Every journalist hopes to tell stories that matter. Few expect that work to earn one of television journalism’s highest honors before the second year of their career. 

Just over a year after graduating from American University’s School of Communication, Jacob Clark, SOC/BA ’25, helped deliver an Emmy Award-winning investigative series while working at KGET-TV in Bakersfield, California. The recognition marked an extraordinary early milestone, but for Clark, the path to the Emmy began years earlier in Washington, DC, when he was still figuring out what kind of journalist he wanted to become. 

And AU gave him the room to figure it out. 

“AU was such a great playground for just trying to figure out what I wanted to do,” Clark says. “I was able to get internships in the journalism industry, and through that, I realized that was the path I wanted to pursue.” 

For Clark, internships weren’t simply resume builders. They were opportunities to test possibilities, develop skills, meet professionals, and discover what he wanted from a career. 

That exploration began during his freshman year. Originally from San Diego, California, Clark arrived at AU as a political science major, interested in a field he had long found compelling. He enjoyed his classes and excelled academically, but he found himself increasingly drawn to the communication side of the discipline, particularly the opportunity to talk with people and hear their stories. 

A communications course with Professor Scott Talan introduced him to journalism, while conversations with classmates pursuing the field encouraged him to give it a try. 

He did so with characteristic curiosity: by getting to work. 

Through AU’s Cornerstone Program, which gives first-year students the opportunity to earn academic credit for internships, Clark spent his freshman year interning on Capitol Hill for Rep. Jason Crow of Denver. When he decided to pursue journalism the following year, he began seeking opportunities in his new field and landed an internship at Fox News National, where he also benefited from AU’s alumni network. 

Then came an opportunity to take his classroom and professional experience even further. 

During an AU Study Abroad program in Sydney, Australia, Clark worked as a producer for Sky News while simultaneously earning course credit. 

“I was able to work a real journalism job before I got to graduate, which was such an amazing experience,” he says. “And doing it in a different country, too, is such a different way to learn about journalism.” 

Back in DC, Clark continued building his experience through internships at NBC News 4 and MSNBC. An internship with Andrea Mitchell Reports eventually led to work with the network’s national security team. 

By the time he graduated, Clark had worked across multiple corners of the journalism industry and, perhaps more importantly, had developed a clearer sense of where he wanted to go next. 

“A lot of [my success] comes from hard work and pushing myself, but I would have never gotten that start unless I had the resources to be able to get credits for taking an internship,” he says. 

That combination of classroom learning and professional experience became particularly valuable once Clark entered the workforce. No matter how much preparation a student receives, he says, there is no complete substitute for doing the work in a real newsroom. 

“Really doing it in the real world is…something that’s hard to prepare for regardless,” he says. 

Still, Clark arrived at his first full-time job ready to contribute. On his first day, he was able to produce a complete television story about a local issue. He credits his AU education, particularly opportunities to practice reporting on Tenleytown, Northwest DC, and the broader Washington community, with giving him a foundation for local journalism. 

“That really gave me some of the best prep I could have asked for in terms of becoming a reporter right out of college,” he says. 

That preparation was put to the test early in his career when Clark contributed to coverage of the “Scrivner Saga,” a complex story involving a Kern County supervisor and his family. His work included gathering public reaction and collaborating with other local media organizations to understand how constituents viewed the case and what they believed should happen next. 

The team’s coverage earned a Continuing Coverage Story Emmy Award.

For Clark, the recognition came just months into his career. But the Emmy itself is not what he considers the most meaningful part of the experience. 

“It’s not so much about the Emmy, but it’s about the incredible story I was able to contribute to and report on,” he says. 

That perspective reflects another lesson Clark carried with him from AU: good journalism begins with curiosity. 

Professors including Talan, Whitney Christopher Harris, and Paul Albergo encouraged him to experiment with different forms of storytelling and pursue stories that sparked his interest. Their influence, combined with his experiences outside the classroom, helped shape the kind of journalist he hopes to be. 

“I think the definition of a great story is what you can learn from it,” he says. “The most valuable thing you can give to a reader or to a viewer is just a new piece of information or a new perspective on something.” 

As the journalism industry continues to evolve, Clark believes that curiosity and adaptability will only become more important. And for current AU students, he sees internships as one of the best ways to develop both. 

“Intern when you can, and when you want to,” he says. “Because that’s the best experience that you’re going to get.” 

Internships, he says, allow students to work with real people, collaborate on teams, encounter the demands of a professional environment, and discover what they actually want from a career. 

Clark’s journey also underscores the role AU alumni can play in creating those opportunities for the next generation. The internship opportunities that helped him find his direction were made possible because professionals were willing to bring students into their organizations, give them meaningful work, and make space for them to learn. 

For Clark, that cycle of opportunity transformed an uncertain freshman-year student into a journalist with a growing career and an Emmy already on his shelf. 

“AU gave me the resources to try it all,” he says. “And I think because of that, I am here where I am today.” 

Learn more about AU’s internship opportunities.