A Step Ahead at Christian Louboutin
A luxury fashion internship helps student reach for the stars.
Alexandra Cuoco ’25 was determined to land an internship with Christian Louboutin, a luxury fashion industry leader known for its shoes’ signature red soles. Although no summer internships were available when she looked in December, she was not deterred. Cuoco connected with a hiring manager through LinkedIn and sent a pitch extolling her majors in public relations (PR) and French and Francophone studies, past internships and passion for the fashion industry. The hiring manager responded and, four rounds of interviews later, she was on her way to New York City for the summer.
“Christian Louboutin is a dream company of mine,” she says. “I have always wanted to work in the fashion industry since I was a little girl, and I was excited to use my French skills and love for fashion in this role.”
The internship proved to be the perfect fit. Cuoco worked with Louboutin’s editorial and VIP teams for PR and gained an inside view of the French company’s day-to-day operations. She visited Louboutin boutiques as well as its boutiques at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and other companies, acquiring knowledge about the buying and selling of its shoes and other accessories. She learned Fashion GPS software, which helps companies track sample inventory trafficking, worked on press releases and spoke French with some colleagues.
“The atmosphere of the company as well as my work made me wish I could stay 24 hours a day,” says the senior in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the College of Arts and Sciences. “I had the most supportive and amazing mentors, and I felt so lucky they chose me.”
And That’s a Wrap on the Pilot of OTN’s New Game Show, ‘Two Truths and a Lie’
Behind the scenes of the show created by students in the Newhouse LA program through Orange Television Network.
Game shows have entertained audiences for decades, with programs like“Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” being two of the most watched shows on television, as reported by The New York Times. Yet despite their popularity in American culture, the primary viewer demographic for game shows falls far beyond most college students, at age 60 or older.
But this summer, students in the Newhouse LA program got an up-close look into what it’s like to put a TV game show on the air when they created and filmed “Two Truths and a Lie” for Orange Television Network (OTN), and a new game show was born, targeting the Syracuse University student audience.
The journey towards making “Two Truths and a Lie” began on the first day of the Newhouse LA summer 2024 program in May. Robin Howard, director of the Newhouse LA program, pitched the show with Bob Boden, an executive vice president at Entertainment Studios who teaches television, radio and film (TRF) classes at Newhouse LA, and Meg Craig, general manager of OTN.The show was a completely new concept for the program and built from the ground up, from hiring talent to choosing a structure for the show, to finding filming locations and managing crew.
The show’s basic premise: Contestants, who are Syracuse University students or alumni, are asked to run through a series of questions with three answers and asked to figure out which two answers are true, and which one is the lie.
Within a few weeks, TRF students Kayla Black and Jackie Arbogast were hired as co-executive producers, working alongside Howard and Boden to bring the show to life.
Black said she enjoyed the challenge of juggling the accelerated pre-production process with the other tasks needed to get ready to film.
“It was a lot of things I wasn’t expecting … but also then having to keep in mind what our network execs want, what our head of production was looking for, and what my co-producer Jackie needs for cam set up and staging. There were a lot of things in the back of my mind.”
Once they established the show’s structure, Black and Arbogast had to prepare for two days of shooting: one on location where current students and alumni were asked questions about a particular Los Angeles location, and the other in the Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program’s new studio. There, the studio host would lead two contestants in battling it out for the grand prize, which consisted of an engraved trophy and a stuffed Otto the Orange doll.
Students Sofia Dixon and Isabella Austin were brought on as writers, with Sophia Moore coming on as assistant director. TRF juniors Erin Flack and Laura Jacobson were brought on as the studio and field hosts, with Elizabeth Gelber and Jack Goodman, both senior TRF majors, as the inaugural in-studio contestants.
After a month of hiring and logistics, shooting began on location in early July, starting at the Television Academy in North Hollywood. The home of the Emmy Awards, the academy is right next door to the Newhouse LA’s home at the Dick Clark Los Angeles Program campus.
Working with students and alumni as on-location contestants, they ended the day filming at Television City, home of the iconic Stage 33, where programs including “The Carol Burnett Show” and “The Price is Right” were filmed.
