Hungry USF students gathered to feast at the second Alumni Journalist Panel event in Fromm Hall on Tuesday, October 16 at 7:30pm. And no, not for the finger sandwiches.
For three hours, about 50 big-eyed and eager students with an appetite for news listened as USF graduate journalists dished out personal advice on how to be successful in the cut-throat industry.
"You have to want it-- you have to love it-- and you have to be hungry," said panelist Vicky Nguyen, a field reporter for NBC11.
Above all, the alumni stressed the importance of internships. Toan Lam, a reporter for KRON, interned five times during his four years at USF in hopes to impress his future employers. However, this isn’t always enough, the panelists said. Though internships may supply hands-on experience and shape a pretty resume, many of them agreed that this does not guarantee a job offer right out of school.
“Where’s my job?” questioned Jessica Cook from CNET, after graduation.
Cook, along with the other journalists at the table said they applied to every media corporation possible, and if they were lucky, two or three companies wrote back.
“Treat those like gold,” advised Cook.
At the beginning of their careers, journalists will typically make around only $18,000 to $20,000 a year, according to panelists. The former graduates said that despite their small success and many attempts at leaving the rigorous profession, they somehow kept getting sucked back into journalism because it’s so addicting.
Many of the journalistic techniques they use today such as nut graphs and inverted pyramids came from USF Professors Michael Robertson and Teresa Moore, said the panelists.
The graduates also said that during their college years they wished they could have had the opportunity to attend a panelist discussion. They agreed that an event like this could have better prepared them for their future careers in the journalism industry.
The first USF Alumni Panel event was held about five years ago, according to Professor Robertson.
Nguyen and former classmate Lam, both television reporters, said that of their journalism class, 95% of the students wanted to be on TV.
“The reality is, however, that only 2 to 3% of you will make it,” said Lam.
There is a huge supply of media out there right now and not that much demand, they admitted. The major media corporations are going to look for qualified journalists with the most marketable skill.
According to the panelists, convergence is not a myth. Learn everything, they said, because today, a majority of reporters are one-man bands. They broadcast, film, edit, and produce their own material.
In addition, they encouraged the students to know new media. Online news and technology are growing and changing the reporting landscape completely.
“No Wikipedia!” blog writer Tiffany Maleshefski exclaimed.
The panel said that all journalists need to tell the truth and state the facts.
“You have to be professional, but know that you are human,” said Nguyen. “You have to remember this. Don’t push a story if you know it isn’t right. You’re going to be tested [in this career], but you need to be honest.”
The question is, student journalists, are you still hungry?
“Are you ready to move to Timbucktoo? Are you willing to be broke? Broke?! If so-- keep wanting it,” she said.
The panel was hosted by the Department of Media Studies and included graduates Kent German, Jessica Dryden-Cook, Tiffany Maleshefski, Vicky Nguyen, Toan Lam, Myra Sandoval, Jennifer Jolly, and Tannie Soo Hoo.
For three hours, about 50 big-eyed and eager students with an appetite for news listened as USF graduate journalists dished out personal advice on how to be successful in the cut-throat industry.
"You have to want it-- you have to love it-- and you have to be hungry," said panelist Vicky Nguyen, a field reporter for NBC11.
Above all, the alumni stressed the importance of internships. Toan Lam, a reporter for KRON, interned five times during his four years at USF in hopes to impress his future employers. However, this isn’t always enough, the panelists said. Though internships may supply hands-on experience and shape a pretty resume, many of them agreed that this does not guarantee a job offer right out of school.
“Where’s my job?” questioned Jessica Cook from CNET, after graduation.
Cook, along with the other journalists at the table said they applied to every media corporation possible, and if they were lucky, two or three companies wrote back.
“Treat those like gold,” advised Cook.
At the beginning of their careers, journalists will typically make around only $18,000 to $20,000 a year, according to panelists. The former graduates said that despite their small success and many attempts at leaving the rigorous profession, they somehow kept getting sucked back into journalism because it’s so addicting.
Many of the journalistic techniques they use today such as nut graphs and inverted pyramids came from USF Professors Michael Robertson and Teresa Moore, said the panelists.
The graduates also said that during their college years they wished they could have had the opportunity to attend a panelist discussion. They agreed that an event like this could have better prepared them for their future careers in the journalism industry.
The first USF Alumni Panel event was held about five years ago, according to Professor Robertson.
Nguyen and former classmate Lam, both television reporters, said that of their journalism class, 95% of the students wanted to be on TV.
“The reality is, however, that only 2 to 3% of you will make it,” said Lam.
There is a huge supply of media out there right now and not that much demand, they admitted. The major media corporations are going to look for qualified journalists with the most marketable skill.
According to the panelists, convergence is not a myth. Learn everything, they said, because today, a majority of reporters are one-man bands. They broadcast, film, edit, and produce their own material.
In addition, they encouraged the students to know new media. Online news and technology are growing and changing the reporting landscape completely.
“No Wikipedia!” blog writer Tiffany Maleshefski exclaimed.
The panel said that all journalists need to tell the truth and state the facts.
“You have to be professional, but know that you are human,” said Nguyen. “You have to remember this. Don’t push a story if you know it isn’t right. You’re going to be tested [in this career], but you need to be honest.”
The question is, student journalists, are you still hungry?
“Are you ready to move to Timbucktoo? Are you willing to be broke? Broke?! If so-- keep wanting it,” she said.
The panel was hosted by the Department of Media Studies and included graduates Kent German, Jessica Dryden-Cook, Tiffany Maleshefski, Vicky Nguyen, Toan Lam, Myra Sandoval, Jennifer Jolly, and Tannie Soo Hoo.
Photo courtesy of Professor David Silver.
Pictured: USF Graduate Kent German addresses the audience.
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