The ground has been broken, and construction has begun! The World Performing Arts Center is about to become a reality, and a very beautiful one at that. I attended the groundbreaking ceremony last week. It was great… in fact I put together an audio slideshow, which is now also on the Lynn website.

The last few weeks have shot by! I have been so preoccupied with work and school and my thesis! Finally it is the Thanksgiving break! A break for me to get some work done! Right now I am sitting on a beach chair in the middle of my stark bare living room! Moving is not an easy task… especially when you are someone, such as me, who does things extremely prematurely… such as selling all your furniture a month or two before you plan on moving! So, I have to deal with the consequences… such as no TV, no couch, no nothing (except a bed… the sole item of furniture remaining in my apartment!). Learn from my mistake! It’s not worth it, honestly!

Anyhow, here I sit on a beach chair, lent to me by my best friend who clearly pities my current living situation! I am working on the last two webisodes of my thesis, trying to get them complete before the break… highly unlikely! Anyway, stay tuned to lynn.edu… there should be a new slideshow I just completed appearing on the main page. It was an audio slideshow of the Wold Performing Arts Center Groundbreaking from last week. It was a tremendous event and well worth a few minutes of your time to catch the slideshow!

You never expect time to go by so quickly, and before you know it, you’re standing at the door to the real world, key in hand. Entering the real world is a big step. I think like any journey, preparation determines your success… You are not going to embark on a trip away without a cleverly thought-out bag of essentials packed. In the same sense, you truly should not be standing at that gate to the real world without some bare essentials (and I am not talking toothbrush and razor here - however, if you’re going to a job interview those may be necessary to use before!). What I am referring to, are the little things you need to do now, to get prepared, so when  that fateful day suddenly hits you, you are not standing there ill-prepared, but rather ‘dressed for success’.

There are a lot of things one doesn’t think of.

• In the broadcasting and journalism field, it is imperative that you start collecting on camera pieces, studio work, stand ups, packages that you have done and compile them for your resume reel. There are a few companies that you can pay to create your resume reel for you, but I personally did my own. I took a few days and went into the field to do stand ups and packages. Another day I took a bunch of suits into the studio and did various studio shots, changing in between. I also used some packages and interviews I had from the previous year’s work. Then you have to sit down, choose your best shots, and compile a 5-7 minute reel.

A few tips:

• If you can edit, edit your stuff together, show it to a few people and take the criticism. Watch it again, and then don’t look at it again for a week.
• When watching it again, put yourself into the mind frame of the potential employer… also try and do this when you have a lot going on around you and you are under time pressure - thus experiencing the true effect of what the person who will be watching your tape will be seeing.
• Edit edit edit! Make sure your piece is short, concise, and only shows your best shots - quality rather than quantity!
• Show it to people in the industry and get their feedback.
• Lastly, presentation is everything… so make sure your reel cover looks professional and impressive.

• Your resume itself is equally important. I sent my resume to three of four people, asking them to read over it and make any suggestions. That definitely helped, and it was a working process - my resume looks nothing like my original draft. Once again, keep it short and concise… choose the best of you activities to list etc. Also, don’t be too modest. I struggle talking about myself, as I am sure everyone does, but as one professor said to me: No one is going to let them know why you’re best for the job, but you! Also, try asking a professor for a copy of their resume, that would really help you with formatting and wording. Don’t forget your cover letter! and remember that there are a hundred other candidates applying for the same job, make sure your resume stands out.
• References and letters of recommendation are vital. So, ensure you have a few of these, and get copies!
• Next thing is finding out where to look for jobs. In regards to communication, try the following:
  • Medialine
  • Monster
  • Ragan Career Center
  • and the actual websites of the company (there is generally a link to employment or careers)

So, hopefully this is a recipe for success… I am yet to find out, but will be sure to let you know!

So, I did my thesis proposal defense this morning, and it was a breeze. I was more than well prepared, and am quite confident that I am on the right track. My committee members, Dr. Krift, Dr. Fabj, and Mr. John Bennardo gave me some great feedback. I honestly think that I have chosen a winning committee. Each member brings something important to the table in regards to their expertise! Additionally, I really admire and respect each of them as professionals in their field. So, I have a little bit more work to do, and then my final defense is set for December 9th!

Tomorrow morning is my Proposal Defense for my creative project/ thesis. Thirty pages, hours of hard work, several interviews, and a 15 minute webisode later and I’m ready to defend! I have prepared a powerpoint presentation and I plan to show my first or three webisode chapters at the defense. I have three committee members: Dr. Valeria Fabj, Dr. Anna Krift, and Mr. John Bennardo. As a student you get to select who you want on your committee. I chose Dr. Fabj as I think she is a great communications professional. She has written a series of academic papers, in fact, one of the theories she proposed, I am using in my thesis. Dr. Krift is not a Communication professor, but rather International Relations. I thought this would most certainly be applicable to my thesis. John Bennardo has his own production company, and thus his skills and expertise in the field can only serve to better my webisodes. So, all in all, I have a fantastic, well rounded committee from all areas of my thesis.