A week later, the crew entered the Dick Clark Los Angeles center’s sound stage to film the in-studio portion, with edited location footage, new contestants and a new host. Gelber and Goodman were asked by Flack to answer the same questions as the on-location players, in addition to guessing if the field contestant got the answer correct.
“I’ve never been on a set before, so it’s been really cool to experience it in real time with all the lighting and the cameras and different set-ups,” Flack said.
The executive producers had to maneuver filming around phones ringing, microphone issues and loud planes flying overhead—just like what happens on shoots on the TV networks.
Arbogast loved diving head-first into the world of managing crew and dealing with logistics.
“That’s the stuff I enjoy,” she said. “I think that I would be an executive producer again. I love how we persisted in such a quick turnaround… It was a learning experience for me to take someone else’s idea and try to curate it in the way they want it to be.”
On the last day of the summer ‘24 Newhouse LA program, students finally got to view the episode. Rowdy cheers and waves of claps filled the halls of the Dick Clark Center as students laughed watching their friends and peers on screen, as “Two Truths and a Lie” came to life.
The final product—the 30 minute-long pilot episode— aired Aug. 7 on OTN and is available on YouTube. It’s the result of the work and dedication students put in while still juggling classes and internships through their Newhouse LA summer semester.
The Newhouse LA program and OTN plan to shoot the next episode during the Spring 2025 semester.
Lizzy Calvo is a senior in the magazine, news and digital journalism program at the Newhouse School.
Six Ways to Get Involved at Newhouse
First-year students are now adjusting to their first fall semester at the Newhouse School. With classes and schedules set, what now? It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in your first year, so here are six fun ways to meet other students, make friends, gain experience in your chosen field and make Newhouse feel like a new home.
1. Become a Newhouse Ambassador
If you love to talk about the Newhouse School, stop by the Visitor’s Center in the third-floor lobby of Newhouse 1 and apply to be a Newhouse Ambassador. In this volunteer role, you’ll give tours to prospective students and their families, speak at information sessions and be at the center of everything going on. You’ll also get cool merch, yummy snacks and random facts about Newhouse history!
2. Go to events
Newhouse frequently holds social events, speakers and panels for students, so an easy way to stay involved is to read your emails and check the events calendar! You’ll know when you and your friends can stop by a food truck, work on your resumes in a resume building session, hear a distinguished guest speak in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium and much more.
3. Join a club or organization
Newhouse students can get involved with more than 30 communications organizations. From CitrusTV, Z89 Radio, University Girl magazine and TNH advertising agency to The Daily Orange, Jerk magazine, Hill Communications and Orange Television Network, these clubs are a great way to gain experience for a future internship and career, build your network and make fun memories outside of a classroom.
4. Get to know your professors
Newhouse professors have the knowledge and experience us students aspire to have. Ask your professor to coffee and get to know them! It’s a good way to connect with them and get engaged with their class as well as expand your professional network.
5. Take a non-major elective
The Newhouse School has some wonderfully unique communications courses available. For the Spring 2025 semester (registration starts Nov. 6) and beyond, talk to your advisor, check the course catalog and look into taking a class that is not required for your major! This is an awesome way to meet other students, make friends and expand your knowledge to bolster your Newhouse education.
6. Sit in Food.com
If you’re in Newhouse 3, head up to the second floor and immerse yourself in the hustle and bustle of Food.com! Sit and study or plan a group project at a booth. You might get asked to be in a photoshoot, give a statement for a story or be featured in a video…and you’ll definitely see friends and classmates.
Analise Piemonte is a sophomore in the broadcast and digital journalism program at the Newhouse School.
This story was originally published in September 2023
Newhouse Alumna Nicole Aponte ’24 Wins Prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award
Aponte is the first Murrow winner at the Newhouse School since 2021.
Newhouse School alumna Nicole Aponte ’24 was honored with a prestigious 2024 Edward R. Murrow Award for her 2023 story “Beating the Odds, Taking the Reins.” Aponte won Best Video Feature Reporting in the Student category for the story—completed during her senior year in the broadcast and digital journalism program—which highlights a rider on the Special Olympics equestrian team.
Aponte is the first Murrow Award winner at the Newhouse School since 2021.
This is not Aponte’s first brush with prestigious awards, as she was honored with a Hearst National Championship Award last year, winning second place in the National Television Championship category for a story about artificial intelligence’s impact on society.
