2009
From Elizabeth Bontz ‘09, Family and Consumer Science major
I wake up every morning, at 6:15, take a shower, eat breakfast, prepare myself for the day, and drive 25 minutes to school as if this has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Well, that’s because it has been, except rather than a student in a school setting, I am now a full time teacher. I teach Family and Consumer Sciences at Elmwood High School, and at 22 years old, I am in some instances only four years older than my students.
I made it through Bradley in just four years, something that seems near impossible to accomplish in 2009. Through hard work, and absence of the cliché college life style, I persevered and even graduated with honors. For my student teaching assignment I was placed in the very school I had so desired and requested. Little did I know, I would be hired to teach there the following year. It was a very comforting feeling to walk across the stage at graduation knowing I had a job with a steady income, and better yet, money to begin paying off student loans.
Elmwood is a rather small rural community, so I was assigned extra responsibilities as head junior high softball coach and a sophomore class sponsor. I started my coaching responsibilities at the end of July, before the school year had even begun. I was anxious, excited, and honestly could not sleep the night before my first practice. Once the softball season and school year were in full swing, I was extremely stressed and emotional. To put it simply, everyday was overwhelming, yet I was having the time of my life. It didn’t take me long to realize that I absolutely love my career, and the school that I work in.
My day begins at 7:45 when I arrive in my classroom, and I am busy from start to finish. Family and Consumer Sciences is a broad subject to teach, meaning I actually teach 6 different classes. I begin the mornings with a preschool program that pairs my high school students with 3-5 year-old children. Next I have a Foodservice class that prepares a salad bar in the cafeteria. That is followed by a Fashions class, where my students construct individual projects, such as flannel pants, purses, and blankets. I have two food and nutrition classes in which students learn a great deal about food science and nutrition. But, my main goal for this class is for the students to feel comfortable working in a kitchen. Lastly, I have a 7th grade class that is introduced to every aspect of FCS. I am amazed at how much interest and energy the 7th grade students bring to each class.
My job is so fun, and something I look forward to every day, I think it is still surreal that this is my career. This is what I have to look forward to for the next 30 some years, hopefully. I would like to give hope to those Bradley students that think they will never make it through, or believe that it will be worse after graduation. After all that I had been through in college, with the continual stress, homework, tests, and being broke, I fully believe that life after college is much more fulfilling. Isn’t that why we go to college in the first place?
November 18th, 2009 in
Onward |
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From Mark Bright ‘09, Electrical Engineering major
As one would imagine, you can’t use duct tape to fix a nuclear power plant - this is where I come in.
I am an Instrumentation and Controls Engineer for Sargent & Lundy in downtown Chicago. What we do is consulting, engineering, and design for electric power plants all over the world. Specifically, I create electrical control systems for nuclear power plants. This relates to anything inside of a plant that needs to be monitored, moved, or manipulated by electricity. My summer was spent learning the basic rules and regulations about power plants. My days since then have been spent doing calculations, reviewing schematics, and learning more about this field through company lectures. It is not uncommon some days for me to use my calculator more than my keyboard. I’ve only done a little traveling thus far, but that will change, so I’m catching my breath until then.
A few days after moving my tassel, I became a resident of the Wrigleyville neighborhood of Chicago, living two blocks north of the field. Most of the summer revolved around getting to as many Cubs games as possible and celebrating the few times they did win. This is by far one of the best places to live with so many people my age and has several distractions to cure a boring day. Moving into an apartment with my sister is an adjustment I’m still getting used to. But I’m fine with a door-to-desk commute of 20 minutes every day. Outside of work, I explore the city every chance I get and spend time with friends who either work or attend grad school here. I even had a slight brush with Hollywood this summer when the latest “Meet the Parents” sequel was shot in both my backyard and the CTA train station above it. For a week straight, I was living on my porch watching all the filming. One day I even grabbed an off-screen cameo with Ben Stiller.
I’m thankful for the significant influence that Bradley has had on me. Not only do I enjoy working in my field, but I’m in an ideal environment for someone who just graduated college. In many ways I can say that BU played a key role in this. Bradley has a superior reputation in the engineering field and I work with several Bradley alumni throughout my company.
November 11th, 2009 in
Onward |
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Sarah Johnson graduated in May ‘09 with a degree in English. She is teaching in an inner city school in Chicago while working on a degree from Northwestern University.
It’s not uncommon for me to hear gunshots in my neighborhood, or to see catfights outside my window. When I walk outside, I am often stopped by police and asked, “Do you live here?” The answer is always a vehement, “Yes.”
I live on the South Side of Chicago, near the Englewood neighborhood. It’s not exactly the type of place you would expect a young, successful college graduate to live but I choose to live here, because I choose to live in solidarity with the students I teach.
I volunteer for an organization called Inner City teaching Corps, which places young teachers in underserved public and private schools across Chicago. Though I always knew I wanted to perform some type of service work after I received my degree from Bradley, I wasn’t always sure what I wanted my service work to be. Early on, I looked into the Peace Corps; however, living alone in a foreign country for two years seemed daunting. As an English and Secondary Education major, I began looking at programs that exemplified my passion for teaching. The search for a “perfect” service program led me to the Inner City Teaching Corps where I am currently in the middle of a two-year commitment as a volunteer teacher.
Though the main purpose of ICTC is to place young teachers in schools across Chicago, ICTC is really a conglomeration of volunteer teaching, community living, and graduate school all rolled up into a neat little package.
My days are jam-packed with obligations and responsibilities I must fulfill to my students, my community members, and my graduate school professors. Daily, for my students, I must plan lessons that are both informative and engaging, grade papers, call parents, and find ways to cope with the behavioral issues that arise. As if the responsibilities and demands on a 1st year teacher aren’t hard enough, I must also return home and fulfill my responsibilities to my seven community members.
Luckily, my community members have become both best friends and family to me. As we are all first year teachers, we support each other through the good, the bad, and the ugly. This makes mundane tasks such as cleaning our bathrooms, cooking dinner, or washing dishes easier to bear at the end of a long day.
Finally, I also must make time in my schedule to fulfill requirements for the graduate courses I am taking at Northwestern University. Weekly, my fellow corps members and I make the commute to Evanston to attend classes.
