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Crystal Thomas '13 interned at WRLH FOX Richmond/MyTV. |
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Jay Endicott: "Liberal Arts students can put their broad focus and wide variety of experiences to work in a multitude of situations." |
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Thomas assisted with the filming of news segments
and shadowed film editors. |
1/28/13
Randolph-Macon College student
Crystal Thomas ’13 is a
political science,
philosophy, and
communication studies major and
ethics minor. During January Term (
J-term),
her “classroom” was a television station.
The Glade Spring, Virginia native did an
internship at WRLH FOX Richmond/MyTV in Richmond, Virginia. Each weekday she assisted with the filming of news segments and shadowed film editors. Under the guidance of Production Manager Jay Endicott, Thomas learned the finer points of production and broadcasting.
“Crystal became familiar with the parameters she will need to work within once she lands her first job,” says Endicott. “Internships are a wonderful way to get a ‘sneak peek’ into the reality of the dynamics of the workplace. In broadcasting too often students see the bright lights, glamour, and the finished product in the form of a newscast, movie, or commercial, and they don’t see all the steps it took to get that product to air. Our job goes beyond editing, shooting, and scripting and really relies on chasing the revenue, managing time, and working as a team. Interns have a leg up on the competition by gaining an understanding of our industry from the ground floor.”
As a freshman, Thomas knew she wanted to major in political science. But a philosophy class with Professor Donna Turney “pushed me to think outside the box,” she says. “And then I took some communication studies classes, which I loved. One of my favorites was Media Writing with Professor Joan Conners. I was really excited when communication studies became a major, and I just knew that I had to major in that as well.” Turney, along with Economics Professor Ed Showalter, the director of R-MC’s Bassett Internship Program, helped arrange Thomas’ internship.
Thomas, a member of the
Franklin Debating Society, is also editor-in-chief of the
Yellow Jacket newspaper and a tutor in the
Higgins Academic Center. She hopes to turn her passions into a career at as news or television station.
“A liberal arts education forms a wonderful foundation for a career in broadcasting since it provides a graduate with a varied and wide array of experiences and learning opportunities,” says Endicott. “No career follows any one direct path. Liberal Arts students can put their broad focus and wide variety of experiences to work in a multitude of situations.”
Internships Internships are just one of the opportunities offered by
The Randolph-Macon EDGE. Within the
Center for Personal and Career Development,
The EDGE is a four-year program designed to help students identify their career passions, compete for meaningful employment and apply to graduate schools.
For 30 years, R-MC’s
Bassett Internship Program has been successfully placing students in internships both in the U.S. and around the globe. Coordinated with the Center for Personal and Career Development, the Bassett Internship Program works closely with students to help identify their interests and match them with an appropriate internship opportunity. Randolph-Macon’s
alumni provide a strong network of support for students throughout their time at the college or in assisting them after graduation with career direction and opportunities.
Students may choose to pursue academic, paid, or volunteer internships in a wide variety of settings; recent internships have seen R-MC students gaining valuable knowledge and experience in fields including health care, finance, non-profit, communications and media, education, politics and law, and the arts.