REPORT: Notes from… Lunch with Stacey Samuel, J2006
Here’s the launch of our “Notes From…” series for the new academic year. Short notes by volunteers summarizing various events around the school, to help those of us who
didn’t/couldn’t attend. Watch for several other “Notes From…” throughout the year (if you
have one, send it in! Or let us know in advance that you’d like to do one)
Below, tips from this week’s lunch with recent graduate Stacey Samuel. Many thanks to volunteer notes-taker Kate Grace Bacheller, J2007.
Notes From… Lunch with Stacey Samuel
By Kate Grace Bacheller
E-mail: kgb2106[at]columbia.edu
ROOM 601B, AUG. 14, 2006 — With years of producing experience, 2006 Columbia Journalism School graduate Stacey Samuel has successfully made the transition from behind the camera to in front of it. Moving from New York to Gainesville, Florida, in just a few days, Samuel graciously made time for incoming Columbia Journalism students on Tuesday afternoon to share her experiences as a student and job hunter. Deans of Students Sree Sreenivasan and Melanie Huff moderated the session, which was attended by more than 40 students (including more 15 print students who don’t even start school for three more days).
Even though a part-time student while attending Columbia, Samuel was an active participant in a variety of extracurricular activities including SPJ, and encouraged all of the incoming students to do the same. As the SPJ’s events director, Samuel said she was able to meet with students in a way that broadened her network.
After graduating in May 2006, the job hunt was on. As others mailed out resumes, clips, or reels, Samuel took an alternative route to landing her job—I-95 to Florida.
Equipped with copies of her reel and resume in addition to thorough research on a variety of Florida markets, Samuel joined a friend on a road trip with the intent of hand-delivering her reel to local news stations throughout the state. It was in Gainesville that Samuel’s efforts paid off.
Although all positions had been filled and roughly 100 reels cluttered the news director’s desk, Samuel was given a personal tour of the station and a few days later offered a position created specifically for her by the news director and the station’s executive producer.
Samuel advised students to focus on the work at hand and leave concerns regarding the job hunt for after graduation, explaining students should consider the time directly following graduation as an extension of the school year to organize clips and reels (students get about six weeks of access to the building and equipment after graduating to work on their resumes, portfolios, websites and resume reels.). Those without experience in the field they hope to enter were encouraged to seek internships.
Contact information for Stacey Samuel was made available to students along with a warning from Samuel that she’ll be incredibly busy for some time but will make every effort to respond to emails.
Stacey Samuel: sss2128[at]columbia.edu or ssamuel20[at]hotmail.com
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