Though my Bradley education prepared me in many ways for this program, I still find myself facing harsh realities daily. (How do you cope with a 5th grader who can’t read? Gang members? Bullying?) My students may not always love me, but they need me and in many ways, I need them too. The life of service may not be the path for everyone, but it was the perfect choice for me.
November 4th, 2009 in
Onward |
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Daniel Shore graduated in May ‘09 with degrees in Electronic Media and Psychology. He moved to Chicago, and with the help of some Bradley connections, was hired to serve two months as an intern under Bruce Levine, the baseball reporter for ESPN Radio AM 1000 in Chicago. See his story below.
Wake up. There could only be one thing to do: check the newspapers online. White Sox and Cubs. Articles and blogs. General sports news, too. Then check ESPN.com, the team websites, Twitter, and a few select reporters. Brush my teeth. Gather my recording equipment and laptop. Grab food and head to the ball park.
Get to ballpark four hours before the game. Sign in and flash press-pass credential. Head up to the press box, set up the equipment, head down to the locker room. Wait. Wait. Record player(s) talking. Make mental notes of good quotes. Sit in dugout. Wait. Record. Back to the press box. Send audio to studio. Watch game, keep scorecard. Head down, wait, record press conference, mental notes, wait, post-game interviews, up, send, done. See everyone tomorrow.
That was my schedule for nearly two months, while I was living a dream through my internship with ESPN Radio in Chicago. The description above does not do justice to the invaluable experience that the internship was, nor does it accentuate any of the highlights and great moments from the 35 baseball games I helped cover. But I think it’s a captivating beginning.
Every day was a rush complemented by hard work and good laughs.
The rush came from the opportunity to hold the ESPN Radio microphone while players and managers spoke. It came from getting to watch the games from the press box. A few times, I was fortunate enough to get my adrenaline pumping by conducting a one-on-one interview with a player! Simply the fact that I was doing a hands-on, in-the-field internship in a major media market brought excitement to each day.
It certainly wasn’t easy though. The hard work started each day as I did my daily pre-game research before leaving my apartment. Once I was at the ball park it was all about time management and responsibility. First and foremost, I had to ensure that I didn’t miss a player or manager talking. Then it was up to me to select the audio clips I sent back to the station for use in news stories and updates. I had to be certain that all newsworthy items were being transmitted. Sometimes the equipment wasn’t working right or I was doing something wrong. That’s when the pressure would build, but I persevered and learned from my mistakes.
My other duties included writing articles, doing in-game updates, and recording pre- and post-game recaps (aka “wraps”). Nothing was more valuable than having a professional reporter read or listen to my work and give me constructive criticism. That’s where the real learning was taking place.
And then there were the good laughs - with the other characters in the press box, the players joking around, or a light-hearted discussion about life with my mentor, Bruce Levine. It was a job, but it was also a continuous life lesson. If I had only showed up, done my job, and gone home each day then the experience would not have been comprehensive or complete. I was learning every moment, from everyone and everything around me.
For those two unforgettable months, I took what I had learned at Bradley and successfully immersed myself in the world of being a Chicago sports reporter.
October 28th, 2009 in
Onward |
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From Dorothy Fernandez DPT ‘10 and Abigail Walk ‘07 DPT ‘10…
Thursday was our last day in San Juan de la Maguana. We were given the opportunity to explore the community in the morning. Abigail went to barrios with the children’s ministry, and Dorothy helped with painting at a school. In the afternoon, we were able to observe the chiropractor followed by watching two surgeries.
We were generously invited by the director of the rehabilitation center to eat dinner at her home with her family, along with our translators for the week and therapists from the center. The director was grateful for our help during the week, and is excited for teams with physical therapists to come again in the future. We have estimated that approximately 75 evaluations were completed during our three and a half days at the clinic. Our time here has served as a wonderful learning experience, as well as strengthening our skills in the clinic and other aspects of life.
Today we returned back to Santo Domingo to see some historical sites. We will be back in the states on Sunday after a very rewarding experience.
From Dorothy Fernandez DPT ‘10 and Abigail Walk ‘07 DPT ‘10…
On Tuesday, we started our day with a new Dominican cultural experience by walking through the open street market where many vegetables, meat, clothing, and a multitude of miscellaneous items are sold.
For the remainder of the morning and afternoon, we examined and treated patients at the rehabilitation center next to a hospital. We saw a total of about 20 patients today with a range of diagnoses including patient(s) with post-stroke, post-spinal cord injuries, back complications, and secondary conditions post- orthopedic surgeries.
We educated a man with a large neurofibromatosis (large mass) on his leg before surgery. Tomorrow morning we will see him again to review gait training with crutches. We were unable to update the blog last night since we were up late observing surgery from a side room.
On Wednesday, we worked in surgery. This was a great experience, as the surgical team was willing to let us help hands-on. Due to the small number of people available to help the surgeon in the surgical room, other team members were welcomed to help. The nurse anesthesiologist instructed us on how to intubate a patient prior to surgery. It was an amazing experience that we normally would not have the chance to do.
The rest of the day we finished seeing the remainder of the patients at the rehabilitation clinic. Again we saw a wide variety of conditions. The language barrier has been a challenge, but the translators have been wonderful. We also have picked up a little Spanish while being here.
Thursday will be our last day working in San Juan.
Multimedia:
Photos: MAP Rally in Springfield
Gallery | Slideshow
In the news:
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I’m finally back at my computer, which means that my limited length text message correspondence is over.
On the way home, it was easy to see what a day full of screaming, chanting, standing and clapping will do to a group of college students. There was much less chatter on Bus Two’s return to Peoria, and many more sleepy heads resting against the windows. That is, until our group leader, Brad McMillan, was patched into the bus’ P.A. system to announce that the Illinois Senate had approved the MAP appropriations. That seemed to grab everyone’s attention and wake some people up, as applause broke out on the bus.
It is still unclear how the legislation plans to pay for next semester’s MAP grants, but this bill being approved can at least put student’s minds to rest, eliminating the thought of being forced to drop out of school after winter break.
