Internship Chronicles: Day 1

Today, I started my summer tenure at an ABC affiliate as a Mobile Investigative Reporter.

I was weary about working from 12-9pm, but I had a great day, with great people.

I learned how to use EndPlay and published 6 feature news stories. Before today, I was not published at all. :)

It feels great to have all of this support. I hope to keep everyone in the loop with blog posts.

The Plight of Undergraduates: Internships

Taking an internship has become a requirement for many students to graduate from college. Many students are ready willing to take an internship, but struggle to find a company that offers compensation.

Kiera Phipps, a junior communications major at Bowie State University, was lucky enough to find two internships this year with Radio One and WUSA9 in Washington, D.C. According to Phipps, networking is the key to getting internships.

Not every student is as lucky as Kiera Phipps. Al Davis, a junior communications major at Bowie State, has applied to numerous internships this year, but has not heard back from anyone. Time is dwindling fast, as summer is just around the corner, “I’ve actually applied to a few internships [for] this summer… I guess I’ll just have to take a 9 to 5.”

Though an internship may be hard to acquire, students do understand the value of an internship. “I would like to have internships and get experience before I get into my profession, because I feel like that would better me and help me put my foot my foot in the door,” said Tre’Vonn Dennis, a sophomore communications major at Bowie State University.

Brandon Williams, a sophomore criminal justice major at Bowie State University, refused to look for an internship this year, because of the lack of pay. He explained that he took an internship at a firm where he would be filming a Human Resource Officer while he was working with companies. He worked hard in the job and received no pay. When he asked his boss, at the time, about compensation, he was told, “This is a good way to get experience.” That wasn’t enough for Williams, as he was starting a life with his fiancée and was looking for compensation to support his family.

According to Business Insider, companies save about $2 billion every year by hiring interns, 18% of internships are conducted illegally, and women are 77% more likely to work in an internships that is unpaid. Students must receive course credit or compensation for internships in order for them to be legal. In the summer, many students pay tuition, many without financial aid, for an internship credit to take an unpaid internship with a company.

As students prepare for their futures, this is the harsh reality that undergraduates must face if they wish to graduate from their respective universities. 

Who is Freeman McGaw?

“In some cultures, I’m a music provider… Some people consider it an art, some people consider it a job… I like to call it a DJ,” said Freeman McGaw about his career. An aspiring disk jockey known as DJ Freeez understands his responsibility to his community. Freeman McGaw wishes to leave a legacy to match his future empire.

Freeman McGaw is a 22 year-old broadcast journalism student at Bowie State University. McGaw originally from Franklin, New Jersey, uses his roots to excel in the music industry. Freeman often performs “Trap Music” for his audiences and has many mixtapes available for download from his Sound Cloud account. Freeman has also started an entertainment business called McGaw enterprises. This is just the beginning of Mr. McGaw’s career.

According to Freeman, he lives two lives. One life is that of Freeman McGaw, the other life is DJ Freeez. He takes pride in the fact that he is able to switch in between the lifestyles to his advantage. Being business savvy and musical adept helps McGaw excel within the music industry. Recently, McGaw hired an agent under McGaw Enterprises to help him secure events and maintain his business.

In the future, McGaw wishes to give back to the Franklin community by offering some of the experience that he’s had in Maryland through mentoring. One of the aspiring Franklin DJ’s, Caution, will have the opportunity to perform at their former high school’s prom. According to McGaw, this is his responsibility.

Freeman explained that his community has taken a turn for the worst. Many influential figures from Franklin, New Jersey have moved away from the community to pursue their careers. There are no role models for young children to look up to and the environment has taken a negative impact.

Freeman has been lucky enough to matriculate and mature with positive mentors, like DJ Gemini. He says that it is important to “shut up and absorb” when someone is offering their advice. McGaw believes that there is so much you can take from a mentor, to include energy. Energy is necessary in industry professionals.

Freeman McGaw is laying out his life to become an industry heavy hitter, but remains true to his community by being a mentor to young adults that aspire to achieve. 

Seasons Change, Focus Shouldn’t: College Success in the Spring

As the weather changes, college students must adjust their focus to maintain academic success. Students at Bowie State University view, and adjust to, the changing seasons differently.

According to Professor Berry, during fall semester, Bowie State University students are able to zero in on their studies due to the lack of social events and the plummeting temperatures. Spring semester boasts high temperatures and allows for more frequent events, which can be difficult to handle for some students.

Kenyetta Hazel, a junior at Bowie State, is very active in the Student Government Association and a member of the Campus Activities Board. During the spring semester, the Campus Activities Board is able to plan more events for the student body. Hazel plays a pivotal role in event planning and marketing on Bowie State’s campus. “You want to go out and enjoy the weather and you know you have all your classes. Somehow I’ve managed to take the most amount of classes during the spring,” says Kenyetta Hazel. This spring semester, she is taking six classes.

In order to remain focused on her studies, Kenyetta reminds herself that there are rewards at the completion of the spring semester, “I’m about to go one summer break, so let me end the year right.”

Some students are motivated to excel by the weather. Rising senior Parris Armstrong pinpoints his goals for the semester and sets out to achieve them, “It’s grind time… The atmosphere just makes you feel like you’re ready to get to work. [Ready] to accomplish.”

Professor Erin Berry of the Bowie State University Department of Communications, being a younger Professor, has recognized and experienced the changes students go through as the seasons change, “It’s really important for students to remain focused… It’s also really important for students to start thinking about what their summer plans are, whether it be internships, jobs, or other ventures that they choose to pursue.”

