FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                              September 8, 2008

MASS COMMUNICATIONS STUDENTS AT NORTHWESTERN COMPLETE INTERNSHIPS

In order to graduate, mass communications students at Northwestern Oklahoma State University are required to complete a minimum of 140 hours working as an intern at a chosen place of business.

This opportunity gives students the freedom to choose their path in the mass communications field. While being an intern for a newspaper, television or radio station, or at a public relations firm, students can utilize skills they have gained through their college classes. This hands-on, “real world” approach shows students what to expect upon graduation and when entering the workforce.

“I think internships are important because students get an opportunity to apply things they have learned in the classroom and work with professionals who can give them a taste of what a future career might be like,” said Dr. Cheryl Evans, Enid campus dean.

Evans is the instructor for the Mass Media Internship class.  Evans requires students to maintain an internship journal documenting weekly completed tasks.  Upon completion of the internship, students must create a portfolio showcasing work completed during the internship.

Ten mass communications students completed internships for various companies this summer.  Students, their hometowns, classifications and internship locations are as follows:

OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Allison Cunningham, senior, worked with Paula Morrison at KWTV in Oklahoma City; Sherryce Benson, senior, for Melinda Barton at the Northwest Technology Center.

ENID – Karen Wacker, senior, worked for Jerry Butler at KOFM-KGWA radio in Enid.

GARBER – Kendra Coats, junior, worked for Jerry Butler at Williams Broadcasting in Enid.

GLENCOE – Austin Curtis, senior, for Alexandra Mantz at the Alva Chamber of Commerce.

HENNESSEY – Kacee McCulley, senior, worked in Ft. Worth, Texas, for Dandy Killeen at KTVT-TV.

NASH - Caleb McAlister, senior, in Oklahoma City for Bruce Maelzer at KSBI-TV.

KANSAS

GARDEN CITY – Clayton Holub, senior, worked for Ben Bradley at KAKE-TV in Wichita.

GOODLAND - Erinn Abernathy, junior, worked in radio for Robert Elfman at Platinum Broadcasting in Junction City, Kan.

MISSOURI

KANSAS CITY – Kris Johnson, junior, worked for Cheryl Graham at Metro Sports in Kansas City, Mo.  Metro Sports is a regional sports network that serves the Kansas City Metropolitan area.

 “Internships allow students to be exposed to the way operations function in real world settings,” said Jesse Schroeder, instructor of mass communications. “They also allow the students to network with people who currently work in the industry.”

 Many students use their internships to get a foot in the door.  This experience is important to employers when searching for a candidate for an open position.

            “The knowledge that students obtained during their internships allow them to get a better job directly out of college,” Schroeder said.

To learn more about the Communication Department, contact Department Chair Tammy Brown at (580) 327-8429 or tlbrown@nwosu.edu.

-NW-

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