Fernando: Steve Harvey gave me $5,000 for school

USC: When journalism major Fernando Hurtado got a phone call from a Chicago area code in April, he assumed it was someone he knew from home.

Hurtado never thought it’d be producers of the nationally syndicated Steve Harvey talk show calling, offering him a golden opportunity to be Harvey’s Intern for a Day and to appear on an episode of the show, which aired on June 10.

“I freaked out,” says Hurtado.

He learned about the opportunity while working at Annenberg Television News (ATVN), where he’s web supervisor. Since he’s also the director of video content at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism’s digital news outlet Neon Tommy, he had no trouble creating an impressive video submission, but he says he almost didn’t apply due to concerns over missing school and work to fly to Chicago.

Fortunately, he decided to give the application a shot and sent producers a 40-second video clip explaining why he wanted the gig.

“I am extremely attentive to detail,” Hurtado says in his application video. “And I can make mean fajitas and lasagna.”

The big day

The show flew Hurtado to the WMAQ-TV studios in Chicago, where his day was a flurry of nonstop activity from early morning until late in the evening.

“Steve Harvey was already taping his radio show at 6 a.m., and I spent basically the whole day with him,” Hurtado says. “I was doing everything from making a special green smoothie he drinks every morning to making calls for a gala he was organizing to helping proofread his book before it even hits the printing press.”

In addition to assisting with the radio show, Hurtado also got to see to two live tapings of the talk show, all while being filmed himself.

“I expected to just walk out with Mr. Harvey to the show, but he put his hand on my shoulder and started giving me advice and telling me that I have to chase my dreams, and if you really want something you have to work toward it,” Hurtado says. “And he’s a perfect example of that.”

‘I was so surprised’

As the son of Mexican immigrants, Hurtado is a first-generation college student. He works three jobs along with being a full-time student during the school year.

“I’ll be the first in my family to graduate from college, so that definitely drives me,” Hurtado says. “I strive to be the best that I can be.”

Although his busy schedule can be stressful, Hurtado is highly motivated to work as much as possible to gain journalism experience and to help pay for his education. Hurtado was stunned when Harvey surprised him during the taping with $5,000 toward his college expenses.

“I was so surprised,” Hurtado says. “And I’m so grateful. It helps a ton to have that money for school.”

Hurtado’s returned to Chicago for the summer to intern at the Chicago Tribune, where he’ll be working on the Spanish-language newspaper Hoy as well as the Tribune’s multimedia website and recently launched newscast.

via Olivia Niland/USC News | Image courtesy of Steve Harvey via USC