Shannon McEnerney | March 14, 2010
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| Photo by Heather Brogden |
| Burson-Marsteller’s Mary Crawford (left) listens to Stacy Culp during a one-on-one at the recent Experts Workshop. The event matches students with professionals who evaluate portfolios and resumes. |
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The workshops bring professional alumni to campus to meet one-on-one with students to look over resume materials, clips and portfolios. For the spring session March 20, the school welcomed Shawn Chen, BAJ ‘99, Associated Press central multimedia editor in Chicago; Mary Crawford, MA ’81, managing director of public affairs at Burson-Marsteller in Washington, D.C.; and Katie Rosholt, BAJ ‘00, senior account supervisor at Edelman in Chicago.
Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies Michael Evans launched the workshops last fall as a way to tap into professional alumni’s talents. Students sign up for a limited number of slots in advance, submitting their work, portfolios and resumes, which are forwarded to the appropriate alumni to review in advance. When alumni and students meet for the sessions, they maximize the 20 minutes or so to talk about career goals and how to improve the materials.
Junior Clare Marshall participated last fall, the first time the Experts Workshops were offered.
“The first time was so beneficial that I wasn’t going to miss it again,” said Marshall, who met with Crawford.
“To have that connection and network is invaluable,” Marshall said. She applied for Burson-Marsteller’s internship program, and when she met with Crawford, she said she was like a kid in the candy store when Crawford gave her names of people to talk to about the internships.
Marshall said Experts Workshops give students a chance to meet with professionals an interview-like setting, except nothing is on the table, and it becomes a casual, professional conversation that closely resembles what a real interview would be like.
“I couldn’t believe how fast time went, I wanted it to go on for another hour,” Marshall said of the one-on-one session. “It’s beneficial to be at a large university like IU and to have these alumni and these resources.”
Marshall said she and Crawford discussed what to do beyond college and the experience needed to work at a PR agency. Crawford suggested Marshall work on a political campaign. Marshall said this suggestion fuses perfectly with her two concentrations in both journalism and political science.
Evans said the feedback from both students and alumni shows the success of the workshops. He said the success of the sessions could not have been possible without everyone who has helped in the “team effort” of putting the workshops together.
Mary Crawford described the students she saw as “sharp.” Evans has heard similar feedback from the alumni.
“The last round, they were extremely pleased with the program and caliber of students,” Evans said.
This leads to further benefits for the students, Evans said, as the alumni then go back to their companies and recommend IU students to their colleagues.
“It has the delightful effect of enhancing IU’s reputation,” Evans said of the unintentional aspect that has grown from the Experts Workshop sessions.
Senior Lauren Brush participated in the Experts Workshops for the second time, too. She still keeps in touch with the alumnus she talked to at her session last fall.
“As a senior graduating, I am trying to network as much as possible,” Brush said.
Plus, the workshop has other benefits, she said.
“It’s really fun,” she said. “I got a lot of great feedback.”
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| Photo by Heather Brogden |
| Katie Rosholt, BAJ ’00, is a senior account supervisor at Edelman in Chicago. She counseled students on steps to take to land jobs in public relations. |
Chang, who met with Crawford, said she had a list of questions prepared, such as what Crawford’s advice would be to aspiring journalists and, more specifically, publicists.
“I am looking for someone to guide me in the right direction and get a good start in the PR field,” Chang said. “I am excited for next year to focus more on public relations in the classroom.”
Chang and Marshall hope to participate in the next session, probably set for fall. Evans said the sessions have been successful, with only one or two spots unfilled at the March event. That’s his goal, he said, and advises students who are interested in participating in the fall to sign up as details are announced.
As the Experts Workshops evolve, Evans said he will continue to bring in alumni from different industries of media to include all interests and fields that students may be interested in, such as broadcasting, magazines, newspaper and public relations, among others.
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