The weather may have an effect on some students, but many graduating seniors have a different perspective on the weather and its impact. “It doesn’t matter what the weather is like, I just want to graduate,” said senior LaTonya Jackson.

STEM'erica

What I can do better than the Baby Boomers and Generation X is use technology.

I can tell any device what I want it to do and it will do it for me. I can do various technological things without the help of an instruction manual.

Millennials have been conditioned for this. We can almost literally use technology in our sleep.

We have been programmed similar to the computers that we use.

What happens now? We make fancy things to use on the computers. We talk to our friends via computers. We track our meals and exercise with the aid of a computer. We just use our computers.

Since I was about 9 years old, I've had computers and calculators shoved in my face. I do not know how to do mathematics without some sort of electronic device. Even if I attempt a math problem in my head, I have to double-check the answer with some computing device.

Technology has made life easier for Millennials.

We've been told to work and study in the field of technology. I have never been told to focus on any other STEM field.

The future of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics will utilize computers, but we have missed a few steps. I have yet to figure out why these fields were bypassed in our school upbringing.

I'm afraid. I am afraid that we are focusing heavily on technology without considering the rest of the words abbreviated by S.T.E.M.

I am currently in college studying communications and I do not know a single mathematics or engineering major at my college. I do know one biology major.

You may be wondering why I am writing about the future of STEM, as a student that has opted not to study these fields. I say to you, I am a communications major and I am currently exercising my education.

I have also been conditioned to find something that I enjoy and make a life out of it, because "work shouldn't be stressful."

"You should never have to work a day in your life, if you're doing something that you love."

What?

That's one of the things that the other generations tell us.

My job should never feel like work. Well, again I'm not a mathematics major but, I've never run into a math problem that didn't feel like work. Just a simple calculation feels like a little work. I do have to use my brain for it. I would imagine that if I worked in a math related job, I would have to do work every day to fulfill my duties, because I am using my brain.

If I were studying technology, I would imagine that I would have to work to remember the codes that I would use for programming. It would be fair to say that programming a website, or a game, everyday for the rest of my life would require me to work to perform my job.

If I were some sort of scientist or engineer... Don't get me started.

Statements like the one mentioned above actively discourage young minds. The statement suggests that I am not doing what my life was intended for, if some job gets hard.

That is simply not true.

There is someone out there that has heard this statement and will never cure cancer because the research felt like a lot of work.

The is another person out there that has heard this statement and will never find a universal alternative to fossil fuel depletion for power, because the work was excessive.

Encourage those that are actively pursuing a STEM career and stop telling us this... Our future, as a nation, is dependent upon it.

Personal Course Eval: Intro to Business

I am a communications major. I love to speak. I love to present. I love broadcast journalism, print journalism, mobile journalism and public relations.

I can handle reasonable amounts of work and I work great under pressure.

One of the things that has troubled me throughout my entire school career is professors that have worked in the field in which they teach and their desire to drill their experience into the minds of students for their own personal enjoyment.

We are in the last weeks of the semester and I am currently taking an Introduction to Business course at my university. If you were to ask me exactly how much I've learned about business, I would be able to tell you that you have to have a business plan to start a business and you must know what kind of business you would like to start. I will also be able to tell you that small businesses are likely to fail.

Surprisingly (only because this is a BUSINESS course), I will be able to tell you what exactly the Affordable Care Act, the Federal Reserve, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the World Trade Organization are. I will also be able to talk to you about the CEO's that basically siphoned all of the money out of their respective businesses to give themselves larger paychecks, which is a major reason for the recession. Yes, these are GREAT to know about, but these topics do not require 4 page papers and 8 post discussions every week.

What I will not be able to tell you is how to start a business. I do not mean the "textbook" way to start a business. I mean the way that you can ACTUALLY use to START A BUSINESS. I will not be able to tell you how to invest. I won't be able to tell you a great deal about businesses, but a great deal about government.

I have spoken to my prof about this and he says that it's because he likes to keep his students aware of current events. He is a businessman that has worked for a number of big businesses. I get it. Great! Fine and dandy!

What about the basics of business? What about the root of the business world?

I am not only taking this course because it has to do with my major. I hope to one day have a business of my own, but it is very interesting to me that I will NOT learn this in the college course that introduces the student to business.

At this time, I am working on a 10-page paper on Albert Brook's book, "2030: The Real Story of What Happens to America." Get this... I had the option to choose between writing a 10 to 15 page book report on this book or writing a 12 to 15 page report on a topic of my choice.

When will I learn about the foundations of business? How will I be able to compete with those around me when I pursue my aspirations? I'm not sure. I'm too busy trying to make sure my paper meets/exceeds 10 pages without the inclusion of a title page and bibliography.

What's wrong with her hair?

I'm currently in class and we're designing professional portfolios for our "Branding Project."

We have to provide a "professional" picture as part of the portfolio and a young lady with natural hair asked how the photo should look.

My teacher answers the question, then goes on to say "I wouldn't wear a twist-out to an interview...If you hair is long enough to put it in a bun, you should put it in a bun... You hair looks neat [in twists], so you can wear it like that, but that's atypical."

Why? Why is her hair "atypical?!"

My hair grew from my scalp. I can look professional with my hair in a twist-out. If you don't think so, that's not my problem.

My teacher also has natural hair. I just don't understand the "culture" created by "professional" African Americans.

Thinking out loud...