From "The Oberlin Review" to HarperCollins

Travis O’Daniel ’26, a communication studies major from Louisville, Kentucky, has written and edited for The Oberlin Review for three years, most recently as managing editor. Last summer, he interned at HarperCollins Publishers, gaining firsthand experience at a major publishing house. Here, he reflects on that experience:

Last summer, I interned at HarperCollins Publishers in both an administrative and editorial role. On the administrative side, I assisted the president of the Harper Group and his assistant, which gave me an incredible behind-the-scenes look at how a major publishing house runs. In my editorial position with Harper Influence, I read book proposals and manuscripts, wrote offer and rejection letters to authors, and helped organize our pipeline for upcoming seasons. I was also lucky enough to work closely with editors and contribute feedback on projects as we continued to grow the imprint.

Being the managing editor of The Oberlin Review definitely helped prepare me for this kind of work. That role taught me how to juggle big-picture planning with crucial small editorial details—from managing production schedules and delegating tasks to doing deep reads and meeting tight deadlines. Working on a student-run publication gave me the confidence to take on large-scale, high-stakes projects like those I encountered at HarperCollins.

This internship aligned with my post-college dream of working in publishing, ideally in an editorial role where I can help bring thoughtful, engaging, and diverse voices into the world. One thing that really stuck with me was how collaborative the editorial process is—it’s not just about having good taste, but about knowing how to champion a project and build a team around it.

As a liberal arts student, I learned to think critically about language, media, and power structures, which was hugely helpful in evaluating proposals and thinking through what kinds of stories we were choosing to uplift. I was originally drawn to communication studies because I’ve always been fascinated by how ideas circulate, who gets to tell stories, and how media shapes culture. Last summer felt like an exciting, real-world continuation of those questions, and I can't wait to keep exploring them.