Inside with Skyler Caruso: A Marist Graduate Now at PEOPLE Magazine

Source: Photo by Charisse Kenion, https://unsplash.com/photos/cJkVMAKDYl0

In recent years, Marist has continued to produce a plethora of accomplished alumni, and Skyler Caruso is a worthy addition to the list. 

Skyler Caruso ‘22 is a recent Marist graduate currently working as an Editorial Assistant for PEOPLE magazine. At only 14 years old, she earned a position as a social media correspondent for Seventeen Magazine, where she had the opportunity to interview red-carpet talent all throughout high school. 

Caruso’s work granted her direct access to award shows like the MTV VMA”s and popular music festivals like Coachella and Firefly. Though exhilarating, the experience taught Caruso at an early age to perfect the art of what she calls “checking the fangirl at the door.”

“Understanding that the work between the talent and myself is a collaborative experience, not a fan experience.” Caruso said. “Upholding a sense of professionalism and respect is a must when working with celebrities.” 

The skills Caruso learned at Marist such as adaptability and time management have helped her at PEOPLE magazine. In her time as a Communications major at Marist, she worked under companies like Sony Entertainment, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and NBC Universal all while exploring her love for all things entertainment and pop culture. Caruso also served as both a host of Marist’s ‘Word on the River,’ and as a campus tour guide for incoming students. 

Caruso’s life varies as an entertainment journalist. As a member of the SEO team, her morning typically begins with a scan of Google Trends and Analytics, before constructing a list of search-friendly pitch ideas to her team and editor. Depending on the day and length of her piece she will write 2-3 articles a day for PEOPLE digital, which are often reactive or predictive to current news. Her job grants her an ample amount of creative freedom and every day is dependent on the daily news cycle. 

“Between pitching unique angles for stories and creatively crafting sentences to tell an engaging story, one of my favorite parts of my job is that I get to be creative every single day.” 

She is also not just limited to PEOPLE’s office. Recently, Skyler has had the chance to travel to places like Coachella in California and New York Fashion Week for event coverage pieces. Some of her all-time favorite conversations have been with celebrities Shawn White, Alicia Keys and Drew Barrymore. 

For current Marist students looking to pursue a similar path, Caruso advises three things. Regardless of the year you are in, she encourages students to hone in on their interests as often as possible, whether through starting a blog, writing for the campus newspaper or taking part in MCTV. She also advises reaching out to admired professions in the field to learn more about their work. 

”Tell them you look up to them and that you’d like to learn more about what they do.” Skyler adss. “A little message demonstrating interest and passion can go a long way!” Additionally, Caruso urges students not to be afraid to ask questions of professors, who have professional experience and can offer great advice for your future. 

Perhaps her biggest piece of advice however comes from what inspired her to be where she is today - real-world, hands-on experiences.  In fact, it was Caruso’s final internship back with TigerBeat Media as a senior that helped push her in her final direction.

 “Not only was it a full circle moment with my tween self — but it was the job that solidified my decision to pursue entertainment journalism full time post graduation,” she said.

The multiple internships Caruso accumulated throughout the years really gave her the ability to find herself in the world of journalism and it’s a world that she still loves today. 

 “I’ve had an interest in all-things entertainment and pop culture for as long as I could remember. But it was my hands-on work experiences — where I was literally writing, creating, and contributing on the daily — that ultimately made me pursue my passion,” she said.