Frisco, Texas -- Independence High School alumna Jaisan Avery 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 2025 Summer Internship program. The Foundation offers paid internships at top Hollywood studios and production companies annually to college students nationwide.
Avery is a 2025 graduate of Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas, who majored in creative computing: film and media arts. She will be interning this summer in the sound design department at Smart Post Sound in Los Angeles through the Foundation’s program.
“I am extremely honored to have been chosen by Television Academy members for this internship,” said Avery. “It's incredibly gratifying to feel seen and recognized for my potential in this industry by those who are already successful in it.
“My childhood was filled with the iconic animated shows and movies that came from Disney,” said Avery. “I fell in love with the characters they created and stories they told, and I dreamed of being able to do the same one day. My specific interest in sound design was sparked after watching the bonus features on DVDs and being introduced to foley [foley is a post-production technique in film and other media where sound effects are created and recorded in sync with the visuals, usually in a studio environment]. I was also inspired to pursue a career in sound by the incredible sound design in the video games I played during my teen years.
“There's really two things that I'm most excited about for this internship,” Avery continued. “First, I'm really excited about getting to shadow and learn from professionals who are doing exactly what I've always dreamed of pursuing, and I'm looking forward to seeing professional sound stages in person. Second, I'm really excited about having the opportunity to live truly independently for the first time.”
Originally from McKinney, Texas, Avery attended Independence High School in Frisco, Texas.
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.
About the Television Academy Foundation
Established in 1959 as the charitable arm of the Television Academy, the Television Academy Foundation is dedicated to preserving the legacy of television while educating and inspiring those who will shape its future. Through renowned educational and outreach programs, such as The Interviews: An Oral History of Television Project, Access: Behind the Screens, College Television Awards, Student Internship Program and the Media Educators Conference, the Foundation seeks to widen the circle of voices our industry represents and to create more opportunity for television to reflect all of society. For more information on the Foundation, please visit TelevisionAcademy.com/Foundation.
