MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — When recent College of Media and Entertainment alumna Liliana Manyara was looking for an internship during her final semester, she never expected this.

The experience would lead her to meeting the Queen of Country Music while covering one of the biggest country music festivals in the country — and being pushed out of her comfort zone more than she could have ever imagined.

As an intern with the Country Music Association, commonly referred to as CMA, Manyara knew she would help cover the annual CMA Fest in downtown Nashville over the summer. But she never expected meeting Dolly Parton to be part of that experience.

“What a pivotal moment. It’s something I’ll use when someone asks me a fun fact about myself,” Manyara said. “Dolly is so kind and as awesome as you would think she is. She’s so sweet, humble and down-to-earth. Before she knew I was someone from CMA and would be recording a liner from her, she waved hello, not even knowing who I was.”

Manyara said her Ring Light was partly to thank for the once-in-a-lifetime meeting.

“They were taking pictures of certain people coming backstage to visit with Dolly before she went on. And someone asked, ‘Does anyone have a Ring Light?’ I said I did, so I wound up taking Dolly’s pictures with many different industry people and other musicians and artists. It was just a cool experience, and nothing would have prepared me for an experience like that.”

While meeting Dolly was a highlight, Manyara said the experience with CMA was unlike anything she expected — from the opportunities that allowed her to grow in her skills, like capturing, editing and engaging in content on CMA’s social media pages, to showcasing the energy of the annual CMA fest that brings hundreds of thousands of people to Music City each June.

“CMA embraced me with open arms; it felt really inclusive. I didn’t think I would be able to shine as much as I did, but my attitude going into it helped me be open to more opportunities and different possibilities,” she said.

Manyara filmed a day in her life while working as a creative intern during CMA Fest, which has over 200,000 views on YouTube. Watch the video below.

Manyara said without the help of professor Melissa Wald, who is also the internship coordinator for the music business concentration, she would never have known about the opportunity at CMA.

“I went to Melissa and was like, ‘I’m stuck here.’ It was divine timing because she said, ‘Oh, I got an email from someone at CMA who says they’re looking for an intern because their creative department intern dropped out at the last minute,'” she recalled.

After interviewing for the position with MTSU alumnus and Content Production Manager Drew Noble, Manyara said she took a chance and accepted even though she wasn’t sure it was the right fit for her.

“I didn’t have much experience in video editing and photography or any of the creative side, but Drew said he had decided to take a chance with me. He said, ‘I like your attitude. Melissa put in a good word for you and said you’re one of the best students in the department, so we’re going to take a chance on you.’ Little did I know it would be one of the best professional experiences I’ve had. It’s a defining moment for me,” she said.

‘Build, grow and learn’

Manyara transferred to MTSU from J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College in Richmond, Virginia, and graduated from MTSU in May 2024 with a degree in recording industry management with a concentration in music business and a minor in mass communications.

Manyara took advantage of the Academic Common Market, which made MTSU an even more affordable choice. The program provides in-state tuition rates for students from nearby states enrolled in an academic major not offered in their home state.

“Academic Common Market is the best-kept secret that more people need to know about,” she said.

Before graduating, Manyara was part of the student social media team in the Marketing and Communications Division and covered the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, interviewed celebrities on the The Judds’ “Love is Alive” Red Carpet Show at Murphy Center.

And perhaps most notably, she was the face of the College of Media and Entertainment’s “We Do It All” commercial that won a regional Emmy award while also serving on the Signature Event committee that booked singer-songwriter Khalid for this year’s spring concert.

“My theme coming to MTSU was to take all the opportunities I could and to use the time to build, grow and learn,” she said. And some of those opportunities made Manyara step out of her comfort zone, which she encourages all students to do.

“Even if it’s not something you’re completely comfortable with, go outside your comfort zone and try it. This is the time to try things. I loved my time at MTSU. Take advantage of all the resources and opportunities the university can provide you. There are so many volunteer and internship opportunities,” she said.

“There’s a balance between being active within your campus community and building a network among your peers, but also being active in the Nashville community. Take advantage of the opportunities in Nashville because many people don’t have access to such an industry hub.”

Manyara is currently working as a licensing coordinator at SESAC Performing Rights in Nashville.

“It’s essentially processing music licenses for businesses,” she explained. “If a business plays anything within the SESAC repertoire, it has to pay for a license at its establishment. My job is to process licenses and billing for the establishments.”

And for future plans, Manyara said she doesn’t know where the industry will take her, but she hopes to stay in the Nashville area.

— DeAnn Hays (DeAnn.Hays@mtsu.edu)