I was recently featured on Columbia College Chicago’s website for their Student Talent Watch. Check out an excerpt of the interview below and head to colum.edu for more!

Written by Sheila Headspeth

Tyler McDermott is a senior television major and journalism minor with experience at some top music journalism mags like Billboard and Vibe. But that’s not all; she’s got TV experience too and big plans for the future.

Tell us about your internships.

In the summer of 2011, I interned at Vibe Magazine. That was a really pivotal internship for my career because I did interviews, wrote news articles, transcribed interviews and did other office work. That internship really paved the way for me.  I also interned at Billboard Magazine in 2012 and it was a great opportunity. I interviewed music artists like Snoop Dogg, B.o.B, Diggy Simmons and more.

In the summer of 2013, I interned at Black Entertainment Television (BET). This was my first television internship and I worked with the show 106^{& Park}. I helped producers, edited scripts and I worked in the control room.

What have been your most valuable classes you’ve taken at Columbia?

Television Arts: Production and Television Arts: Directing. I liked them because I got to work directly in the studio. I’m a hands-on learner so they really helped me.

Who inspired you?

I admire Erika Ramirez, the associate editor of The Juice at Billboard Magazine. I admire how she got into the industry. She worked in retail and had some hard times before she got into the industry and now she’s becoming an entrepreneur. I also admire Elliott Wilson because, to me, he’s the best hip-hop journalist in the game.

Click here to read the full feature.