Adrienne Dawes, a graduate student in the Department of Theatre’s M.F.A. Program in Playwriting, was selected for and recently completed the prestigious Television Academy Foundation Internship program.

She is one of just 50 students chosen by Television Academy members from across the country for the 2021 program. She completed a remote internship this summer in the Scripted Television Series department at the FX Network in Los Angeles, California. 

Dawes attended Huntington-Surrey High School in Austin, Texas, and completed her undergraduate degree at Sarah Lawrence College. 

“I was thrilled to join the Television Academy Foundation's internship program,” Dawes said. “It feels like my goals of writing for television are that much closer. This internship allowed me to connect with other emerging TV creatives, gain industry experience and make valuable connections with Hollywood professionals.” 

“My background is in scrappy, DIY independent theatre, so I've always loved the intimate relationship between the audience and performing artists,” Dawes added. “I feel like this internship will open up a lot of doors for my future. It's an opportunity to plant some seeds while I finish my M.F.A. and continue to develop TV and film projects. I hope to move out to LA when I graduate, so to begin to build a community there remotely is a huge gift.” 

Typically, the Television Academy Foundation’s annual Internship Program provides 50 paid internships at top Hollywood studios and production companies to college students nationwide.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Television Academy Foundation had to re-imagine its internship program this year, offering the 50 students selected from across the country the chance to either intern remotely or enroll as a Summer Fellow.  

The Internship Program also included virtual professional development panel discussions with leaders in the television industry and customized seminars covering personal brand building and navigating the job market ahead. Interns also become life-long members of the foundation’s alumni family, giving them access to events and networking opportunities as they build their careers in the industry.  

John Walch, assistant professor and head of the M.F.A. Program in Playwriting, said he is incredibly proud of Dawes and congratulated her on this achievement.  

“This was such a great opportunity for Adrienne and also reflects the high caliber and national regard held for our U of A graduate students in theatre,” Walch said. “And since part of her graduate assistantship includes teaching undergraduate students, I have no doubt that Adrienne will bring this new wealth of knowledge back into her classroom to benefit even more of our students.”   

About the Television Academy Foundation: Established in 1959 as the charitable arm of the Television Academy, the Television Academy Foundation is dedicated to preserving the legacy of television while educating and inspiring those who will shape its future. For more information on the foundation, visit TelevisionAcademy.com/Foundation.