By Lucy Scott (May 2026)
As I wrap up my final semester at Colorado State University and prepare to walk across the stage with my Bachelor of Arts in Economics, I am reflecting on my time working in the President’s Office. Two years ago, I joined President Parsons’ social media team as a coordinator, and it turned into one of the most formative parts of my college experience.
Here are ten highlights I want to share:
1. Experiencing campus events from the inside
Game days always felt a bit surreal. Getting to capture content on the field, in the suite and in the middle of the tailgate surrounded by the team, the band, the cheerleaders and the Ram energy was unforgettable. Football games were a highlight, along with many nights of Moby Madness, watching volleyball and basketball. Beyond Athletics, I had the opportunity to staff professional events with President Parsons, including speaker series, student showcases, and research demonstrations, which opened my eyes to how much is happening across CSU. Through these events, I met people I never imagined being in the same room as, including Congressman Joe Neguse, Olympian Amy Van Dyken, SNL’s Marcello Hernandez, and MSNBC correspondent Eugene Daniels, just to name a few.
2. Seeing campus through a new lens
I’ve always been interested in photography, but this role was the first time I really had the opportunity to try it on a professional level — and it quickly became one of my favorite parts of the job. Photographing pop-in visits with President Parsons, such as at the Flower Trial Gardens and the poinsettia shoots, I got to discover corners of campus I didn’t know existed. It sounds cliché, but learning to see a place you already love through a completely new lens really does shift how you experience it.
3. Bringing stories to life through video
It’s commencement season now, except this year I’m the one in regalia instead of the one behind the camera. Last spring, my co-worker Mclaine and I conceptualized, filmed and edited a two-part short-form video series celebrating graduates. We handled setup, location scouting and filming across campus. These Reels were inspired by the athletics signing trend, adapted for seniors who signed the camera lens in their cap and gown. Another version featured the college deans signing farewell messages. Editing it all together and publishing it was a proud moment. It may not seem revolutionary, but before this job, I had barely any background in shooting or editing videos. Now, being on the receiving end of commencement content makes me appreciate all the work that goes into it even more.
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4. Inside the making of The Next 150 podcast
Getting to work on The Next 150 podcast from nearly the beginning is something I didn’t anticipate but have really loved contributing to. Watching it evolve over four seasons, the audience expand and new ideas come to life has been something I feel really grateful to have been part of. Getting to see so many episodes all the way through, from the outline to watching the metrics come in after publishing, never stopped being satisfying. The Joel Bacon episode stands out as a personal favorite. We filmed in the Organ Recital Hall, home of the Casavant Frères Organ, which is a breathtaking space most people on campus have never set foot near (or in, as I actually got to walk inside the organ itself).
5. Turning metrics into meaningful insights
One of the projects I learned the most from was building a comprehensive metrics dashboard in Airtable from the ground up. I tracked both quantitative and qualitative data, podcast listener trends across platforms, social media performance, LinkedIn newsletter engagement and guest diversity over time. I also owned monthly social analytics, which taught me how to interpret performance data and turn it into clear reports. Getting to visualize that data and pull out actual insights, then bring those recommendations into strategy conversations, felt like a meaningful contribution. It pushed me to think beyond content creation to understand the bigger picture.
6. Learning leadership through close-up experience
Watching President Amy Parsons interact with students in a warm, present and genuinely engaged way showed me what it looks like when leadership is approachable. Teddi Tostanoski, my supervisor, trusted me with real responsibility, encouraged my creativity, and always gave me helpful feedback to push me to create my best work. Emily Lewis, with whom I also had the chance to work with, brought that same intentionality and challenged me to think in new ways. I feel fortunate to have had that mentorship, support and strong leadership role models to learn from as I graduate.
7. Growing alongside the intern team
I didn’t anticipate how significantly the people I worked alongside would shape my experience in this role. Mclaine Kenney, Izzy Lewis, Kate Urban, Payton Freeman and Isa Naschold brought so much creativity and energy to the work. We collaborated on ideas, challenged each other, attended events together, and honestly just made the whole thing more fun. I’m really glad I got to share this adventure with them.
8. Working and learning abroad while staying connected to the team
Last fall, I studied abroad in Czechia with Ali, my best friend and roommate since freshman year, and together we traveled to eleven other countries, all while I kept up with my responsibilities on the team. Communicating across an eight-hour time zone, managing my own schedule and staying on top of my work while balancing travel and classes gave me incredible experience in working remotely and time management. I came back having grown both personally and professionally, and with a real comfort navigating ambiguity and unfamiliar systems.
9. Exploring AI and smarter workflows
Teddi encouraged my interest in AI early on and pushed me to explore how it could actually improve our workflows. I started weaving AI tools and automations into my day-to-day in small ways, streamlining repetitive tasks and speeding up parts of the content process and eventually took on bigger projects like building out systems that made things easier for President Parsons’ Chief of Staff. Learning how to support and streamline other people’s work, in addition to my own, has been one of the most transferable skills I’m walking away with.
10. CSU connection
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve run into CAM the Ram. I’ve met students, faculty, community members and a lot of people in between. I’ve learned about initiatives happening on this campus, and I’ve worked alongside people who care deeply about this place. This role made me feel more connected to CSU and this community. As I head into whatever comes next, I’ll carry a lot from this experience with me. So, as President Parsons always signs off: Go Rams!