by Tom Berich, Operations Manager
There are many moving parts when executing the Luminari summer experiences, not just registrations, recruiting, and the general “organization” of managing up to 100 people over the span of a month. It’s the small details that can slip under the radar if you aren’t careful: thank‑you gifts, daily expenses, follow‑ups with presenters before and after their sessions. All of these fall under the “Operations” umbrella, and as mentioned in an earlier LUMOS, we have brought on a summer Operations Intern (Miranda Larson) who will certainly be helpful with all of this organization. But there’s one other very important aspect that hasn’t been discussed: media (i.e., pictures and video).
Who takes, proofs, and edits all of the photos and video that end up on the Luminari website and our social media outlets? We have done it in‑house, and we often encourage attendees to take their own photos and videos to share with us as supplemental content. But after they share it… then what? Not all of those images make it into our souvenir books, and might just need a little “sprucing up” to look professional.
For the 2026 summer camps, Luminari is bringing on a Media Intern to bring these moments to life through photo and video. Meet Jade Davis!
Jade is entering her senior year at the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in Political Science with a minor in Africana Studies and a certificate in Broadcast Journalism. Originally from the Bridgeville area, she hopes to go into TV news producing/reporting after graduating in 2027. She’ll be capturing photos and video and helping edit the media that students, parents and the public see when they go online to learn about our programs. She may even conduct face‑to‑face interviews with our directors and campers.
Since both Jade (and Miranda) are in Media Studies, I simply had to ask her the following questions…
Tom: What are your 3 favorite films?
Jade: I know my very top one is Coraline, with the creepy eyes and everything. I’m a really big fan of the Studio Ghibli film by Hayao Miyazaki, Ponyo. And if I had to pick a third, I’d say The Proposal from 2009.
Tom: What do you like to do for fun?
Jade: That’s a good question. I like spending time outside and I love kayaking, and I really love writing poetry.
Be on the lookout for Jade’s photography and video work capturing all the adventures our students will experience this summer at the various camps. She is a welcome addition to the 2026 leadership team, and we can’t wait to have her working with our students.
For additional information on Luminari internships and general info on the 2026 camps, please reach out to Tom Berich, Operations Manager, at tom@luminari.org.
