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Have you ever imagined yourself covering breaking news stories, writing press releases, placing advertisements, or deciding what music gets played on the radio?
Whether you are a budding journalist, public relations director, advertising account executive, or radio broadcaster, the University of Minnesota is the perfect place to gain professional skills and experience right on campus!
The University is home to three student-run campus media organizations: The Minnesota Daily, the official campus newspaper, The Wake, a student magazine, and Radio K, an alternative radio station.
Below, three students share their campus media experiences to show you what it's all about.
Kim Gengler, Literary Editor, The Wake Magazine
Kim Gengler, an English and journalism double major in the class of 2006, has been working at The Wake magazine for two years. As literary editor, she is responsible for the section of the magazine that prints fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.
On a typical day, Kim reads and selects stories submitted by University students for print in the magazine. Once she has selected a story, Kim begins editing the piece for publication and works one-on-one with the author to improve his or her writing.
"This job has allowed me to grow professionally, improve my writing and editing skills, and has also enhanced my leadership and people skills," says Kim of her position as The Wake's literary editor.
Naomi Scott, Staff Reporter, The Minnesota Daily
The Minnesota Daily is the largest college newspaper in the nation. If you think that's impressive, consider this: it is also completely student-run. Naomi Scott, a journalism major in the class of 2007, has been working at the Daily for one semester.
"When I declared my major, I knew I wanted to gain practical experience. I heard from people both inside and outside the journalism field that the best place to get experience was the Daily," says Naomi.
When she's on the job, Naomi calls and meets with sources for interviews, writes articles, attends events, and works with her editor to make her stories top-notch. Naomi also took advantage of the University's metropolitan location by being a reporter intern at the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
"I like the sense of accomplishment I feel after finishing a tough, in-depth, or interesting article," says Naomi. "I've got more confidence and my writing has improved greatly."
Chris Polley, Music Director, Radio K
Although Chris Polley is working toward a degree in English education, he's spent plenty of time at campus radio station Radio K. As music director, Chris creates the station's daily playlist, talks with promoters, labels, and artists who want to get their music played on the station, and selects 10 records a week to be added to the playlist.
Chris says he didn't even know the University had a radio station until he turned it on and heard his favorite band. "I immediately got hooked," says Chris, who decided to volunteer at the station on a weekly basis in the marketing department.
"Radio K has really helped me come out of the shell of the shy kid I was in high school and use my love for music to teach others how to help the station," says Chris, who adds that training other students at Radio K helped him realize his passion for teaching.
Three tips for getting involved in campus media
Want to get involved in campus media? Check out these useful tips from Kim, Naomi, and Chris.
- Read, watch, and listen. Stay up-to-date on the news and learn from the pros!
- Get involved on campus. Join the Society of Professional Journalists, Ad Club, or the Public Relations Student Society. You'll meet other students who share your interests and learn about opportunities for hands-on experience.
- Be persistent. There are great opportunities to gain experience in the Twin Cities' vibrant media market. Apply for internships, jobs, and volunteer opportunities whenever you can!
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-Chelsy Quiram
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