I can’t say enough for the personal benefits of today’s experience, especially as a journalism major. I haven’t spent much time in the capitol, but it was remarkable to be able to witness our democracy at work first hand and leave Springfield with an outcome that will provide a brighter future to so many students. At the rally, I was surrounded, shoulder-to-shoulder, by nearly 2,000 students whose educations are made possible by MAP grants, but it was truly humbling to realize that they were only a sliver of the nearly 140,000 students that are impacted by this program.
I guess that’s all for today. Thanks for reading!
2:32 p.m.
We are back on the bus. My legs are tired and my face is cold, but overall, it was a tremendous experience. Right now I am going to enjoy the rest of my leftover Fritos. Stay tuned for an in-depth recap.
2:10 p.m.
Here’s a photo of everyone with Rep. Gordon and Sen. Koehler in the Senate chambers.
1:54 p.m.
About 20 of us and a WMBD camera crew are crammed into Sen. Koehler’s office waiting to be taken into the Senate chambers. Rep. Jehan Gordon just popped in to tell us the bill passed with only one nay vote.
1:22 p.m.
State Rep. Jehan Gordon wouldn’t give the exact vote total, but revealed that the bill passed overwhelmingly in the House.
1:17 p.m.
State Sen. Dave Koehler has just come outside to meet specially with Bradley students. Sen. Koehler said the House bill is making its way to the Senate.
1:13 p.m.
1:04 p.m.
The scheduled part of the rally has ended, but the participating students are now making their way to the capitol building to continue lobbying.
12:58 p.m.
Brocke Masse of Kenwood High School in Chicago just gave an interesting perspective. In all of the MAP talks, the effect on high school students is not usually discussed.
12:45 p.m.
Kyle has just introduced Gov. Pat Quinn, who announced that the House of Representatives has already passed appropriations for reinstating MAP funding. The bill will now go to the Senate.
12:38 p.m.
All of the students and speakers that have spoken have been fired up, but nobody has come close to displaying passion of State Rep. David Miller who just blew this crowd away, causing the students to break into an emphatic “We need MAP” chant.
12:32 p.m.
A student from Lincolnland Community College just took the mic and delivered an extremely powerful address. She is a single mother, victim of domestic violence and Americorps member. Apart from her personal story, she had one message for legislators: “Restore MAP.”
12:27 p.m.
The scheduled events of the day have kicked off and now speaking is Depaul University president Dylan Goodson, who said more than 4,100 Depaul students receive MAP grants.
12:16 p.m.
Not to be outdone, the student body president of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has taken the stage. Kyle’s invitation to “share your story” has caused a line to be formed in front of the crowd. Also, this rally has filled a tent of approximately 100 by 50 feet and has spilled over into the courtyard of the Illinois Educator’s Association building.
12:11 p.m.
12:05 p.m.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale has arrived and made a statement. Their student body president grabbed the mic to give his own personal story and announce that SIU has filled eight buses to capacity for the rally.
11:58 a.m.
Student body President Kyle Malinowski has taken the stage and recieved a more than warm reception. Kyle gave a quick intro of himself, but then gave up the microphone to anyone who wished to share their MAP story.
11:55 a.m.
Of the many chants and cheers that have broken out so far, I think the cleverest has to be “ASAP give us MAP!!”
11:49 a.m.
11:45 a.m.
Just arrived, Illinois Central College and Southwestern Illinois College.
11:40 a.m.
There is an extremely vocal crowd from Greenville College here already. One of them is holding what is easily my favorite sign so far - “MAP is cheaper than welfare or jail.” Another Greenville student is carrying a sign that says “How can I be a teacher if I can’t be taught.”
11:37 a.m.
Students are quickly filling the rally site at the Illinois Education Association building.
11:29 a.m.
Just landed on the ground in Springfield. We are now making our way over to the rally site. Already we can see students from different schools walking around the capitol. Looks like a good turnout so far.
11:08 a.m.
We just passed another busload of students from a different school heading to the rally. It will be interesting to see how many students and how many schools show their support today. I couldn’t tell what school was on the bus, but they had on royal blue shirts.
10:58 a.m.
Katrice Buckley on left and Gabrielle O’Bryant on right.
10:51 a.m.
I’m quickly finding out that there isn’t much to see between Peoria and Springfield.
10:41 a.m.
There are a number of students highlighting textbooks and reviewing their class notes here on bus two. Others are napping. They must be saving their energy for the rally.
10:27 a.m.
I’m sitting next political science and criminal justice major Mike Manseao who had a good point on the bus. “The legislators answer to us, not the other way around. Its important to get out there today so they feel our presence and hear our voices.”
Good morning from the Michel Student Center! I’m D.J. Piehowski and today I will be accompanying about 100 other Bradley students as they travel to Springfield to urge lawmakers to restore funding for MAP grants, which provide financial assistance to more than 137,000 college students in Illinois. Bradley has arranged for two charter buses to take us to the capitol, where we will take part in a rally at the Illinois Education Association building.
Despite the fact that students from colleges and universities from across the state will be participating, the rally will undoubtedly have a strong Bradley presence, as our own Student Body President, Kyle Malinowski, has been asked to emcee the event.
There are 1,451 Bradley students that receive MAP funding and a large portion of them have shown up this morning to show their support for this cause, wearing red and toting signs with countless slogans and calls to action.
The MAP grant provides up to about $5,000 of financial aid a year to qualifying Bradley students and is awarded on a financial-need basis. There is no room in the current Illinois budget to fund the program for next semester, leaving many benefiting students without a way to come up with an extra $2,500 to pay for the spring semester.
This rally gives those students a chance to have their voices heard.
From Dorothy Fernandez DPT ‘10 and Abigail Walk ‘07 DPT ‘10…
Today, we awoke to a wonderful Dominican breakfast with a plantain casserole, fruit, oatmeal, eggs, and Dominican coffee - plenty of goodness to get us energized for a long day ahead. We have learned to be flexible, because today began with one plan and quickly changed. This morning our physical therapy team was separated: Dorothy and Dawn went to an area school in a local barrio to teach body mechanics, transfer techniques, and bed positioning to nursing students, ages 14-18. Fortunately, an interpreter was at their side for assistance because none of the students understood English.
