I believe news is important as it helps people make sense of the world, and I would love to be a part of that."
