Savannah Christian alumna is chosen as ‘future leader’ by Television Academy Foundation

Savannah Christian Preparatory School alumna Taylor Shults was hard to pin down for an interview this past month as she prepared for her internship through The Television Academy Foundation . The organization is the same one that doles out Emmy awards, so she can be forgiven for being strapped for time as she packed to move from Athens, Georgia, to Los Angeles for the foundation's summer internship program .

Shults was in Athens because she currently attends the University of Georgia, where she will be a senior this coming fall. Driven person that she is, it's no surprise to find out that she is "working towards two bachelor's degrees, one in Business Management with the Terry College of Business and the other in Entertainment and Media Studies (EMST) with the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication."

Since mid-June, she has been a physical production/business management intern for NZK Productions/Warner Horizon Inc., a division of the Warner Bros. Television Group, in Burbank, California. For those not in the know, NZK is the studio that produces The Bachelor on ABC. That's right, Shults is an intern on the top reality show.

She was selected from thousands of applicants to be one of 40 chosen for opportunities through the foundation. The organization announced this past week that Shults was one of 10 students chosen to be a 2024 Bob Bennett Future Leader , which is named for legendary broadcast executive Robert M. Bennett . The Foundation's website states that the leader program provides additional mentorship from industry professionals, exclusive networking opportunities, and " hands-on training in various aspects of media management and leadership." Transportation and housing support are also provided to the selected interns.

Shults made some time in her packed schedule ahead of the 4th of July holiday to answer some questions from the Savannah Morning News. Here's what she had to say.

Still waiting for the 'adrenaline rush' of being accepted to wear off

Savannah Morning News (SMN): How are things going with the Television Academy Foundation internship?

Shults: "Good, so far. It is tough but super-fulfilling work. I have started to understand how people can fall in love with the long hours shifts and hard work."

SMN: When were you first made aware of the internship program and what was the application process like?

Shults: "I first heard about the Television Academy internship program during my sophomore year of college. I applied that year without any experience and was unfortunately dropped in the first round. The application process is quite rigorous, with two main rounds of judging. In the first round, you're required to submit a digital application that includes your resume, a statement of interest, and a letter of recommendation. If you make it past that stage, the second round involves a pre-recorded video interview where you answer a set of questions. I believe this is sent to the potential host companies of the internship, and they have the final say of who gets accepted. One of my biggest struggles in the process was making sure my personality could translate through everything I submitted. I really wanted to connect with the people who read my materials and told a story they wanted to support me in."

SMN: How does it feel to have been one of 40 selected from across the nation for the internship?

Shults: "Shocking, but in the best way. For so long, this has been a goal that felt out of my reach that, now that it is here, I don’t fully know how to process. I have done the math and only 2% of applicants got into the program this year, and we were selected by the same people [who] voted on the Emmy Awards. Don’t get me wrong. I feel great and so proud of myself. I am still waiting for the adrenaline rush from finding out my acceptance to wear off."

SMN: How had your education at Savannah Christian prepared you for this opportunity?

Shults: "There weren't any television or film opportunities available at Savannah Christian, but the art-adjacent extracurriculars really helped. Theater, band, and fine arts gave me opportunities to work on my leadership skills and understand not only the structure that goes into coordinating an artistic performance but also what can make it a profitable business. It is this foundation that made it possible for me to explore areas with similar frameworks and eventually find an interest in the television industry.

Additionally, when I was at the school, they encouraged us to be involved in everything we wanted to be involved in—sports, arts, academia, volunteering—and it showed me that with enough work and planning, you can have it all."

SMN: What role did UGA play in connecting you with the internship?

Shults: "The EMST department head, Dr. Jay Hamilton, is committed to sharing career opportunities with students. About two years ago, he sent out information regarding this program, and from there I was able to reach out to alumni of both the school and the Television Academy to see if it would be a good fit for me. The EMST department has also been instrumental in providing the career opportunities to build up to this program."

SMN: Congrats on your 2024 Bob Bennett Future Leader recognition by the Television Academy Foundation.
 What does this designation mean to you?

Shults: "Thank you! Honestly, I'm still trying to figure out what this recognition means to me since it was so recent. I suppose it's a commitment to not only learn during this internship but to take this knowledge and seek out innovations. Personally, I'm hoping to explore the role of sustainability in the television industry and how the development of state-issued financial incentives is shaping the trajectory of the industry."

SMN: What are your future plans beyond the internship?
 Where do you see yourself within 5-10 years and what is the long-term dream?

Shults: "Well, I first need to wrap up my final year of college. After that, I would like to take the time to see what opportunities there are in Georgia. The television industry is in an amazing growth period at the moment, and I am incredibly interested in how Atlanta grows into its own identity within the industry rather than being seen as the 'Hollywood of the East.' But I also recognize that the best learning opportunities might still be out on the West Coast, and I will need to weigh this out when considering my future.

In terms of the work I would be doing, I am hoping to diversify my knowledge of television production to include other areas of reality television and the scripted space. For me, this would likely take shape as a production assistant or executive assistant role. In 5-10 years, I am hoping to have established myself within a production company, either steadily climbing the ladder towards a production-focused producer title or making a horizontal switch to a more creative position. My long-term dream is to work as a producer and eventually get accepted as a member of the Producers Guild of America."

SMN: What has been most challenging and most surprising about the internship?

Shults: "The most challenging part of the internship has been taking in everything that goes on around me. Any production is a massive undertaking that involves a giant group of people, and there's so much to learn that it can be overwhelming at times. On the flip side, the most surprising aspect has been how supportive and nice everyone is. Professional work in the industry is often built up to be this intimidating, cut-throat thing, but we forget that everyone is here to work on something they love. The sense of camaraderie and willingness to help each other out has been really refreshing."

For those in the Savannah area interested in the film and television industry, Shults suggested they start by seeking out local opportunities because the hostess city has "its own amazing entertainment industry that you could be involved with."

Joseph Schwartzburt is the education and workforce development reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at JSchwartzburt@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah Christian alumna is chosen as ‘future leader’ by Television Academy Foundation