Inside
Current C C Chelsie Buffington Alumna Profile Page 3
Internships lead to full time jobs for alumni Page 2
Fall 2012
The Newsletter for Alumni and Friends of the School of Communication
SOC gets an internship makeover
Photo by Stacey McKnight
By: Stacey McKnight A number of new notebooks sit in Dr. Pamela Hopkins’ office at East Carolina University. They rest in a row on a black bookshelf and look like typical 3-ring binders from the outside. However, these notebooks are different from the other notebooks, folders and papers in Hopkins’ office. They are the portfolios of the student interns Hopkins worked with this summer, and she will be receiving more portfolios this semester. Hopkins is the new internship coordinator for the School of Communication at ECU and responsible for overseeing SOC students who are completing for-credit internships. Hopkins, who also teaches online and face-to-face communication courses, began serving as coordinator this summer and sees the SOC’s internship program as a valuable opportunity for students. “It provides students with reallife experience,” she says. “They’re not just making coffee and filing
Hopkins, who also teaches communication courses, began serving as coordinator this summer.
papers. They’re learning the skills we’ve taught them in the classroom.” The internship program is important, says Hopkins, because a majority of the places where current students intern require students to earn course credit for the internship. This semester SOC students are interning in diverse organizations, which range from the American Red Cross to Madison Square Garden, according to Hopkins. Hopkins explains that to earn
class credit for internships, SOC students must enroll in a special internship course, establish learning goals, complete a series of online assignments, and meet with her at least twice during the semester of their internship. Hopkins says at some of these meetings students are “bubbling over” with excitement
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ECU communication alumni: Life after graduation By: Amber Moore Recent college graduate Chelsie Buffington, known to friends and family as Buffy, is taking on the professional world with her resume and camera in hand. She is formally educated, a learning enthusiast and a natural with editing software. The 22-year-old received her diploma from East Carolina University in May after earning her degree in media production and public relations. Buffy is now taking on one of her most important marketing projects yet: herself. The humble girl from Greenville is responsible for marketing herself as an employable young woman, and the job should not be a hard one for Buffy. In addition to her heavy course load, Buffy took on so much more. She was involved on campus with the Student Activities Board, which planned numerous events for the
entire student body. Off campus I could hire her today in what I do, in any organization, I would want Buffy was dedicated to a Christian Ministry known as Collide. While to have her around.” working at Collide Buffy created an In addition to being busy in the Greenville community, Buffy was internship program for her peers, was the social also open to exPhoto by Amber Moore panding her horimedia coordinator, was the local zons beyond her and national hometown. She missions team traveled to ensure planner and orthat she would not ganized/ran the miss out on anyboard meeting. thing that the world “Integrity had to offer. is there,” says “I’ve been to GhaScott Satterfield, na, Belize, Jamaica, Collide Mentor. gone sky diving, “What you see ran the Krispy when you get Kreme challenge, to know her, is gone to so many what you get. concerts, walked a Whether it’s you mile in her shoes, or 500 people loved, hung out (that Buffy is with the homeless, Buffy is now taking on one of entertaining), it’s her most important marketing and served in West her. She’s pure. If projects yet, herself. Continued on page 5
Hopkins appointed new internship coordinator Continued from page 1 about the work they have been doing as interns. At the end of the semester students document their experiences in portfolios, which often take the form of notebooks like the ones in Hopkins’ office. As intern coordinator, Hopkins also seeks new places for SOC students to intern. She says she has made connections with organizations through social media, email and face-to-face networking. Hopkins notes that organizations can also initiate contact with her via email or phone if they are interested in working with a SOC student intern. Hopkins says she is still learning as she develops relationships with students in the internship program, and the organizations and businesses where students intern. According to Hopkins, she often uses the previous intern coordinator, Dr. Todd Fraley, as a resource. Fraley, a SOC administrator who is serving as the 2012-2013 Faculty Fellow with ECU’s Honors College, says he shares information with Hopkins about the internship process and helps her make connections with community organizations. “Because I’ve done this for so many years, there are people in the community that I know, so I can help her with networking,” says Fraley. Hopkins says she looks forward to networking and “talking to people in the community to let them know we have great students at ECU.” 3
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ECU alumni’s turn internships into full time jobs Baumann works full time coverwho graduated in 2010, works full ing stories all over eastern North time as a radio producer and TV Carolina. He recently spent a week host for IBX Media in Greenville. ECU students use internships as in Raleigh covering the trial of JaJones was an intern for over two a means of getting acclimated to son Williford, who was found guilty years when IBX promoted him to working in a professional environof the murder of Kathy a full time salment. Some use their learning ex...I really feel like Taft, a state school ary. perience in their future workplace, a part of the IBX board member. “As a media while others production family. find happiness Photo by Greg L. D’Amico major at ECU, in the fact that I was really they didn’t en“That was the content with behind the scenes joy their internfirst time I reproducing and editing. I did notice ship and chose a alized I wasn’t however, that some of the nighttime different career covering small shows we aired were bland and path entirely. time news boring. Once they put me on salary, Recently, some anymore,” I felt like my voice could really be ECU alumni Baumann said, heard,” Jones said. committed so “Eastern North Jones campaigned for his own strongly to their Carolina was TV show for Greenville’s Cable 7 internship that wrapped up network. it’s turned into in that trial’s “I wouldn’t have had the guts to full time work. coverage for do so anywhere else. Holding that The ECU Patrick Jones works full time for months. internship for so long, I really feel School of ComIBX Media in Greenville. Patrick Jones like part of the IBX family, so I’m munication also embarked not afraid to speak my mind,” he jump-started on his career with the same compa- said. the careers of Clayton Baumann ny he interned for in college. Jones, Continued on page 5 and Patrick Jones by helping them find work in college. Baumann, who graduated in 2007, is a full time news reporter for WITN news Update Your Record in Greenville, N.C. “I wrote for the school paper, but majored in broadcast journalism. I Let us know what you’re up to! Even if you’ve wanted to report the news over the only had a change in phone number or email airwaves. When I found out ECU address, please let us know. Please email the offers class credit for internships, I following to: contacted an advisor, who gave me a full-page list of news stations I Barbara Bullington could apply to,” said Baumann. Alumni Relations Committee Chair He obtained his first internship bullingtonb@ecu.edu with East Carolina’s WITN news network. Since 2009, Baumann Name Phone number Email Current job title has worked behind the scenes as a Company/organization Semester/Year of graduation producer and cameraman. In 2010, Personal news (such as marriage, children, awards, etc.) he was promoted to on-camera reporter. By: Gregory L. D’Amico
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SOC student celebrates ECU Athletics internship By: Catherine LaFlamme
the scenes of every game or event. Instead of being a fan in the Photo by Catherine LaFlamme stands of the football game, she gets to be on the field making sure everything is up to par from a public relations standpoint. “We do a halftime promotion where we’ll actually pick students from Erin McDonald smiles proud as the stands to one of the ECU Athletic’s interns come down and participate.
