On September 6, 2022, one of our own here at The Fuel got an opportunity of a lifetime. Isabella Sandoval, The Fuel Editor, received an email congratulating her on being accepted into the San Antonio Express-News teen team program for 2022-2023. This internship was offered all around San Antonio where thousands of people could have applied and Isabella was one of the selected students

Isabella Sandoval is over the moon about this opportunity and extremely blessed. San Antonio Express-News is all about wanting to give a behind-the-scenes experience to young adults.

“This internship is through the San Antonio Express-News, it is a program made to help teenage writers build a foundation with learning the basics of what it’s like to be a writer for a newspaper. It’s a great opportunity to become better and make a name for myself to jumpstart my career,” said Sandoval.

An internship as big as this can open so many doors. It gives young adults like Isabella to see what really goes on in the news world and what the expectations are. 

“I’m really hoping to produce extraordinary and meaningful content. I feel like this internship will open a lot of doors for me as well as teach me how to be a better writer and reporter. I plan to take as much as I can from this experience and let it mold me to be better. I’m extremely excited to see where this goes and how it can help me in the future,” Sandoval said.

Although Sandoval is going to put her all into this internship, she is still unsure of what she wants to do after high school but she does know she wants to do something involving communication.

“I like to think I have it all figured out but honestly who really does?  My main goal after high school is to travel. I want to experience life around the world, I want to see cultures I’ve never seen before and experience the beauty the world has to offer. As a result of traveling I think I would like to become a content creator and document my experiences whether it be writing, photography, or even videography. For right now my plan is to study photojournalism as my major and minor in social media marketing to get me started down the correct path,” said Sandoval.

When anyone is offered an internship, no one really knows what to expect but one thing they do know is to go with a positive attitude and Sandoval agrees.

“I’m not exactly sure what to expect honestly. I’ve been trying to keep a super open and positive mindset about this. I just hope I can learn everything I need to know about being a writer and what it’s like to work for a newspaper. The whole thing is super exciting and I’m more than positive it will be a great learning experience to prepare me for my future career,” said Sandoval.

Sandoval credits her selection for this internship with her experience in the Judson journalism program. In her fourth year, she reflects on the ups and downs of her journey so far and those involved in her development as a journalist.

“I would also like to mention that none of this would be possible without everyone I work with on a daily basis, everyone I’ve met through the journalism program has impacted my life in ways I couldn’t even imagine. They have all supported me through everything and pushed me to be better. They have been a shoulder to cry on as well as my motivation. They have laughed and cried with me as a staff, I couldn’t be more thankful for them. I think it’s also important to thank myself. I’ve been taught to be humble, and I’m beyond grateful for that mindset, but it’s a beautiful feeling to see all of your hard work pay off. I am extremely proud of myself,” she said.

We at The Fuel are beyond excited to see not just our editor, but a friend, embark on this new adventure and we can’t wait to share more of her experience!