Indiana University School of Journalism

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Photo by Jessica Birthisel

From left, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies Michael Evans and seniors Eunice Ntiamoah, Sarah Brubeck, Larry Buchanan and Shabrelle Pollock shared advice with new journalism students at a welcome session Thursday.

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Thursday's  welcome session panel featured four students whose collective experience reflected many of the school’s offerings and opportunities available to students interested in journalism.

Seniors Shabrelle Pollock, Larry Buchanan, Sarah Brubeck and Eunice Ntiamoah regaled the freshmen in attendance with tales of study abroad trips spanning Ghana to Tokyo; award-winning student media leadership in newspaper, magazine, yearbook and television; and internship experience from Evansville to Europe.

School of Journalism Dean Brad Hamm welcomed the students to the session, designed to give students an idea of the opportunities at the school. Director of Communications Beth Moellers moderated, asking the panel members questions on topics ranging from study abroad and internship experiences to tips for course success and student media opportunities.

Pollock, who told the students about her marketing internship experience and her public relations trip to Tokyo, advised students to welcome professors’ feedback.

“You have to learn how to accept criticism as something to better yourself,” Pollock explained. She also emphasized the importance of an outside concentration. Hers is business marketing, a specialty that opened the door to an internship opportunity over the summer.

Her time abroad was also valuable, she explained, for the cultural value.

“I’m so glad I did it,” she said of the class that took students to look at public relations practices in Japan over spring break. “I know it’s going to sound corny, but it was nice to see that there’s a whole ‘nother world out there.”

Photo by Jessica Birthisel

Shabrelle Pollock fielded questions after the session. She advised taking advantage of travel courses.

Ntiamoah described ways her academic work reflects her personal interests. For instance, she decided to intern and study abroad in Ghana, her home country she hadn’t visited since she was seven years old.

“I wanted to explore my heritage,” she explained.

While focusing on broadcast journalism, Ntiamoah said her second concentration, theater, helps her explore a personal passion.

“Being on the stage helped me be more comfortable in front of the camera,” she said.

Buchanan’s outside concentration is in fine arts. He told students how this shapes his work as a visual journalist and about his summer in Florence, Italy, for a six-week study abroad trip.

“I only speak five words of Italian, and they all involve gelato ordering,” he joked. For Buchanan, studying abroad was about more than artistic or academic progress. It was about experiencing a different pace of life.

“I went to class, but I also relaxed and spent six weeks enjoying the Italian lifestyle,” he said.

Brubeck, this fall’s editor-in-chief of the Indiana Daily Student who participated in the Summer in London program, reflected on opportunities for personal growth abroad. Learning to navigate London as a reporter prepared her for anything, she said, but the experience extended beyond the professional.

“It was not just a journalism experience,” Brubeck explained. “You learn what it’s like to be a grown up in a foreign city. If that doesn’t help you mature, I don’t know what does.”

A subsequent class trip to Chile increased her awareness and interest in South America.

“You become invested,” she explained. “I’m actually following the Brazilian presidential election.”

Classwork, too, is important. Buchanan cautioned about missing deadlines, and Brubeck and Ntiamoah encouraged the incoming students to get to know their professors.

“After the first day of class, introduce yourself,” Ntiamoah recommended, and Brubeck suggested students stay in contact with professors even after the class ends.

Photo by Jessica Birthsel

After the session, students asked the panelists, faculty and staff about ways to get involved in student media and chapters of professional organizations.

Panelists also talked about involvement in student chapters of professional organizations. IU has student chapters of National Association of Black Journalists, Public Relations Student Society of America and Society of Professional Journalists.

And, students can work at the Indiana Daily Student, Arbutus yearbook, IUSTV student-run TV or WIUX student radio, among other media organizations on campus.

When an audience member asked if it was hard to balance student media work with schoolwork, Pollock joked, “I found I can run on very little sleep.”

In more seriousness, she said, “You’ll know when you’re biting off more than you can chew,” and encouraged the students to always have people to turn to in times of stress.

Brubeck added, “It’s a matter of realizing it’s worth it. You learn to prioritize.”

Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies Michael Evans had his own advice for the incoming students. College isn’t like high school, Evans said, and students need to chart their own courses.

“Take charge of what you’re doing here,” said Evans, who encouraged students to try a wide variety of extracurricular opportunities, even at the expense of a 4.0 grade point average. “Decide what excellence looks like and go get it.”