Standout student channels enthusiasm for people, pop culture into HBO internship

For someone aspiring to work in public relations for the entertainment industry, Leah Szabo’s internship with HBO was a dream come true. She tracked media mentions and worked the red carpet for shows like The Last of Us and The White Lotus.

Leah Szabo is a great friend to watch TV with. When you ask the inevitable, “Where have I seen them before?” she can tell you.

That pop culture consciousness—combined with top-notch networking skills—is how the college senior landed a summer internship with HBO Max—a position she hopes helps launch a career in the entertainment industry.

“I want to be in entertainment because I love amplifying the storytellers' voices through strategy and creativity,” said Szabo, who will graduate from the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information in the spring with a degree in strategic communication. “I like talking to people, but I like being behind the scenes as the person who helps people get their stories told.”

Szabo’s own story is both fun and inspiring. The California native grew up surrounded by the sparkle of Hollywood, which extended to the Christmas parties thrown by her uncle—an entertainment industry veteran whose guest lists included publicists, actors and other professionals.

It was at one of those parties that she chatted with family friend Raina Falcon, an HBO executive, who invited the then-first-year public relations student to follow up with her after a bit more schooling.

“Year after year, I would follow up saying, ‘Hi, I’m a sophomore now and I study PR.’ And the next year, ‘I’m a junior; it’s my time. I want to work for you. I want to be in entertainment,’” she said. “So it was leveraging a connection, but also making sure I maintained it.”

Falcon pointed Szabo toward the correct internship application and passed along her resume to the recruiters. Three rounds of interviews, she was accepted, and on the path toward her dream job.

The cast of HBO’s The White Lotus poses at a premier event. Among Szabo’s responsibilities at her internship were tracking press and working red-carpet events. Photo by Leah Szabo.  

Behind the silver screen

Once she arrived, it was clear Szabo’s CMDI education had prepared her to succeed on an internship where she was tasked with everything from tracking media mentions to working the red carpet.

“Interns in the entertainment and PR business need to be organized, motivated, good with people and very adaptable,” said Lily Walker, a publicity coordinator for HBO Max. “Leah did a great job of taking on new situations as they came, both at in-person events and online.”

Szabo’s work impressed the HBO team so much that they extended her internship to last through the fall semester as well. Though Walker was not Szabo’s supervisor, the two worked together throughout the internship, including at the I Love LA and Welcome to Derry premieres in October.

She also credited Szabo with bringing fresh perspectives to work, such as ideas to promote shows to younger audiences.

“For instance, on I Love LA, an influencer makes a cameo, and I said, ‘Why haven’t you asked to go on her YouTube? She has a whole segment where she interviews celebrities,’” Szabo said. “It was really cool that they saw value in what I was telling them and applying it.”

Naturally extroverted, Szabo has found her stride within public relations. But she was quick to credit her success to her mentors and past internships. Prior to her role at HBO, she completed two PR internships, one with JKD & Co. and another with SchroderHaus. While at times it was intimidating to represent a global brand, she said, the skills developed at CMDI and during her more community-focused internships applied in every setting, giving her confidence.

Equally as formative has been her leadership experience with the CU Boulder chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America. As president, Szabo serves as a liaison to the university, national organization and members, managing a team, running meetings and working with different personalities.

“PR is basically personality management—how can you satisfy every stakeholder and adjust to different situations,” she said.

Notably, under her leadership, PRSSA has grown significantly. Since August, 99 new members joined—all while Szabo was continuing her HBO internship and maintaining a full course load.

Role model

“Leah, to me, is already a professional in the way she handles herself,” said Jolene Fisher, an associate professor in the college’s Department of Advertising, Public Relations and Design. “She is able to perform in many different capacities beyond what I expect to see from a student level.”

As faculty advisor for PRSSA, Fisher has worked closely with Szabo over the past two years, and said Szabo has grown not only as a leader, but as a model student.

It’s why she invited Szabo to give a guest lecture to first-year students in an introductory PR class, where she shared with her peers what it took to secure her internship and her responsibilities at HBO.

“When we highlight the success of our current students, it really helps inspire our younger ones,” said Fisher, also associate chair of undergraduate studies. “Leah’s going to make things happen because she is a force. I’m excited to see where she goes.”

And Szabo’s success so far made her a natural choice to speak to her peers.

“I have been able to use my CMDI education and apply it to everything from community relations to consumer packaged goods and now entertainment—you can really take any avenue you want with CMDI,” she said.

Hannah Stewart graduated in 2019 with a degree in communication. She covers student news at the college.