I was able to attend two different panels this week. One was with Trisha Espinoza who is VP of programming for BET and a recorded skype interview Bharati Naik who works at CNN. I was very awestruck at the paths both of these Texas State alumnae have ventured on. I felt very proud that fellow bobcats have gotten that far in their fields but mostly, Mass Comm Week left me extremely discouraged for my future in my field.
Not only do I work full-time to support myself because I don’t receive grants and don’t want to take out more student loans than I have to, but I also go to school full-time. I barely find time to socialize and can’t join clubs because I can’t fulfill the time requirements. Both of the panels I went to stressed internships. I would love to do multiple internships while also attending school but unfortunately that is not a possibility for me. Yeah this is a tough field and jobs are already scarce outside of college and I was already worried about my future when I leave TXST like most students but now I’m terrified.
Though I pretty much lost hope for after graduation, I did find it exciting knowing that these are real job opportunities. I had no idea a mass comm degree would lead in the direction of a VP job at BET or to be a producer at CNN.
@txstatemcweek very important week for all the advertising major! Great opportunity to network, learn about the ad world,&job opportunities.
— Rachel Strickland (@rstrickland15) October 18, 2015
“Facebook and Twitter are like my identity and Tumblr is like my soul” – @annie_werner quote of the day #mcweek #txstate
— Virginia (@virtuallyvivi) October 22, 2015
It’s so encouraging to see the success of people who were once students just like us. I love how mass comm week gives us the opportunity to ask how they’ve gotten to where they are.
I wanted to attend the Trisha Espinoza session, but by the time I got there it was already full. Did you have any major take aways from the panel? I also understand how you feel about not knowing what to do after graduation. I can’t help but feel intimidated or as though I haven’t done enough when talking to those who already have three or four internships under their belt. Where do they find the time??
Don’t lose hope! You can always find an internship (maybe even a paid one!) after graduation. It’s not too late! I know a lot of people who have not had internships before graduation and are succeeding now. I feel like a lot of students experience what you’re feeling right now; it’s normal. Just stay focused and do the most you can do, it will pay off. 🙂