Reflections

I learned many skills in my Introduction to Professional Writing class that will be of use to me in my future career. Blogging, podcasting, using HTML, and writing resumes and business letters are skills that are needed in today’s technology saavy society. My digital storytelling project showcases my skills in both journalism and technology, and shows the connection between the two. I am still waiting to hear whether or not I received the NJNF internship, but I will most likely apply to more summer internships over winter break.

The Future in Magazine Writing

Tonight, I attended Ed2010 and unbound’s panel of online magazine editors in Forcina Hall. The lecture, “The Morphing Magazine: Online Publishing for a New Generation,” featured TCNJ alumnus Ray Hennessey, who is editor-in-chief for SmartMoney.com. Jillian St. Charles, Redbook online editor, and Blake Wilson, editorial assistant of Slate Magazine also attended. The panel discussed the importance of interactivity when writing for online magazines. Hennessey pointed out that a lot of times the writing is better online than in magazines, because the editors can see which types of articles viewers are reading. The panel also stressed that you don’t have to be completely tech-saavy in order to write for online magazines. Skills in Photoshop and HTML are definitely looked high upon, however. The panel was interesting because the future in journalism may rely completely on online writing.

More Options

 On Sunday, I received an email which stated that my complete application for the NJNF internship had been received. There are only eight positions available even though fifty-eight applications were received. Another email in my inbox stated that elections for the Signal are coming up on Sunday, December 3rd. Many of the editors are graduating in the spring, and anyone is welcome to run in the election. I have written for the Features section in the past, so I might consider running for coeditor of the Features section.

Online Magazine Editor Panel

In class today, Professor Pearson told us about one of the Ed2010 upcoming events. On Monday, December 4th, there will be a panel of online magazine editors in Forcina Hall. I am able to attend this lecture, which I think will be helpful in showing the direction of the future in magazine editing. One of the editors on the panel is a TCNJ alumni, and the opportunity will be given to network with NYC editors. Magazines and newspapers may eventually become obsolete, so it’s important for students considering journalism to see what their options are.

Update

I attended TCNJ’s Career and Internship Day last week. There weren’t very many options for English and Journalism majors. I submitted my resume to a few companies, but most were looking for business majors. Yesterday, I submitted my application for the New Jersey Newspaper Foundation (NJNF) internship. I enjoyed going through all the newspaper articles I had written in the past, including ones from The Signal, TCNJ’s student newspaper, and The Lawrencian, my high school newspaper.

Dining Out in Professional Style

On November 15, Career Services is sponsoring a dinner for students with prospective employers. This is a perfect opportunity to learn some table ettiquette and possibly meet some employers of interest. I might go to this and see if there are any employers looking for student interns in the area of English/Journalism.

TCNJ Career and Internship Day

This Friday, November 10th, is TCNJ’s Career and Internship Day. I plan to attend and hope that I can learn about more journalism and book publishing internship opportunities. I think I am going to refine my resume a little bit before then. I will bring copies of my resume and dress for success.

Professional Writing Minor

I selected my classes for the Spring 2007 semester this morning. I have yet to officially declare the Professional Writing minor, but I signed up to take the Beats and Deadlines class. After next semester, I will have taken four of the five required classes for the minor. I am taking Introduction to Professional Writing this semester as well as Honors Principles of Microeconomics, and took Introduction to Journalism last year. I would really like to take Magazine Writing as my fifth class for the minor next year.

Getting Closer to a Journalism Internship

Professor Pearson recently distributed a flyer to the class about an available newspaper paid-internship for this summer. The internship program is through NJNF, the New Jersey Newspaper Foundation. The application is available online at www.njnf.org and is due on November 15th. This is a perfect opportunity, and I am definitely going to apply!

Professional Organization

I selected the American Society of Magazine Editors as my professional organization, because this relates to one of my career goals. The organization supports both magazines and professional publications.