Student From Cleveland Selected "Future Leader" By Television Academy Foundation In Hollywood

Walsh Jesuit High School alumna Marissa Morales 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, Morales 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.

Morales is a rising senior at Chapman University in Orange, California, majoring in writing for film and television. She is interning this summer at the United Talent Agency in Beverly Hills, California, through the Foundation’s program.

“It feels surreal knowing I was chosen by members of the Television Academy, the same people who vote on the Emmy Awards,” said Morales. “It makes the opportunity feel bigger than just an internship because it comes from people actively shaping the industry I want to be part of. It pushes me to show up at a higher level and really take advantage of it.

“I knew I wanted to pursue a career in television after attending a showrunning workshop with Chris Levinson through my university,” said Morales. “What really inspired me was seeing the storytelling potential that television has, especially the way characters and themes can grow over time across multiple episodes and seasons. It made me excited how TV allows stories to breathe, evolve and build a deeper emotional connection with audiences than many other formats. That experience made me realize this was the kind of storytelling space I wanted to be in. My goal is to become a literary agent representing television professionals.”

Morales is originally from Cleveland, Ohio.

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.