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It’s an opportunity many reporters only get to dream about — reporting for TIME magazine during an election year. But recent Iowa State graduate Lissandra Villa didn’t have to wait years to land this reporting gig. Or even months. She got this amazing opportunity while she was still in school.

During her internship at TIME, Villa interviewed voters across the nation and reported from national landmarks like the White House. Was she nervous? Maybe a little. But she said Iowa State provided everything she needed to prepare for her internship. “Iowa State’s Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication prepared me for this because I had so many wonderful mentors,” Villa siad. “And leading up to the caucuses, I was able to cover presidential candidates between classes, which gave me valuable firsthand experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything.”

Now she’s moving from one remarkable adventure to another. This time, it’s an internship reporting from National Public Radio’s election desk. It’s another rare opportunity for such a young reporter, but Villa said she’s excited to make the most out of it. She also credits Iowa State for helping her achieve her journalistic goals, saying, “I can’t emphasize enough how fortunate I am that my professors in the journalism and political science departments invested in me and helped me tap into my potential.”

Iowa State helped Lissandra Villa turn her passion into a career she only used to dream about. In fact, we’ve helped students with all types of interests — from art to zoology — do the exact same thing. And here’s some breaking news. When you get to Iowa State, we’ll help you develop your passions, too. You can count on it.