While Dorothy and Dawn were teaching in the morning, Abigail and Cheryl were sent to the hospital in the city to the rehabilitation clinic. Upon arriving, they were given a schedule of 25 patients to evaluate and set up with treatment. Dorothy and Dawn joined them in the afternoon for a full day of evaluating.
Working at the clinic was interesting. The patients and their families arrived in the morning to be seen by our therapy team, and waited there all day until the afternoon when they were called. We were able to examine a wide variety of patients from low back pain, post surgeries, undiagnosed neurological conditions, and an undiagnosed pediatric condition. While working at this rehabilitation clinic, we were made aware of different approaches to treatment.
This was a great day for learning and meeting people from the community. We will be working primarily in this clinic for the remainder of the week - at least as far as we know . . .
From Dorothy Fernandez DPT ‘10 and Abigail Walk ‘07 DPT ‘10…
This is our first full day in the Dominican Republic. Yesterday started at 12:15 a.m. when we left Peoria for O’Hare airport to catch our Chicago flight to Boston then to Santo Domingo, DR. Our first challenge was to make sure each bag with all our essential supplies only weighed 50 pounds or less, and each person checked in two bags. Fortunately, we had no problem, and all the flights were on time and went smoothly.
Once in Santo Domingo, we were greeted and taken by bus about four to five hours inland to Clinica Cristiana in San Juan de la Maguana, DR. We noticed the following while driving: (1) most modes of transportation are by motorcycles, sometimes piled with several people and (2) there is no pattern or organization to driving with few stoplights or signs. The mission lodging is quite nice, and the people are friendly and helpful. Twenty-three people are in our group: one surgeon, several nurses, an EMT, construction crew, children’s outreach group, chiropractor, and our physical therapy team from Bradley.
This morning we woke up to breakfast and then walked into town for a church service held in an old auditorium. While there, we met a mission team from Atlanta, Georgia, and another from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The remaining part of the day was spent eating a traditional Dominican meal for lunch, unloading and organizing supplies, and then heading back to church after dinner.
We hope to rest well tonight before the beginning of our busy week, which is probably going to start with teaching at a local hospital.
From Dorothy Fernandez DPT ‘10 and Abigail Walk ‘07 DPT ‘10…
We are finishing up our third and final year in Bradley’s doctor of physical therapy program. Both of us have been interested in missions work in the medical field, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity for us to use some of the skills we have learned. We hope that after returning from this trip, we will have gained knowledge and perspective that will help us further develop our skills as we enter the professional field of physical therapy. We are excited about this opportunity to reach out of our comfort zone and serve others while working with a team of great professionals.
Professors Cheryl Sparks ‘98 and Dawn Hall will be going on the trip, so we’ll have a chance to work with patients under their supervision. Our medical team consists of a plastic surgeon, physical therapists, chiropractor, nurse anesthetist and several others who will be serving at Solid Rock Mission’s clinic in San Juan Republic. In addition to patient care, we have teaching opportunities scheduled within the community, at the hospital and at a local government nursing school. We will also hope to make some home visits. While we are at the clinic, other team members will be working on a construction project and building a children’s ministry.
Our hope is that by providing these services, we will be giving people the opportunity to change their lives. We have never been to the Dominican Republic and expect to be challenged by the differences we encounter. We are excited and feel blessed by this opportunity, and we hope you enjoy and can learn with us by reading about our adventures.
By Sam Mangieri III ‘11 - Advertising major
As most students said in their journal entries, I didn’t have a clue what to expect when I arrived at my internship at the Bears training camp in Bourbonnais, Illinois. I like my comfort, and was quite content with coasting into my junior year at BU with the routine I was used to at home. But, I find my biggest adventures, and best experiences, come precisely when I have jumped out of that comfort zone. So when July 30th rolled around, I knew it was time to jump again.
I knew the Bears didn’t mess around when I underwent CPR training as soon as I arrived. My internship, unlike most summer gigs was only 20 days in length. What a short twenty days it was! I had an awesome time working alongside some great co-workers. Our advertising and events staff consisted of about 30 people. Our boss, Matt Black, is a Bradley graduate.
He and the three other superiors have a hefty task of corralling us and the thousands of fans that pile into Olivet Nazarene University. This is projected to be an awesome year for the Bears and their fans have shown their belief in the team. About 6,000 fans pile in the gates each day. One day we had more than 12,000 fans make the pilgrimage to the small town to see their team practice.
Each day of camp is about 4 hours in length and divided into two hour shifts for staff. Each of us is assigned 2 different jobs each day. I could be running one of the inflatable play-pens you see at county fairs the first shift and the next I could be doing something as sweet as working at an autograph session. Other tasks include assisting with the family/sponsor tents, handing out giveaways, assisting the Bears’ mascot, Staley, around camp, and crowd control while players enter/leave practice. Overall, it was a great time and I feel I left with some solid experience.
The interns are housed in the third floor of the building nearest the cafeteria (even closer than the players themselves). Our rooms get room service every day, where they come with fresh towels and change our sheets. Three meals a day are provided in the same cafeteria where the players eat. We don’t sit in the same area, but on any given day I could be standing behind Jay Cutler or Brian Urlacher at some point in the salad line.
If only I had a buck for every time one of my friends has asked, “So do you get to talk to the players?” The answer is, “Only if they talk to you first.” Unfortunately, the only time a player said anything to me was when the 3rd string tight-end said “Wow” to me after I splattered salsa on his shirt in the nacho bar. Other than that, head-nods and points are enough for me. I’ll let the super fan co-workers fight for a little time with their favorite superstar. Where I get my kicks is when I leave from breakfast. Sometimes a buddy and I pretend that the media outside the cafeteria doors is there for us. So if you ever see me throw a cheerful wave to a cameraman on Sports Center, know it was to you, my friends at Bradley University.
September 16th, 2009 in
Working Vacations |
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By Burke Blanken ‘10 - Public Relations major
As a public affairs intern at CBS 2 Chicago, I have yet to experience a dull day. Every day is different, exciting, and fast-paced.
Working at one of the top television stations has expanded my knowledge of what it takes to broadcast the news. Without the behind-the-scenes work of every department, the station would not be able to function. The work of the public affairs department is only one part of the equation that makes CBS successful.