The Edward R. Murrow Awards are presented by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), which is a global professional organization devoted solely to broadcast and digital journalism. The Murrow Awards recognize local and national news stories that, according to the RTDNA website, “uphold the RTDNA Code of Ethics, demonstrate technical expertise and exemplify the importance and impact of journalism as a service to the community.”
All winners will be honored at the Edward R. Murrow Awards Gala on Oct. 14 in New York City.
Newhouse Students Cover 2024 Presidential Nominating Conventions
About two dozen Newhouse students covered both the Republican and Democratic presidential nominating conventions this summer. Led by Joel Kaplan, associate dean of graduate programs, the students gained invaluable experience and built up their resumes through their robust coverage for professional media outlets which included writing stories, creating packages, conducting interviews and more.
Coverage from the Republican National Convention
Stefanik Puts NY-21 Center Stage With Prime Time Speech at Republican National Convention
Coverage from the Democratic National Convention
Why John Mannion sat out the DNC as NY-22 takes center stage among Dems
As party picks Harris, women take center stage among New York’s Democrats: ‘It’s our time’
Alabama Trump voter speaks at DNC, endorses Kamala Harris
New to Newhouse? Five Tips for First-Year Students
The Newhouse School welcomes over 500 first-year and undergraduate transfer students this fall. To help them get accustomed to life at Syracuse University, Newhouse offers an introductory course that aids students in learning the ins and outs of life at the school, covering everything from getting involved in extracurricular activities and where to go for help, to recognizing their responsibilities as students.
“One of the main goals of the COM 100 intro class is to get students to think about what they need to do to succeed in college,” said Karen McGee, assistant dean of student success. “What new skills or challenges do they need to learn or experience that they didn’t have in high school?”
With the Fall 2024 semester starting today, McGee offered some tips for incoming students as they take their first steps toward a career in communications.
1. Read the syllabus
The blueprint of a college course, the syllabus outlines goals and often provides details of what will be covered each class, along with assignments and other important academic information. It’s important to read a syllabus carefully and ask questions of instructors if you’re not clear on deadlines and expectations.
“It’s a simple way to get started on the right track: read the syllabus and check with your professor if you’re not sure about something. Sync important dates with the calendar on your phone,” McGee said.
2. Manage your time
Successful time management makes for successful students, McGee said. Keep virtual calendars up to date and set reminders on your phone, or maybe a planner or wall calendar is your time management strategy of choice. If you’re looking for other ideas, talk to classmates or ask advice from your peer adviser.
An additional tool for managing your time is the new Syracuse University app, OrangeNow. It’s a customizable app students can use to link with MySlice so it will show their personal schedule, McGee said. They can bookmark things, check assignments, see the bus schedule, the weather and more.
The Syracuse University Center for Learning and Student Support also offers “Maximize Your Learning” one-on-one sessions for students to help them organize their work for the semester.
3. Visit faculty during office hours
This is the one of the most important things that a student can do to help themselves succeed, McGee said. A faculty member’s office hours are usually listed on the syllabus. “Even if you have no pressing concerns, it can be helpful to meet your professors at least once during the semester and give them a chance to know who you are,” McGee said.
4. Ask for help
It’s OK for students to feel anxious before tests and stressed when project deadlines are piling up. It’s understandable to feel lonely being away from home and familiar support structures. Resources are available at Syracuse to help.
One step a student can take is to contact their academic adviser. The Newhouse Academic Advising Office helps students navigate their new environment while making sure they’re on track to achieving their academic goals.
The University also offers many options to help address the health and wellness of students, including mental health counseling at the Barnes Center at the Arch.
“There is ‘normal stress’ during the academic year. Stress or anxiety can become a problem if they prevent you from handling day-to-day responsibilities,” McGee said. “The important thing is to speak up, because help is available.”
5. Get involved!
One of the easiest ways to meet new people and start making connections is by getting involved in extracurricular activities. Newhouse students can connect with more than 30 organizations across campus that cover the communications spectrum, from The Daily Orange, the independent campus newspaper, to Hill Communications, the award-winning public relations firm based at the Newhouse School.
Get a head start on getting involved at the Campus Media Fair to be held outside Newhouse 1 on Friday, Aug. 30 from 1-4 p.m.
