Downtown Magnets High School Alumna Lands TV Academy Internship

Downtown Magnets High School alumna Dasha Pimenov has been selected for the prestigious Television Academy Foundation Internship Program. She is one of just 40 students chosen by Television Academy members from across the country for the 2024 Summer Internship Program. The Foundation offers paid internships at top Hollywood studios and production companies annually to college students nationwide.

Pimenov, the first in her family to attend college, recently completed a Master of Fine Arts degree in film and television production from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. She will be interning this summer in the unscripted television development department at Endemol Shine North America in North Hollywood, California, as part of the Foundation’s “Getting Real: Unscripted” internship program.

The “Getting Real: Unscripted” internships provide full-time opportunities in unscripted/reality television to Southern California students committed to promoting the voices and stories of underrepresented communities and increasing diversity and inclusion in the field. The program offers students in-depth exposure to professional television production during an eight-week, paid summer period in Los Angeles.

Pimenov is the daughter of Soviet refugees from the former USSR. Pimenov was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, after her parents' arrival to the United States. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont. She attended Downtown Magnets High School in Los Angeles.

“The members of the Television Academy are masters of their crafts who have dedicated their hearts and lives to the arts,” said Pimenov. “Being granted the distinction of being a Television Academy Foundation Class of 2024 intern by esteemed professionals in the television industry is a prized opportunity that I intend to make the most of."

“My family, PBS Kids and history books (strangely enough) have cultivated and nurtured my love for television,” continued Pimenov. “My family’s enthralling, multigenerational chronicles have instilled in me a deep appreciation for the power of storytelling at a young age. Character-driven narratives and educational content like Arthur, Maya & Miguel and WordGirl helped me make sense of the world around me growing up. I continued to indulge in never-ending stories with my ardent love for history by reading, writing and daydreaming about the travels and epics of the human race."

“As a first-generation, low-income student and daughter of Soviet refugee parents, my mission in this industry is to preserve my cultural heritage through storytelling and bring more female-centered narratives to life, recognizing both the challenges of girl/womanhood and finding the beauty within the cracks. I find myself gravitating toward directing, writing and producing,” said Pimenov.

The Television Academy Foundation shapes the art of creating television by engaging and educating the next generation of television professionals providing essential resources that help them discover their voices, refine their skills and forge rewarding careers in every sector of the television industry. The Internship Program provides over 50 students from across the nation with hands-on work experience, mentorships and opportunities for accelerated career development in more than 30 disciplines annually.

The Television Academy Foundation’s Internship Program also provides professional development sessions with leaders in the television industry and customized seminars covering personal brand-building and navigating the job market ahead for participating students.

Foundation alumni include prominent writers, producers, documentarians, creative executives, network presidents and more. Interns also automatically become members of the Foundation’s alumni family, giving them access to year-round events and networking opportunities as they build their careers in the industry.