I work with the Director of Public Affairs to keep CBS connected with the community. My main responsibility involves reaching out to non-profit organizations.
One way I do this is by screening all the public service announcements sent to the station. After viewing the PSAs, I determine whether they should be broadcast by the station and take the selected PSAs to traffic to be put into the server.
After the Director of Public Affairs approves events that our newscasters will participate in, it is my job to facilitate communication between the newscaster and the organization. I have to be sure that both know what is expected. I also alert the news department to the important details and newsworthy moments of the event so they can determine whether they want to send a crew.
Besides working in the public affairs department, I have had the opportunity to tour the different departments and meet department heads. The other day I had the opportunity to tour the newsroom and watch the 11 a.m. news from the control room and the studio. Seeing the news from the control room helped me learn exactly what it takes to ensure that each minute of the show goes without a hitch.
I was also able to work with the technical department to handle community relations during the digital television conversion on June 12th. While working with the technology help line, I even had my ten seconds of fame on the 11 a.m. news!
As an intern at CBS, I have had the opportunity to apply what I learned in my public relations and business classes in a real work situation. I’ve also met people who have helped me develop and grow in my skills. I look forward to using what I am gaining at this experience in my future, and will never forget the unique opportunities I have experienced while working with a television station.
By Jennifer Durham ‘10 - Organizational Communication major
For quite some time, I have dreamed of living and working in the nation’s capital. This summer, my dream came true as I was able to complete a 10-week internship with Sutter’s Mill Fund Raising & Strategy, a small office located near Capitol Hill.
Sutter’s Mill Fund Raising & Strategy does election consulting and political action committee fundraising for sixteen House Democrats. Their clients include representatives from a wide range of congressional districts. Sutter’s Mill works very closely with campaigns, congressional staff, and a wide range of lobbyists. They combine fundraising and consulting under one roof to give their clients a one-of-a-kind experience.
In my first week at Sutter’s Mill, I had the privilege of meeting the House Majority Leader, Steny H. Hoyer. The first sentence he said to me was “Hi Jenny, I’m Steny.” I also met the DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen and had the honor of meeting and working with sixteen Members of Congress.
It was an incredibly exciting time to be in Washington, D.C. With the congressional races of 2010 quickly approaching, a new presidential administration underway, and plenty of sweeping changes brewing in the legislature, I found myself right in the middle of D.C. political life. Even after being in D.C. for several weeks, I still got chills every time I walked by the Capitol.
Throughout the summer, I assisted with the planning and implementation of more than twenty fund raising events. I had a very active role in planning fundraisers by conversing with catering specialists, reserving rooms, and coordinating the event down to the very last detail. It was incredible to be able to see the end result of all my hard work. I also attended several Meet & Greet gatherings that allow government relation chairs from various lobbying organizations to learn more about the Congressmen or women they support.
In addition to planning events for clients, I spent time researching Political Action Committees and affiliated lobbyists in the Washington, D.C. area. I used a program called the National Geographical and Political Software Program for Democratic Fund Raisers to enter contributions for our clients, record statistical data, update lobbyists, and write memos to Members of Congress.
Another exciting aspect of my internship was being able to use my creativity to produce event invitations, member cards for clients, and design Sutter’s Mill’s first company name tags. At my internship, I learned to pay close attention to details, manage time carefully, work effectively with others, and develop better communication skills. I was able to develop contacts with many of Washington’s political insiders.
Leaving Washington, D.C. was bittersweet to say the least. I learned more in D.C. than I ever could have imagined. I gained valuable real world experience, networked with many influential individuals, and made wonderful memories. I truly fell in love with the nation’s capitol and I hope to move back after graduation and become a true Washingtonian.
By Brian Litwin ‘11 - Music Business major
I knew no one in New York City. Adding to my fear of living alone in Manhattan, I was an intern at the legendary Atlantic Records. The flight from O’Hare to LaGuardia felt like one of the longest of my life.
My fear immediately changed to excitement when I stood in front of my office building on 6th Avenue, just up the street from Radio City Music Hall, for the first time. It hit me - I am about step into one of the most powerful record labels in the world. Atlantic Records was once home to legendary artists such as Led Zeppelin, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Cream, John Coltrane, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aaliyah, and many more. They currently have Jason Mraz, T.I., Flo Rida, Rob Thomas, Staind, Kid Rock, Sean Paul, Death Cab For Cutie, Diddy, O.A.R, Rush, and many more.
I was an intern in the Artist Development Department at Atlantic. The job was a very interesting and challenging one - a dream for me. One day I would be adding tour dates to a system that would be blasted to millions of people, another day I could be leading James Blunt’s touring guitar player to meet with our department head (He was really cool and we ended up talking a bit about Chicago because he was recently there). I did many different things and learned how the business works.
One of the bigger projects I had was to develop ideas for a band to promote their tour. The director for the band wanted to focus on a college crowd in the markets where they were touring, and to find ways to promote during the day for their shows at night. I tried to find bigger public events and I didn’t shy away from crazy ideas.
I did the normal intern “go-fer” stuff, but this allowed me to meet people in other departments, and made me realize that half of this internship was networking. I met people from legal, A&R, finance, radio promotion, and many other departments. Through this, I learned the basic structure of a record label and gained knowledge from everyone I talked to.
Another great part of the internship was seeing and meeting with some artists (Corba Starship, Jason Castro, Paulo Nutini, Uncle Kracker and Robert Francis), seeing shows for free, and realizing that working at a record label would be my dream job.
During my time at Atlantic and in New York I made a number of friends, connections, and memories that I will never forget. As you can imagine, it is not cheap to live in Manhattan, but I was able to find a dorm room at NYU in Greenwich Village. I became close friends with some of the other residents who were also alone in NYC and doing internships at companies like JP Morgan, American Girl Doll and Google. They were from all over the world, so I was really able to expand my horizons.
I am truly grateful to have had an incredible opportunity to learn about the industry I am going into. I will miss everything about living and working in New York.