This quote from my thesis proposal will give a rough idea of what my project is all about:

ICT, effective media practices and responsible news coverage on pressing international issues and their background will enhance international awareness and encourage the World’s Youths to participate and lead in an effort toward global progress, systemic change, and ultimately a sustainable planet.
In order for this to occur, news coverage needs to provide Youths with the background and context needed to understand complex international and national issues, as well as how these issues correlate to one another, and where they as citizens fit into the larger scheme.

Well, yesterday I spent the day completing another Day in the life of…. I really am enjoying these projects, it is rather interesting spending my day in the life of another student. The next audio slideshow is of an athlete, in fact I am busy putting the piece together right now - going through audio, and ensuring I have everything I need. Carolina, our student photographer came around with Kyle (the student) and I yesterday, taking snapshots of his day to day activities, whilst I recorded audio. I think videos, like these, are really useful for students considering Lynn University as a college they may be interested in. How better can one get the feel of what college life at Lynn is like other than getting to see exactly what current student’s lives are like. I really like how personalized each segment is, and how authentic they are. It’s just so real - I wish that when I was choosing colleges I had something like this to look at.

Keep checking back for the completed version of The day in the life of a Lynn Athlete.

Remember that top secret project I was telling you about a few weeks back? The one I had been working on for the State of the University Address? Well, here it is!

I just arrived back from California last night, where I have been for the past few days shooting some interviews for my thesis/creative project. Whilst I was in LA I met up with some interesting people who gave me some wonderful advice for my career search. One thing you will learn as your graduation date draws closer, your idea of what you want to be when you grow up will probably change a trillion times. I think the best mindset to have is to be accepting of a wide range of career specialties. As one professor told me, ‘throw your net out there, and see what you reel in’. That is what I will be doing. Coming out of college is a very daunting event. I have even contemplated doing my PhD… perhaps for the wrong reasons (fearing failure and that I may not get a job… pursuing a PhD ensures that I won’t have to face that obstacle for another three or so years!). But that isn’t the mind set to have.

In the past few months my life and world around me has changed completely. Previously, I was on a very well defined path, I knew exactly where life was taking me, and I was aware of the sacrifices I was making - sure they were worth the effort. But, you will begin to learn that people will walk in and out of your life - perhaps timing is everything. It is events such as these, meetings such as these, in which you step back and evaluate your life from an outside perspective… a perspective that can perhaps redefine the way you see the world. It is a process of growing and learning, a continues cycle of discovery, understanding who you are and what you want. Ultimately, I have discovered that the predefined plan was not what I desired. There is so much that the world has to offer, and so much I have to offer the world. If you have heard the saying, ‘the world is your oyster’, you will hear it again as you prepare to graduate… and it will never sound as true as the day you walk into the hall on graduation day.

So, I am on the two month count down. I have so very much to do… and so very little time. Once again, I stress, as I have many times before: Be Proactive! A few medial tasks I am currently working on (which I don’t truly have the time to… but need to) are:
* Resume
* Resume Reel
* Letters of Recommendation
* Thesis/creative project
* Homework
* Preparing for the new year (where am I going to live after December… which state?)
* What am I going to do with all my stuff?!
* Have I registered for Graduation? Have you?
* Are my accounts in order?
* Is my international status in order? Shall I start applying for my OPT (Optional Practical Training)?

These are just a handful of the many concerns and tasks consuming my life… and I haven’t even mentioned my Marketing Dept. work…

I have been making progress however! Today I shot the intro to my first segment of my thesis (see photo below… a behind the scenes shot). And I also met with Dr. Robert Watson, who has been a tremendous mentor advising me on my resume and cover letter. Another thing I recommend is finding a mentor on campus. It doesn’t have to be someone that is assigned to you. Find a professor, faculty, or staff member whom you relate to. They may be the best help you have ever had, and they can share their successes and failures with you. As my dad always says, ‘A fool is one who learns from his own mistakes; a wise man is the one who learns from the mistakes of others’. So, be wise, be proactive, and be true to yourself.

The Lynn University commercial blooper reel launched on our Facebook page last week. There has been a fantastic response, and everyone loves seeing the behind the scenes, the out takes, and the many bloopers!

So, go to our Lynn University Facebook Page and check out the Blooper Reel! There are some serious explosions!

For the past week I have been working on a project for the State of the University Address in October. After completing the initial project last week, we evaluated it, and thought perhaps we should try a think or two different this year. So, I set out to grasp innovation (a word that truly defines Lynn University).

After Jason, Laura, and I (the Media Team) put our thinking caps on and bounced a few ideas around the room, we came up with something quite novel. However, I obviously cannot spill the beans just yet as to what this fantastic idea was… however, as I sit in the Marketing and Communication Office right now, two lap tops in front of me, one for editing, the other for blogging, I am putting the final touches on what may be a very exciting start to a series of videos.

I will give you one hint, but you’ll have to wait till after October first to see the final production.

Photographer: Sophomore communication student, Mark Falcone.