Juggling classes, homework and a job all with a cheerful smile helped Columbia graduate Katie Baker land a production assistant job at Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Radio in Chicago.

After becoming Columbia’s first student to earn an internship at Harpo Radio last year, Baker’s supervisors said her professionalism and enthusiasm to learn paved the way for a dream job at the popular XM Satellite Radio station.

Originally from Okemos, Mich., Baker majored in radio with a concentration in talent production before graduating from Columbia in May.

“I originally wanted to do voice-overs, but I realized it involved too many auditions and side jobs,” Baker said.

Over the two years Baker studied at Columbia, she worked as a producer for Columbia’s WCRX radio station, took a full course load and held down a part-time job. After interning at Voices Unlimited, a Chicago talent agency, Baker applied for another highly competitive internship at Harpo Radio.

“I didn’t want to get my hopes up and be ready for disappointment,” Baker said.

After a successful interview, she was offered the position, making her the first student from Columbia to break into Harpo’s radio department.

“It did not surprise me that Katie got the internship-no job was too small for her,” said Barbara Calabrese, chairman of the Radio Department at Columbia.

Although she had to do a lot of menial work for the internship-like fetching coffee for her supervisors, logging previously-aired music and burning CDs-Baker said she was thankful for the welcoming atmosphere.

“I loved being at Harpo; they gave me so many opportunities to learn and a lot of positive feedback,” Baker said. “I learned to be open, ready, willing and understanding that they are going to put me in uncomfortable situations that I had to show I could work through.”

In May, after her six-month internship was extended to a year, a production assistant position opened up just as Baker was about to graduate. She applied, and by showing she was a team player who could easily adapt to Harpo’s rigorous work environment, Baker got the job. She began working full-time just two days after graduating from Columbia.

Baker credits her success at Harpo to the classes and teachers she worked with at Columbia.

“Columbia helped me learn to do things in a timely manner, and I developed great relationships with my professors who depended on me,” Baker said. “I treated school the same way I treat work at Harpo.”

In her new position, Baker works with a small production team to produce broadcasts from the likes of poet Maya Angelou, author Marianne Williamson and consultant Peter Walsh, among others. Baker books callers, researches guests, pulls clips for Oprah.com and edits pre-recorded programs for Harpo’s XM channel.

Baker said she’s surprised at the path her career has taken so soon after graduating.

“I never expected I would be producing,” Baker said. “I love what I do because it’s not meaningless work, and I talk to callers who always have positive things to say,” Baker said.

Baker’s current supervisor, Rita Cobum-Whack, said Baker’s education shows in her job performance.

“Katie always exhibits a willingness to learn with a comprehension level that can only come from being a good student and loving the work,” said Cobum-Whack, a producer at Harpo.

Between interning and working full-time, Baker said her personal life has changed since starting at Harpo.

“I have really had to put things in perspective and look at the big picture,” said Baker, who works fluctuating shifts at Harpo’s West Loop studios. “I have to be flexible with my social plans, and I can’t go out as much.”

Baker said she sees herself staying with Harpo for a long time.

“This is a great company to work for and the people are very concerned with how you are doing as a person,” she said.

Though she may have no immediate plans to leave Harpo, Baker’s former instructors, including Tony Kwiecinski, Program Director for WCRX, said there’s no limit to how far her work ethic can take her.

“She’s got a very professional manner,” Kwiecinski said. “Katie is a good example of a student who worked really hard, and always did it with enthusiasm.”