By Rachael Altman, MA ‘09
I am no stranger to Hollywood. I have been visiting Los Angeles since the age of four, and loved every minute of it. While I have not made many true friends in this strange land, I have been happy spending quality time with my aunt, uncle, and cousins. I have spent the last three summers in Los Angeles, but this summer is by far the best. I did not come to California to spend all day at the beach or to spend the days shopping on Rodeo drive. I ventured out West this summer because I discovered an incredible internship at The WordTheatre in Santa Monica, California.
WordTheatre is a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping the love of language and literature alive through the art of oral storytelling. This may come as a shock, but WordTheatre is not an actual theatre. Since it is a small nonprofit, we currently do not have enough money to buy a theatre; in fact, we do not even have an office. We work out of the director’s home, and the shows take place in cafes, bars, and other small venues. WordTheatre is an experience not a mere explanation, but I will do my best to convey the revolutionary hipness of the organization.
Since its inception in 2003, Artistic Director Cedering Fox and her partners have been creating, producing and recording live events featuring literary works performed by world-class authors and actors at our salons in Los Angeles, New York and London. Past participants in WordTheatre events include James Franco (Spider Man, Pineapple Express), Amanda Seyfried (Mama Mia), Amber Tamblin (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants), Angela Bassett (Malcom X), John Heard (Home Alone), Edi Gathegi (Twilight), and Jackson Rathbone (Twilight) among several others. We’ve done stories from authors such as T.C. Boyle, Rick Moody, Aimee Bender, Amy Bloom, Steve Almond, A.M. Homes, and Amy Hempel.
Aside from the commute from the Valley to Santa Monica, and the non-stop, bumper-to-bumper traffic, there is nothing about this internship that I can complain about. The weather in Santa Monica is perfect, and I spend my days reading stories and poems, as well as scouring the web for new stories and poems. Each day flies by because I spend my time at the office reading. This does not seem like work because I am doing something that I enjoy.
Recently I have been working on two upcoming shows: UPHEAVAL and Acts of Love: Pioneers. We decided to make UPHEAVAL a revolutionary show by picking stories that push the buttons of people’s comfort. WordTheatre wants to attract a younger audience with this show so we chose edgy stories: Crazy Glue by Etgar Keret, japanese children with digital cameras in a field by Tao Lin and Ellen Kennedy, and Stories by John Edgar Wideman. Acts of Love is the seventh annual WordTheatre benefit show for Autism Speaks. The theme this year is Pioneers. These can be pioneers of art, music, politics, literature, science, or really just about anything. After putting together more than two hundred pages of pioneers research, I am confident in my newly discovered knowledge of “pioneers” and the future of the show.
I have been working at WordTheatre for almost six weeks, and with only two weeks left, I cannot believe how fast the summer has gone by. WordTheatre is a one of a kind experience. I actually feel attached and invested in the work I have completed this summer. I have read some great (and not-so-great) stories, but I have discovered new authors and broadened my literary horizon.
By Alex Mayster ‘10 - Journalism major
The idea of spending my summer working at a newspaper was exciting, but interning at the Chicago Tribune — that was a dream come true.
I grew up with the Tribune, turning to the paper to keep up-to-date on the latest news. So once I decided to pursue journalism as a career it only made sense to set a goal of one day writing for the Midwest’s most read newspaper. Although I still don’t technically work there, I am now one step closer.
This summer I was lucky enough to “work” in a place where tourists spend time taking pictures and trying to get inside. The Tribune Tower, which is located on Michigan Avenue, was built in 1922 and has stones from all across the world (from the Taj Mahal to the Berlin Wall) in the outer walls of the building. As cool as it was dodging out-of-towners to get into the place I worked, the real fun started on the inside.
My job was split into two different projects: working with the prep sports section until the season wrapped up and serving as a copy editor on the main sports desk. Working in the high school section required me to answer phones, record scores, set up schedules and update the Web site. This seemed a little dull at first but once the playoffs started I was more into high school sports than I have been since, well, high school. This was so valuable because I was able to learn some HTML and gain a better understanding of how the Web works.
After doing that for four or five weeks, I began serving as a copy editor for the sports section. This meant I was reading a lot of stories and coming up with headlines, subheads, and captions for the pictures. By the time I saw the stories, they had already been laid out so coming up with headlines was harder than one might think. You have to be able to get the point of the story across, and add some flare, in the perfect number of letters. Doing these things has given me such an appreciation for all the small things people do to produce a newspaper every day.
I learned so much while working at the Tribune. The number of articles I’ve read and stories I have edited has taught me a lot about the business. Seeing what it is like at a daily, metropolitan newspaper has been amazing, and it left me excited to enter the business.
The experience didn’t end at work. With the money I made from the internship, and a little help from my dad, I was able to sublet an apartment just blocks from Michigan Avenue and the beach. Spending this summer downtown has been amazing from an educational standpoint, but it also has been a lot of fun.
By Leah Moran ‘10 - Advertising major
This summer I am fortunate to be completing my second 10-week internship with Starcom MediaVest Group in the heart of the Chicago Loop. Once again, I am working in the Leo Burnett building, which one can see many times in the movie, Batman: The Dark Knight. Never watch it with me, because I will constantly scream out, “That’s my building!” Although the two-hour commute makes it difficult to be cheerful in the morning, every day at work brings new, exciting challenges.
Starcom is a media agency and sister company to advertising agency Leo Burnett (Yes, that’s me high-fiving Leo in the photo). While advertising agencies actually create advertisements for their clients, media agencies develop strategies for placing those ads and negotiate the rates with different vendors.
For all of you advertising majors who are not convinced that media planning is a thrilling career choice, it is a much more interesting field than it may seem. While the daily work involves a lot of Excel spreadsheets, the media world has so much more to offer.
At Starcom, groups are classified as strategy or activation teams, depending on their specialties. Strategy teams work with a client to develop overall media strategies, assign budgets to campaigns, and choose which media to include in campaigns. Activation teams specialize in certain media (TV, print, digital, etc.) and work with all of the clients who include this medium in their campaigns.
