Ashley Xiao is currently a sophomore majoring in History with a Business minor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. As a Digital Communication Specialist for the Department of English, Ashley combines creativity, storytelling, and strategic communication to highlight student voices and strengthen the department’s digital presence. Through her role, Ashley creates Student Spotlight features, interviewing peers and writing articles that showcase their experiences in the English Department. She also manages social media content by scheduling and preparing posts, while assisting with newsletters and web updates to ensure consistent branding and engagement across platforms. Ashley has developed a wide range of technical skills during her internship, including using content management systems, Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, and Google Workspace. She has also learned to manage multiple projects efficiently using collaborative tools and scheduling platforms. Beyond technical expertise, Ashley has strengthened her soft skills in teamwork, communication, and time management. “Working with editors and peers on projects like the student spotlights taught me that successful teamwork depends on active communication, feedback, and shared responsibility,” she shared. Ashley’s biggest takeaway from the internship is learning to balance creativity and accuracy while meeting professional deadlines— skills that will serve her in any future career. Looking ahead, Ashley hopes to pursue a career that blends creativity with strategic thinking—either in museum communication or business analysis. She’s passionate about connecting people through storytelling, design, and digital engagement, seeing each as a way to bridge academic and creative communities. Outside of work and academics, Ashley enjoys film photography—capturing everyday moments in cities like Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Chicago. “Photography helps me slow down and observe small details,” she says. “It’s another form of storytelling.”