Molly Oak, a junior journalism major at UNC, has watched the “The Ellen Degeneres Show” for as long as she can remember.
She’s a pro at Degeneres’ Heads Up game, which involves guessing the card on top of your head based on your friend’s singing, dancing and acting.
So when Oak found out that Degeneres takes interns, she said she knew she had to do everything she could to get it.
Her aunt, Katie Coleman, encouraged her to apply. Coleman also watches the show religiously. “The staff do weird stuff,” she said.
Coleman, who thought Oak would be great for the position, created a Facebook page in order to garner support for Oak’s dream.
Oak keeps the Facebook page updated with interesting facts such as the number of cookies the average person eats in their lifetime — 35,000.
The page now has over 1,100 likes. The overwhelming support has shocked Molly.
“I never thought that the blog would get more than 30 likes,” she said.
Her aunt said the page could increase Oak’s odds of getting the internship. Oak constantly shares a link to her page on Degeneres’ Facebook page.
The process of getting the internship on “The Ellen Degeneres Show” has few guidelines and involves a rolling application process — students are constantly applying for a slot.
You have to submit your story within 1,500 characters and any materials that show why you will be a good choice for an intern.
In addition to her Facebook page and submitting her story to Ellen, Oak is making a video that highlights why she would be a good candidate. She has interviewed many of her friends and family that explain why Oak is perfect for the position.
“If Ellen ever sat down with Molly, she will fall in love with her,” said Jackie Elliott, a friend of Oak’s.
This week, Oak is making a video with her sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha. Kristin Shotwell, a senior at UNC and a member of Zeta, said Oak can make anyone laugh.
Oak studied broadcasting in middle and high school and has shadowed broadcasting companies.
She said she hopes to keep getting more likes for her Facebook page and continues to create new materials to add to her application.
If Oak gets the internship, she will be speechless for once, she said. There is no set date to get the internship, so said she has to keep doing things to get Degeneres’ attention.
“I just hope I’m weird enough to get on the show,” Oak said.
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