Last summer, I worked on the strategy side of the Oracle account and specialized in the out-of-home campaigns. This involved developing an outdoor media plan for Oracle’s presence at the National Retail Federation’s Big Event in Chicago. This summer, I am working in the Publishing Activation Group (also known as “The PAG”), responsible for planning, negotiating, and buying ad space for clients in magazines and newspapers. I have worked with a variety of clients, such as Altria, Allstate, Exelon, the Museum of Science and Industry, Heinz, Nintendo, LEGO, and Samsung. By transitioning from a strategy to an activation position, I was able to gain a more thorough understanding of media planning as a step-by-step process. I also experienced how strategy and activation teams work together to deliver the best results to their shared clients.
It is common today for advertising professionals to claim that newspapers and magazines are “dying.” To remind industry professionals just how effective advertising in print still is, one of my major responsibilities is working in a small group on an internal public relations campaign displaying the power of print. The Power of Print campaign allows me to work with other PAG employees to research current strengths of print as an advertising medium, outline the research, compile captivating case studies to display, and plan a day-long event within the company to share information.
Some of my larger projects also include managing The PAG blog, completing reports to confirm that our ads are running correctly, and working on a print plan recommendation for LEGO’s DUPLO blocks campaign.
Aside from the work, one of the best things about interning at a media agency is the perks. Through my internship with the PAG, I have met editors, promotional planners, and advertising representatives from major magazines, such as O, SHAPE, People, Southern Living, and more. Getting to know key players also includes attending Cubs games, taking boat tours of the City, going to lunch, visiting the Chicago Tribune printing press, and collecting a ton of free magazines. Overall, the media industry is extremely fun, casual, and busy!
My two internships at Starcom have been great learning experiences and provided me with friends, contacts in the industry, and great memories. Entering my senior year feels bittersweet, but I am now confident that I will graduate prepared to begin my career.
From Melissa Wahl ‘10 - English major
When I began applying for internships, I knew one thing was certain: I was going big, or going home.
I had been fortunate to have an amazing internship last summer with a non-profit organization in Chicago, but I wanted to give a large publishing house a try. I knew that would be the only way to test what I believed was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Consider this a trial run of sorts.
When I applied at Simon & Schuster in New York City, I knew how competitive the applicant pool could be. I was shocked when a week after submitting my application I received a phone call from the HR department wanting to set up an interview. I was ecstatic when I found out that they wanted me to come to New York to intern with them.
Now that I am here, it all feels like a dream. I came not knowing what to expect, not knowing anyone, not knowing if I would leave wanting never to work at a publishing house again. But, this is more than I could have hoped for.
Originally, I was supposed to work with one of Simon & Schuster’s adult imprints, but right before I arrived they switched me to the Children’s Division. From day one I fell in love with this job. I wake up every morning excited to go to work. I love working at Simon & Schuster so much, that I truly hope to be employed there after I graduate.
I have learned so much about children’s book publishing. I have worked with everything from small children’s picture books to young adult novels. I am the “Deputy Publisher” intern, and this allows me to experience a lot of things that many of the other interns do not. I have read many submitted manuscripts and learned that the majority of what comes in is junk. But I have also reveled in the excitement when a great manuscript comes in. Currently, two of the manuscripts that I was the first to see are in the process of being acquired by one of the editors! I can’t wait to see them as finished products. I have also had the chance to write the “cover copy” for a few books coming out next summer, which means that I wrote the summary that will appear on the back cover.
I am working with a lot of picture books and a lot of work is done on our end before a book can go to print. Many of the illustrators create physical pieces of art for the books, so the artwork needs to be scanned into a digital file. In doing so, the colors change, so there is a long process of “color correcting” that needs to be done. I have been lucky enough to help with this process. I even got to go with the editor, illustrator and designer for one of our books to the printing press for the final round of color corrections before the book is printed. There are many full-time employees who have told me that they haven’t had that privilege!
Even though they are not paying me, there are so many redeeming things about this job. I get to spend the entire summer in New York City, living in Manhattan, and working in Rockefeller Center. I have networked like crazy simply because everyone in this business knows everyone else. I think that will help me when I am looking for a job after I graduate. My bank account may not be filling with money, but I am being paid in as many books from the free bookshelves on each floor of the building as I can handle. I also get to correspond and sometimes meet the authors of my favorite books from childhood. That is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
I couldn’t have asked for a better summer. I will miss this city and the people I have befriended during my time here. But it also makes me that much more excited to return. Now I just need to figure out how to get all of these books home!
From Dr. Todd Kelly, associate professor of music
We are now safely back in the states after a long day of travel on little or no sleep. The flight home was smooth for the most part, although we had a very tight connection in Paris. We were relieved when we arrived in Chicago and all of our luggage was waiting for us. We had a wonderful, but exhausting two days in Rome, and we were all anxious to get home to our friends, families, and our own beds!
I want everyone one to know how well these students handled themselves in Italy. Not only did they perform at a consistently professional level, but also they represented Bradley University and the state of Illinois with class and enthusiasm. I could not be more proud of them. This was my third trip overseas with a group from Bradley University, and I can say with confidence that I have never traveled with a better group of people. As I reflect on the past ten days, there were a few glitches, including a bus driver who was constantly lost and refused to take directions, sound checks that started late, a couple of “interesting” hotels, sax stands that are still sitting in the Milan airport, and all of the other little hassles that invariably accompany international travel. But all of that will be forgotten. We will remember the wonderful performances, beautiful Italian landscape, great food, the hospitality of the Italian people, and most of all, the way that we came together to represent our school and to perform at the highest level.
Thanks to all of you for following our adventures in this blog. We enjoyed sharing them with you. Finally, my heartfelt thanks to the students in the Bradley Jazz Ensemble — working and traveling with all of you is one of the great joys of my life, and I’m already looking forward to our next trip in 2012.
From Rebekah Aavang ‘09
There is no rest for the wicked, and unfortunately, no rest for the tired either. We arrived in the ancient city and immediately went for a tour of the Vatican. Our tour guide led us through the seemingly infinite exhibits and collections, blowing off ancient statues and Salvador Dali originals like they were commonplace.
But the historical background and context she prepared us with paid off when we came to the final leg of the tour…the Raphael chambers and the Sistine Chapel. The former included incredible frescos and poignant scenes, while the latter was breathtaking due to the sheer scope of the work. Completed in the late 15th century, the chapel contains epic depictions of religious motifs and scenes completed by Michelangelo.
