Published on Nov. 25, 2025
By: Jake Aron
When picturing a senior heading into an Accelerated Master of Arts program, typically, a 19-year-old is not what comes to mind.
But Kaiya Lynch, 19, is not a typical student. A journalism major with an emphasis in strategic communication from Kansas City, Missouri, Lynch has already been a writing tutor, a campus tour guide, an undergraduate researcher – and seven-time intern.
In 2024, she secured an internship at VML, an acclaimed advertising agency in New York City, where she worked as a Strategy Intern on the New Balance account. The two-week program gives students real-world experience working on advertising and public relations campaigns for national clients.
“It was an amazing experience,” Lynch said. “It further prepared me for my studies and my senior capstone. I’m incredibly grateful for that opportunity.”
Her senior capstone, MOJO Ad, is the Journalism School’s professional services student-staffed agency that creates marketing, advertising and public relations campaigns for national clients, focusing on the youth and young adult market (18- to 24-year-olds).
Lynch said MOJO Ad is “the ultimate reason why I chose Mizzou. I wanted that unique chance to work on a campaign for a national client while still in undergrad.” She also interned in Tokyo, Japan this summer through MU Journalism Abroad.
Currently, Lynch is a communications intern for the Honors College, where she creates social media campaigns and specializes in graphic design. In this role, she engages the campus community through platforms like LinkedIn and online content. She enjoys increasing the visibility of the Honors College on campus.
In addition to internships Lynch has also conducted undergraduate research.
Her first research experience was part of the ASH Scholars Program, a collaboration between the Honors College and the Office of Undergraduate Research that supports teams of undergraduate research students in the arts, social sciences or humanities (ASH) disciplines. As an ASH Scholar, Lynch and her team analyzed articles from minority-focused news outlets and compared their portrayal of minorities and events to coverage in the mainstream news. During her time in the program, Lynch was selected as one of only 10 undergraduate students at Mizzou to present her team’s research at the Capitol in Jefferson City, where she was awarded a resolution in the state Senate.
Last year, Lynch became a Gregory Scholar. Her research focused on analyzing award-winning advertisements from the American Advertising Awards to determine whether the minority portrayals were positive or negative.
“I really wanted to see how advertisements portray ethnic groups because I’m multiracial. I’m half black, half white and I haven’t always felt represented in the media” Lynch said.
Conducting meaningful research helped Lynch develop skills that benefited her in the classroom. When asked to analyze content in her management of strategic communications course, she was confident in her analytical abilities because of her experience as an undergraduate researcher.
In addition to internships and research, Lynch is involved in more organizations than she can name.
“The opportunities at Mizzou are endless,” Lynch said. “Coming in, I didn’t think I’d be a tour guide or a researcher, and now both have really shaped my college experience.”
Do you want a competitive advantage when you graduate? Shape your college experience by completing internships, going to Study Abroad, conducting research and getting involved on campus.