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Students get opportunity to enhance skills

Grambling State University students have a new opportunity to enhance their skills. Students may join the new university media bureau and help cover the university, with an emphasis on academics.

For the first time in recent memory, GSU will have its own media bureau

The bureau is being created by recently appointed Director of Public Relations and Communications, Will Sutton. 

Sutton joined Grambling in January as the Reynolds Visiting Professor of Business Journalism in the Department of Mass Communication with a grant from the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism. He has brought real-world journalism experience to the classroom and started a much-heralded, strictly optional professional development program that he hopes the bureau will be.

A limited number of students will have the opportunity to report, research and write as a part of the university’s Public Relations and Communications Office and media bureau.

Students duties may include gathering, editing and producing audio; shooting, editing and producing video; shooting, editing and publishing digital photography; reporting and writing news releases; reporting and writing features and news stories and event management; marketing and promotions. Assignments will be made based on department needs. 

Subject to approval by each unit head, in some cases some media bureau students may coordinate media bureau efforts with the university TV Center, KGRM-FM, the Yearbook, The Gramblinite and the university website. Specific assignments and duties will be assigned by department head. 

Requested content is required. Interviews will be required. No one will be interviewed without submitting the required content.

Minimum Requirements:

 GPA of 3.0 or better*

One page resume, including education, paid work experience, student and/or professional media experience, contact info for three references, including names, titles, association/business/organization/school, emails and telephone numbers

 Unofficial transcript

Detailed, day-by-day class schedule (not class-by-class)

Single page Word document with day-by-day standing association, business, organization, work and other commitments

Three to five communications/journalism writing/work samples

Professional appearance, demeanor

Evidence of accuracy, commitment, timeliness

Openness, willingness to learn and a strong desire to grow professionally

 Desired Requirements:

Sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students (exceptional freshmen may be considered)

Previous professional experience, including one or more internships

 Previous campus experience, especially experiences with The Gramblinite, KGRM-TV, TV Center and/or Yearbook – with strong preference for students who have reported and written

*Students with lower GPAs may be considered with a written reference from a faculty member, though this does not guarantee participation.

ITEMS IN BOLD must be submitted in advance to mediarelations@gram.edu.

Students should not call or send an email before sending the required content.