After exiting the chapel, we went into St. Peter’s Basilica, the second largest church in the world. Erected by Constantine, the building is as stunning as it is vast, and we could have easily spent the better part of an afternoon perusing the paintings, mosaics, and sculptures.
Popping the Question at the Fountain
That evening, we toured some must-see sights in the city, including the Spanish Steps, Piazza de Novano, and the Pantheon. The highlight of the evening, however, was definitely the Trevi Fountain. When we reached the sparkling fountain, band member Mark Dempsey led his unsuspecting girlfriend and saxophone player, Jessica Fulco, down the steps to the water’s edge. After presenting her with roses, he went down on one knee and proposed to the delight of hundreds of spectators. And guess what? Jessica said yes!
We spent our last day in Rome wandering the streets and sightseeing. Souvenir shopping was a must, as was seeing the Colosseum and Forum. After an exhausting day, we will spend our final evening on the trip with a group dinner to celebrate such an incredible experience.
Although it is hard to believe that this trip is almost over, it is even harder to believe that my career as a Bradley Jazz Ensemble member is over. I’m sure all the seniors would agree that this is quite a nice way to celebrate the end of our collegiate music careers and that performing with the jazz ensemble anywhere is an honor and a privilege. From standing at the ruins of an ancient Roman city to making music under the stars overlooking the valleys of Umbria, this trip has been full of experiences that don’t come often, and for that I am sure the entire band is grateful. Ciao!
From Brian “Styx” Spicklemire ‘09 and Christopher Pennant ‘10
Waking up in Perugia a few days ago was bittersweet. We were looking forward to our last performance, but were wary that it might not match the energy and crowd we experienced at Umbria. Still, after seeing such incredible performances from musicians such as John Patitucci, Roy Haynes, and the Charles Mingus Dynasty a day earlier, we were excited to be playing music again.
We made the hour or so drive from Perugia into the small town of Soriano nel Cimino, in Viterbo. After arriving and checking into our hotel, we had some time to look around and check out the local scene. We had a chance to look over our stage for the night, proudly located in a small square in the middle of the city. After our great performance a few days earlier in Valdarno, we were all looking forward to performing for the townspeople.
That night, we hit the stage with all the energy and emotion that comes from a group that knows it’s playing together for the last time. The band was burning, and the townspeople really responded to our performance. It was especially memorable for the group’s seniors: Erik Christian Juhl , Jeremy Bell, Bekah Aavang, Steve Levin, and Andrew Vickers.
However, the night was only beginning.
A Jazz Musician’s Dream
Minutes after we cleared the stage, the semifinal competition began for the Jimmy Woode International Jazz Competition. Both groups featured strong vocalists and were comprised of native Italians, but save for a touch of an accent, both vocalists could have been singing in any American jazz lounge. The combos put on memorable performances, but the Essential Feeling Quintet edged out A Thea Crudi for a trip to the finals. After some celebrating and congratulations, we all gathered our instruments and headed to that night’s jam session, held in a somewhat eerie, cavernous space.
The next two hours were a jazz musician’s dream. Doc broke out his horn for only the third time the whole trip, but you could tell by his expression he had been waiting for a moment like this. More members of the group joined in, and by the end of the night, it seemed like everyone in the ensemble had left their particular mark on the night’s session. We talked to members of Essential Feeling until three in the morning. We picked up a Tuscia in Jazz Festival t-shirt and sang some Sam Cooke for Maria, our concert manager. The crowds and performances in Umbria were electric, but the personal interaction of Soriano made it the highlight of our trip.
By Corrie Brite ‘10 - Political Science and History double major
When I applied for my internship at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, California, I knew it was a long shot, as I would be competing against hundreds of students from across the nation. I got it, and after being here for six weeks, I cannot imagine that anyone is having a better summer than I am.
I have learned more than anyone has ever wanted to know about the Nixon administration. Fellow interns hail from all over the United States and we all joke that by the end of the summer we won’t be able to talk about anything except Nixon. The people I have met here have been best friends for a summer and hopefully friends for a lifetime.
I have worked on projects ranging from formatting interview transcripts to writing museum panels for an Apollo space display. My main project deals with cataloguing video clips for the new Watergate exhibit. People that know nothing about Watergate (i.e. me 7 weeks ago) would be FLOORED to see the original plans. Imagine the most ridiculous heist ever planned, with prostitutes, kidnapping, knives, break-ins and guns. That is the original “Watergate.” While the plans were trimmed down by June 1972, the planning and execution of the Watergate Hotel break-in has been fascinating to learn about.
My bosses, Paul and Tim, are two of the most intelligent people I know, always there to give historical context or recommend a must-see movie. It has been awesome to work with two dedicated and qualified historians, both of whom I can approach with any questions about my projects.
John Dean, former counsel to President Nixon, came to speak at the library in June. Because of his testimony, many of Nixon’s advisors were prosecuted for their actions in the Watergate scandal. His testimony can also be linked to Nixon’s decision to resign. Dean is a controversial figure to bring into a library dedicated to Nixon’s legacy. Articles in Time, Newsweek, the Washington Post, and the New York Times, discussed the event held on the 37th anniversary of the Watergate break-in. Dean angered many with his message, but that’s history, everyone remembers it differently.
The second visitor was Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, David Hume Kennerly. Everyone has seen his photos, from the Jonestown Massacre to President Ford’s presidential pictures. Kennerly has witnessed countless major political events first-hand.
Richard Ben-Veniste, a Watergate prosecutor and member of the 9/11 Commission also came to the Library. I asked if he had advice for a future lawyer and he responded, “If you take a step back and have to question the possibility of your picture ending up on the New York Times the next morning, you should probably stop what you are doing. Just do the right thing.”
The Nixon Library recently came under the control of the National Archives and Records Administration, meaning that I am holding a federal internship. The learning environment is one of unbiased and research-based study. The entire staff is committed to bringing the truth to light, instead of letting it hide in history as it has done for the last thirty years. This internship has been everything that I ever dreamed of. I have met some great people and learned directly from the people who participated in the Nixon Administration. When I conclude this internship in two weeks, I will be leaving a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