An earlier version of this story was posted in September 2023.
Photo Gallery: Welcoming New Students
The Newhouse School welcomed first-year and transfer students to campus this week. At a reception Thursday, students mingled with their new classmates, staff, faculty and student peer advisers.
Dean Mark J. Lodato welcomed our new students at his welcome reception Friday at Goldstein Auditorium in the Schine Student Center. Classes start Monday. We’re looking forward to a great Fall 2024 semester!
Photos by Malcolm Taylor unless otherwise noted.
Newhouse Student Awards Summer 2024 Roundup
Learn more about accolades received this summer by students from across Newhouse.
Edward R. Murrow Awards
Nicole Aponte ’24 was honored with a prestigious 2024 Edward R. Murrow Award for her story “Beating the Odds, Taking the Reigns.” Aponte won Best Video Feature Reporting in the Student category for the story, which highlights a rider on the Special Olympics equestrian team. All winners will be honored at the Edward R. Murrow Awards Gala on Oct. 14 in New York City.
Newhouse Alumna Nicole Aponte ’24 Wins Prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award
Graphis New Talent
Newhouse creative advertising students made a splash in the Graphis New Talent Awards, winning a total of seven Gold, 24 Silver and 22 Honorable Mentions. Students were awarded for campaigns created in Professor Mel White and Kevin O’Neill’s portfolio courses. The printed book will be released on Aug. 27. Below are the seven Gold winning campaigns:
- Gold: Gabriella Enriquez ‘25 “Wear the Change” for GAP print campaign
- Gold: Sophia Donio ‘24 and Jenna Byers ‘24, “It’s Obvious” for Tile print campaign
- Gold: Ava Schefren ‘24 and Alex Lund ‘24, “MapSafer” for Apple AI digital campaign
- Gold: Charlotte Shea ‘23 and Brooke Hirsch ‘24, “Digital Blackout” for Volvo AI digital campaign
- Gold: Award: Remi Tsunoda ‘24 and Avery Schildhaus ‘24 “Saucy Sounds” for Velveeta integrated campaign
- Gold: Dianna Higaki ‘24 and Avery Schildaus ‘24, “Carbon Cycle” for Volvo mobile gaming campaign
- Gold: Juliette Keller ‘23, Alyssa Thompson ‘24, and Maggie Mallon ‘24, “Believe Me” for Dove AI digital campaign
National Association of Black Journalists
April Santana ’24 and Wendy Wang ’23 were honored for their work by the National Association of Black Journalists’ 2024 Salute to Excellence Awards.
Digital Media (Undergraduate): Online News Reporting: “Poisoned in Syracuse” by April Santana (Infodemic project)
Television (Undergraduate): Feature: Short Form: “Dandelion” by Wendy Wang (The NewsHouse)
Associated Collegiate Press
Newhouse School students took home seven honors—including a pair of First Place awards by Max Williams—in the spring 2024 Associated Collegiate Press’ Clips & Clicks contest.
Newhouse Students Honored at ACP Clips & Clicks Contest
New York State Society of CPAs
Magazine, news and digital journalism senior Alejandro Rosales was honored with a 2024 Excellence in Financial Journalism Award by the New York State Society of CPAs for his NewsHouse story “Phone Scammers Wreak Havoc on Americans and their Wallets.”
NYSSCPA Announces the 2024 Excellence in Financial Journalism Award Winners
D&AD New Blood Award
Newhouse creative advertising alumni Matt Powers ’23, Dara Dilmaghani ‘23 G’24 and Isabella Uribe ’23—who attended the Berghs School of Communication ’24 after her Newhouse graduation—won a notable Wood Pencil for their integrated campaign “Krochet in Komfort” for Kraft Mac & Cheese in the D&AD New Blood student awards. This self-initiated project showcases their application of skills learned in Newhouse portfolio courses. Winners were announced at the D&AD New Blood student award ceremony on July 4.
Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication
Student fashion magazine Zipped won the Design category at the AEJMC 2024 Student Magazine Contest.
Cannes Future Lions
Newhouse School creative advertising students Marlana Bianchi ’24 and Molly Egan ’25 won the prestigious Future Lions Grand Prix Award at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France.
