By Elisabeth Costanzo Stewart
If you didn’t know that Miley Wood is a high school intern, you would simply assume that she is a new hire in the Office of Marketing and Communications. The antithesis of the Gen Z stereotype, Wood, ultra-poised and wise beyond her years, has become a critical member of MarCom’s small, but mighty team of creative professionals. Though only three months into her year-long youth apprenticeship on SUNY Broome’s campus, she has amassed an impressive array of projects ranging from copyediting the Fall edition of BROOME Magazine, to curating the College’s social media presence, to assisting with the logistics behind President Hawkins’ Inauguration. Wood was recently honored with the Broome-Tioga BOCES Student Spotlight Award, where her family, biological and work, proudly gathered to celebrate her achievements.
Born in Binghamton, NY, Wood is a product of two generations of Chenango Valley High School sweethearts. Creatively named “Miley” in honor of her parents “Mike and Emily,” Wood was immersed in a world of words from the very beginning.
As a little girl, while waiting for the school bus, Wood, her older sister Maisy, and a neighborhood friend wrote, illustrated, and delivered the morning news report for their grandmother. Each a.m. broadcast was presented with commercial breaks, with rotating advertisements featuring catchy slogans and snazzy jingles. “Morning Report” was unquestionably Wood’s favorite game. Through creative play, she could live out her professional aspirations.
Over time, Wood realized that while she loved the story-telling component of “Morning Report,” she did not want to be a broadcaster. Instead, she preferred to work behind the scenes to research, connect with her subjects, and share their perspectives.
As Wood approached her senior year, she realized that her schedule would be light, thanks to the rigor of her three preceding academic years. Craving professional experiences, she was initially drawn to Broome-Tioga BOCES’ New Visions Academy, but the program didn’t have a journalism track.
Just as Wood was about to give up on the idea of an alternative learning experience, a member of Chenango Valley’s guidance staff suggested BOCES’ burgeoning Youth Apprenticeship Program. Through this specialized career pathway program, high school students are assigned to one of the region’s top employers for a full academic year. While not strictly journalistic, the Youth Apprenticeship Program connected Wood to SUNY Broome’s Office of Marketing & Communications to support her desire to learn how to create, communicate, and deliver.

Miley Wood is a senior at Chenango Valley High School and a member of Broome-Tioga BOCES’ Youth Apprenticeship Program. Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers
“I was really nervous on my first day. I felt like I had no professional skills to contribute,” Wood admitted. “But then a member of the team offered to give me a tour of the campus, and she introduced me to dozens of people along the way. When we got back from the tour, the MarCom suite felt a lot less intimidating.”
With that, Wood wholeheartedly jumped into her apprentice role. Her first official meeting as a MarCom employee just happened to be with SUNY Broome’s President, Dr. Tony D. Hawkins, in preparation for his investiture ceremony. The following week, Wood met with the Chair of the Board of Trustees to help her prepare remarks for a speaking engagement. Since then, no day or project has been the same.
Wood enters the MarCom suite each morning with the same approach – “bank information from each experience.”
“I get excited whenever someone from the office says ‘Miley, I have a project for you!’ or ‘Miley, I need your help!” Wood explained. “I loved editing the articles that are featured in BROOME Magazine and the Buzz/HiveHQ. Even though I feel like a social media grandma, I am really enjoying learning how to create engaging content for the College’s platforms.”
A typical day for Wood begins with an early morning start at Chenango Valley. After her SUNY Broome Fast Forward English and economics classes, she drives to campus to clock a few hours with the MarCom team. Wood prepares copy, dabbles in Canva, and captures content at on and off-campus events. After a quick lunch, she commutes back to Chenango Valley to finish her day with Fast Forward French and study hall.
When Wood isn’t bouncing between her office at SUNY Broome and her senior classes, she balances a continuous rotation of varsity sports and extracurricular activities, all of which have called her to assume leadership roles.
Amidst her unbelievably busy schedule, Wood is a typical senior navigating the college admissions process. She is applying to a healthy mix of private and SUNY schools, keeping SUNY Broome on her list as well.
“We are so proud that Miley is able to complete her apprenticeship program at SUNY Broome, providing her an opportunity to work alongside industry professionals to gain experience in the marketing field,” beamed President Hawkins. “She has jumped into her role with great enthusiasm and her contributions to our communication materials is invaluable. This program is a win for both Miley and SUNY Broome.”

The Wood Family Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers
Tags: Fast Forward, Profile