the marketing aspect of the athletic department is so vital to it [the department] as a whole”, McDonald Erin McDonald, said. a communication In addition to getting career expemajor at ECU, rience, the interns of ECU’s athletic looks cheerdepartment also have the benefit ful as she tosses of meeting other students with the t-shirts out to same career goals. the boisterous Maggie Craig, also a communicaPirate fans during tion major at ECU and McDonald’s a women’s socco-intern, emphasizes the advancer game against tages of working with students with High Point. Even the same interests as her. though it’s raining, “At first I looked at all the people I McDonald looks work with as competition but once more than happy I got to know everyone and realto be supporting ized how much we had in common, her fellow Pirates they turned into some of my best while promoting friends. We always have interestthe team and their ing conversations about the field of accomplishments. We also get to help with the communicaMcDonald is an intern for the purple haze when “I get to be up close tion, where we marketing branch of the athletic the players run see ourselves department at ECU. She works with out at the start of and personal, on the coaches and players at sport the game.” the fields and courts after college, and best of all events, and coordinates all of the Marketing can with the players and we can help promotional and public events. be a significant coaches” one another The main event of the year is ECU’s part of any event, with our annual “Meet the Pirates,” which job, company or classes.” includes inflatable jumpers, food program. Interning with the athletInternships are intended to help and drink, and a meet-and-greet ic department submerges students guide a student in the right career for fans to interact with the Pirate into a working, yet entertaining athletes. environment, according to McDon- path. The ECU Career Center states that it facilitates internships for “It was so cool to be on the field ald. and get to be active and close with “I get to be up close and personal, students in order to introduce them to the professional world they are the players,” McDonald said. on the fields and courts with the preparing to enter; which is exactly McDonald has the opportunity of players and coaches. At the same the outcome McDonald experiexperiencing what goes on behind time, I’m being educated on how enced from her internship. “Honestly, going into this I was just hoping for some experience and spare change. After having with SOC online! worked a little and seeing the ins and outs of marketing and promoSOC Website: www.ecu.edu/comm tions I just want to see if this is something I want to be doing in my Twitter & Facebook: Search “commcrew” future as a career, so far the answer is yes!”
CONNECT
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ECU alumni
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Greenville. It has really been great, and each one of these experiences helped me to grow, humbled me, and gave me so much more drive and excitement for life,” says Buffington. While Buffy graduated with more memories and experiences than most people can file away, she fears that a photo album and her beaming heart cannot be conveyed on her resume. She can tell stories and intrigue an audience with her adventures but putting it all down on paper is an entirely different story. “A lot of companies want people who have about 12 years of experience, and it is hard to get that experience when no one wants to hire people straight out of college. It is also hard to find a job unless you look really good on paper. Paper resumes don’t show your heart for what you can do, and that is a struggle.” After making her mark on ECU, Buffy left for Wilmington, N.C., where she took two internships, one with Ocean Cure, which lasted the summer, and the other with HALF UNITED, an organization where she is still working. The move was a big one for a woman who spent her entire life in Greenville, N.C. but Buffy was eager and excited to pursue new learning opportunities. Ocean Cure called on Buffy to promote the nonprofit by utilizing her skills with a video camera. She spent the summer filming, editing and producing promotional videos while collecting sand and salt water in her equipment and hair. Though HALF UNITED did not remind Buffy to bring sunscreen to the job, she was quickly bringing a lot to the table. Buffy was promoted from summer intern to a member of the development team. She is in charge of a good portion of what helps the nonprofit operate, including the social media behind the organization and manages the new, incoming interns. Still a resident of Wilmington, N.C. and perfectly happy, Buffy is always prepared for the next big thing to come her way. She wants more than just a job and she is offering more than just an application.
Fall 2012 Declared Comm Majors
According to: School of Comm Enrollment Data
Interpersonal/Organizational Communication Public Relations Media Studies
313
Media Production
227
Journalism
109 30
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Internships
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Jones now hosts “Monday Night Quarterback” an ECU and high school football talk show, which airs on 103.7fm radio and Cable 7 TV. He also co-hosts a nightly radio show on Thunder Country 96.3 featuring his favorite music, “stupid news you can’t use” , pop culture bulletins and more. Both former Pirates credit much of their success in finding work to ECU’s School of Communication and all of its advisors. The School of Communication continues to offer three class credits for any student who wishes to participate in a fullsemester internship program.
School of Communication Joyner E. 102 East Carolina University Greenville, NC 27858 Photos provided by the SOC website.
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