They earned the honor for their “Break the Sound Barrier” entry that addressed a brief, or assignment, from Spotify that asked how the music-streaming service could “spread positivity by using technology to bring listeners closer to the creators and communities they love.” The work was done in an upper-level portfolio course taught by professor of practice Mel White.
Newhouse Creative Advertising Students Win Cannes Future Lions Grand Prix Award
Society of Professional Journalists
Newhouse students claimed two national wins and four finalist spots in the Society of Professional Journalists’ Mark of Excellence, one of the top college media contests every year.
Newhouse Students Claim 2 National Wins at SPJ Mark of Excellence Contest
New York State Broadcasters Association
Newhouse School students won big at this year’s New York State Broadcaster Association’s Excellence in Broadcasting Awards, bringing home nine out of the 16 honors in the College Television division. They will be honored at an awards luncheon on Sept. 25 in Syracuse.
Newhouse Students Dominate 2024 NYSBA Excellence in Broadcasting Awards
Telly Awards
Newhouse students and projects picked up 10 honors for this year’s Telly Awards, which recognize the best in television and video awards among professionals and students. Their award-wining work was produced through a variety of Newhouse School outlets, courses and extracurricular opportunities.
Newhouse Students Victorious at 2024 Telly Awards
New York Festivals Advertising Awards
Newhouse creative advertising students brought home eight awards for the New York Festivals Advertising Awards, including two Bronze, five Finalist awards, and one Shortlist. The campaigns span many categories, from Digital/Mobile to Positive World Impact. Highlights include Marlana Bianchi ‘24 and Molly Egan’s ‘25 AI digital campaign “Break the Sound Barrier” for Spotify, and Brooke Hirsch’s ‘24 AI digital campaign “AI vs. AI” for The New York Times, which won both Bronze and multiple Finalist recognitions. All the winning campaigns were created in Portfolio III, a course taught by Professor White. These student awards were announced on June 6.
One Show Young Ones
Newhouse School creative advertising students won 18 One Show Young Ones awards this year. One Show Young Ones awards are among the most acclaimed advertising awards in the world. This year, the One Show Young Ones College Rankings ranked the Newhouse School sixth for U.S. undergraduate programs. There are four One Show Young Ones competitions, and we entered three of them, including the ADC, Brief and Portfolio competitions. Winners were announced at the One Show Young Ones award ceremony on May 13.
One Show Young Ones ADC Competition
Newhouse School creative advertising students won 12 awards for the One Show Young Ones ADC Competition. Brooke Hirsch ’24 won a Silver Cube and a Merit Award for her AI digital campaign “AI vs. AI” for The New York Times. Our creative advertising students also won 10 Shortlist Awards for their campaigns. All ADC winning work was created in portfolio courses taught by Professor Mel White and Kevin O’Neill.
One Show Young Ones Brief Competition
Newhouse School creative advertising students won four awards for the One Show Young Ones Brief Competition. The competition provided client briefs, which students created campaigns for. Ella Fiegener ’24 and Quincy Whipple ’24 won a Merit Award for their integrated campaign “Skin Stories” for Dove. Additionally, Remi Tsunoda ’24 and Avery Schildhaus ’24 won two Shortlist Awards for their integrated “Saucy Sounds” for Velveeta, and Meiling Xiong ’24 and Maggie Mallon ’24 won a Shortlist Award for “Real Housewives of Duolingo” for Duolingo. All the winning campaigns were created in Portfolio III, a course taught by Professor White.
One Show Young Ones Portfolio Competition
Newhouse School creative advertising students earned two awards for the One Show Young Ones Portfolio Competition. Ryan Garret Conner ’24 won a Portfolio Award in Advertising for his exceptional portfolio, showcasing his campaigns. Brooke Hirsch ’24 received a Shortlist Award for her portfolio. All the winning work was created in portfolio courses taught by Professor Mel White and Kevin O’Neill.
Clio Awards
Newhouse creative advertising student Brooke Hirsch ’24 won a Shortlist award on May 1 at the Clio Awards for her groundbreaking digital campaign “AI vs. AI” for The New York Times. Competing in the competitive Clio Student Innovation category, Brooke stood out as one of 10 student winners worldwide. Clio Awards are one of the hardest awards to win in the industry, and her campaign is now on the Clio website. Hirsch’s campaign was created in Portfolio III, a course taught by Professor Mel White.
