Oswego East High School Alum Selected "Future Leader" By Television Academy Foundation

Oswego East High School alumna Ariana Aguilar has been selected for the prestigious Television Academy Foundation Internship program. She is one of 40 students chosen by Television Academy members from across the country for the 2026 Summer Internship program. The Foundation offers paid internships at top Hollywood studios and production companies annually to college students nationwide.

Additionally, Aguilar was chosen for the prestigious Bob Bennett Future Leaders program. She is one of just 10 students selected amongst the Foundation’s 2026 summer interns for the initiative. The Bob Bennett Future Leaders program, established by a gift from the Robert M. & Marjie A. Bennett Foundation, provides financial support for interns as well as professional development and leadership training.

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Aguilar is currently a graduate student at Drexel University, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, working toward a Master of Business Administration and Master of Science degrees in television and media management. She will be a physical production/business management intern this summer at AGC Studios in Los Angeles through the Foundation’s program.

“I grew up watching the Emmy Awards, captivated by the work being celebrated and the people behind it,” said Aguilar. I never imagined I'd have the chance to learn from the same community that sets the standard for excellence in television. To know that Academy members saw something in me and gave me this opportunity means more to me than I can fully express, and I'm incredibly grateful.

“I'm excited about being in the heart of the industry, learning from professionals who are doing the work I've been studying and seeing how production decisions actually get made,” said Aguilar. “I can't wait to absorb as much as I can, whether that's understanding the business side of television or watching how all the pieces come together. Getting to be in the room where it happens and learning directly from people who do this every day is an opportunity I won't take lightly.”

Aguilar is originally from Aurora, Illinois.

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 and networking opportunities for accelerated career development in more than 30 disciplines annually.