Intern Chronicles: Cynthia Esqueda pursues her passion for storytelling with ESPN

EDITOR’S NOTE: Once again this summer, Front Row’s Intern Chronicles series showcases some of ESPN’s summer interns. For more information on ESPN Internships, visit the ESPN Careers site.

“My dream was to be an athlete,” Lawndale, Calif.-native Cynthia Esqueda said, “but I found my passion was to inform people about the sport itself.”

Esqueda, a rising senior at Arizona State University, recently joined ESPN as an editorial intern at the Bristol, Conn., campus and is doing exactly what her passion guided her to: helping cover the 2018 World Cup.

She grew up loving the “beautiful game” and devoted her life to watching and playing the sport. As a 16-year-old, Esqueda had the opportunity to assist the LA Galaxy as a seasonal public relations intern, gaining experience as a reporter.

“I got hands-on experience,” she said. “I was able to ask questions [because] at that time in my life, I only had questions.”

In the fall of 2016, Esqueda transferred to Arizona State University, where she is majoring in Sports Journalism, and served as a sideline reporter for the ASU women’s soccer team, which helped her in knowing what questions to ask during interviews, and developing confidence through repetition of duties.

“As an intern, you’re not [supposed] to be well-rounded, you’re here to learn,” said Esqueda, who has also held internships at Fox Sports Arizona, Phoenix Rising FC and with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

She shared some further thoughts on her experiences with Front Row:

How have you enjoyed your time so far as an intern at ESPN?
“It has been so much fun because I fit in. My managers, Andrew Hush and Lauren Giudice, have been open to my ideas and I am able to show my creative side. I have had the opportunity to portray the skills I learned, especially on social media. If you love what you do, it’s not work.”

What are some of the job duties of an Editorial Intern?
“My job consists of utilizing Photoshop, making graphics, selecting engaging photos and writing captions and stories that.”

What are some takeaways from your previous internships?
“It was helpful to be bilingual because I was relied on to help with interviews with Spanish-speaking players. They trusted my experience with the language and I was able to serve as a translator.”