See the Newhouse Student’s Shortlisted Campaign on the Clio Awards Website
Golden Award of Montreux
Newhouse School creative advertising students won four of the 25 awards worldwide for the Golden Award of Montreux on April 29. All work was created in portfolio courses taught by Professor Mel White.
- Print / Poster category: Meiling Xiong ‘24 for Tabasco print campaign, “The Overtake”
- Print / Poster category: Katelyn Hughes ‘24 and Lang Delapa ‘24 for National Disaster Search Dog Foundation print campaign, “You Can’t Beat a Search Dog”
- Digital / Social category: Charlotte Shea ‘23 and Brooke Hirsch ‘24 for Volvo AI digital campaign, “Digital Blackout”
- Design category: Sophia Donio ‘24 for Haagen Dazs redesign, “Haagen Dazs Rebrand”
Newhouse Students Honored at ACP Clips & Clicks Contest
Newhouse School students took home seven awards—including a pair of First Place honors by Max Williams—in the spring 2024 Associated Collegiate Press’ Clips & Clicks contest. With 11 winners in the fall and spring contests, The NewsHouse, a Newhouse student-run news, sports and entertainment outlet, finished fourth nationally among all the publications in 2024.
Broadcast News, First Place – “Child poverty rate in Syracuse remains high” by Maxwell Joseph Williams (NCC News)
Broadcast Feature, First Place – “Central New York Drive-In Opens for First Time in 40 Years” by Maxwell Joseph Williams (NCC News)
Photojournalism – News, Second Place – “Calls to unionize” by Surya Vaidy (The NewsHouse)
Photojournalism – Features, Fourth Place – “Head Thief” by Rio Harper (The NewsHouse)
Writing – Feature Story, Second Place – “How Gen Z became the face of skincare marketing” by Jenny DeStefano (The NewsHouse)
Writing – Sports Story, Second Place – “A perfect March Madness bracket has never happened — and it never will” by Wally McKeon (The NewsHouse)
Writing – Sports Story, Honorable Mention – “Para athlete aims to build foundation for others” by Cole Bambini (The NewsHouse)
From Celebrities to Technology, Student Combines Diverse Career Goals
Madison “Maddy” de Vera ’25 is double majoring at Syracuse’s School of Information Studies and Newhouse School of Public Communications. The two schools are helping bring together her diverse passions.
For the longest time, Madison “Maddy” de Vera felt conflicted. She loved the entertainment industry and the glamorous world of celebrity interviews and red carpets. But she also loved the world of technology and the technical challenge of coding and problem solving. How could her two very different interests coexist? She found her answer at Syracuse University.
Currently in her junior year, de Vera is double majoring at Syracuse’s School of Information Studies and Newhouse School of Public Communications. Bringing together her diverse passions, she is studying information management and technology with a concentration in information security at the iSchool, and she is studying television, radio and film at Newhouse.
“With my communication skills from Newhouse, combined with my technical skills from the iSchool, I will have built a magnificent skill set that can be applied to many different career paths,” she said. “At the end of the day, I firmly believe that the future of entertainment relies on the ever improving technology behind it. Knowing how to code, debug and problem solve, as well as film, edit and tell a story, makes me a more marketable applicant to future employers.”
She decided to double major after taking IST 195, an information technologies class with Professor Jeff Rubin.
“This was hands down one of the most interesting classes I have ever taken at Syracuse, and it was so relevant to today’s society,” de Vera said. “I immediately knew I wanted to double major in the iSchool after taking that class.”
One of her favorite projects at the iSchool so far was in IST 263, Introduction to Front-End Web Development. Assistant Teaching Professor Laurie Ferger taught students the basics of HTML, CSS and JavaScript. For her final project, de Vera had to code a website from scratch and decided to make a travel diary about her summer.
“Be kind! It was my first website ever,” de Vera said.
At Newhouse, her favorite project was from TRF 450: Artist Representation with Assistant Professor J. Christopher Hamilton. Students created business opportunities for celebrities and pitched them to talent agents from United Talent Agency. For her project, de Vera came up with future career moves for singer and actress Miley Cyrus.
“It really pushed me creatively,” she said.