Makayla Fermin ‘27 Makes TV Appearance Promoting Literacy for Change
As part of her internship with York County Libraries, the Mass Communication major had the opportunity to go live on air to help promote a campaign to raise awareness of literacy and support for libraries.
Makayla Fermin ‘27 came to York College of Pennsylvania with one goal in mind: to gain enough experience to become a literary agent and help writers get their work published. She became a Mass Communication major to develop her skills in journalism and broadcasting while building connections with her peers through her work as a Resident Assistant (RA) and as a Social Media & Production Manager for The York Review’s podcast, “The Rough Draft.”
However, a unique opportunity arose when she visited Martin Library in York City for an extra-credit assignment. During her visit, she connected with the president of York County Libraries (YCL), which led to her meeting additional members of their staff who recognized her interest in gaining experience in the literary field.
“I’ve always loved reading books,” Makayla said. “It’s always been my thing since [I was] a young child, so I wanted a path that explored that. So YCL was perfect for me.”
As a result, she became an Advancement Intern for York County Libraries. One of her main goals was to promote the Literacy for Change campaign that the libraries were running, which led to her appearance on Good Day PA ABC27 to share her story on why promoting literacy for both young children and adults is an important mission that needs addressing in this day and age.
Literacy for Change
Makayla’s internship began in late August and has her working at Martin Library, one of 13 full-service libraries located in York County.
“I do a lot of outreach events where I’ll go and film social media content for the businesses that we’re in collaboration with, and they’ll post it on Instagram,” Makayla said. “I did some of my own videos here at the College and talked about what literacy means to other individuals. I’m also currently working on a journalistic piece for their newsletter.”
Her work focused on social media promotion and fundraising support. She is also moving into more written work, which she finds incredibly helpful as she expands her experience as a writer.
One of Makayla’s major internship projects was to help promote the Literacy for Change campaign. It was created to highlight people of all ages who are interested in tapping into their love of literacy. She believes literacy in all forms – including oral, written, and even financial – is vital for people to be familiar with, especially for young adults who may not realize the benefits it can bring to their fields of work and everyday lives.
“It started off as just a way to get people out there and learning what literacy truly means and how important it is,” said Makayla.
Another important aspect is keeping the library systems alive, since government funding cannot cover all their costs. As a result, libraries and nonprofit organizations often rely on fundraising events to encourage community involvement while offering free resources that the public might not be aware of.
“So that’s what Literacy for Change is,” Makayla said. “It’s a matter of getting people more involved and making them more aware of library systems and everything that the library has to offer.”
The campaign culminated on October 2nd, known as their Big Day of Giving, when community members could participate in a fundraiser for Literacy for Change.
The promotion for the fundraising day began a month before, in September. Businesses would donate a portion of their sales to Literacy for Change. The library streamed all day, featuring different events that Makayla helped film. She even went on the livestream and spoke about her ideas of literacy and why the subject is important to her.
“I think it’s important for young adults to know the resources that they have out there, especially ones that are free,” Makayla said. “They don’t have to go out of their way trying to find Martin Library. York County Libraries as a whole has so many individual resources for people of all ages to use. So knowing that through the Literacy Campaign, we can get more [of the] community to get involved with the library systems is the most important part to me. Just teaching people empathy and knowing how to navigate your library system can definitely benefit you in all stages of your life.”
Going Live on Good Day PA ABC27
On October 1st, one day before the Big Day of Giving, Makayla and her manager were invited to appear on ABC27 News in Harrisburg for a four-minute segment to talk about the campaign. Makayla had the opportunity to answer a question about why she got involved in the internship and wanted to help promote literacy, given her age as a college student.
“My only answer is just my love for the library,” she said. “I want that to be shared with individuals, and I want them to understand that there’s so much more out there for them. Especially if you’re a college student, the library can be such a great place to learn.”
Makayla shared that she wasn’t nervous about being on air because she’s done similar work for her major previously. Due to her education, she was used to public speaking and navigating a newsroom. The setup was familiar to her, and it allowed her to go into the experience excited.
“I would say the overall Mass Comm Department and the major, the courses, all of that provided me with [enough] to be successful in that environment,” she said.
What was most important to Makayla about the experience was being able to provide what she felt was a refreshing perspective. Literacy isn’t discussed enough, and her coming on the news to speak about the topic as a younger individual shows that people in her age group care and don’t want to see it disappear when there's something that can be done to inform and raise awareness.
“I think it was important for some people to see a younger individual speaking about the importance because you can obviously see people of all demographics and ages,” Makayla said. “I feel like now, with our generation, it’s good for them to see someone who’s relatively similar to them. So I think being my age and having a love for the library and books altogether is important for other people to see. Not only just someone from the team, but also an intern who [believes], ‘I don’t have to do this — I want to do this.’”
Insight and Future Opportunities
Makayla plans to continue working at the library until her internship ends in early December. Currently, her team is planning the library’s next Beyond the Books fundraising event, which will take place in May 2027. The event invites an author to speak with attendees and share their journey as an author, as well as the inspiration for their books. Makayla will be assisting with a promo for the event next year, which excites her because she’s getting closer to her goal job.
Overall, since starting in August, her biggest takeaway has been seeing how a nonprofit organization functions. To her, most people don’t get to see what one's environment is like and how it can be very family-like and welcoming. Everyone wants to chip in, feels comfortable asking for help, and enjoys being together.
“I think working for YCL as an intern has been amazing because of the people who are there,” Makayla said. “York County Libraries has so many talented individuals, and they’re all so sweet and kind. I can’t see myself asking for a better experience. This was the best ultimate outcome for me, honestly. The people matter in a workplace for sure.”
The insight from the internship is already preparing Makayla for potential careers beyond her upcoming graduation. And thanks to the library, she is one step closer to achieving her dream of becoming a literary agent and working in the publishing industry.
None of this would have been possible if she hadn’t taken a chance at the library. Because of it, the final message she wanted to convey is that if a student is interested in something and wants to explore it, they should take that chance. Although she was nervous about her first interaction with the York County Libraries president, it led to an amazing experience.
Don’t be afraid to go for something unfamiliar — it could lead to an amazing outcome.
“Take that leap of faith, and just try your very best to get yourself out there as much as you can, because you won’t regret doing something, but you will regret not doing it.”
