Communications Intern at Lasell College

Adios, Lasell!

2011-05-05T11:22:00.000-07:00

There have been a lot of last-timers at Lasell for me this week: My last class, last time modeling in the student fashion show, last homework assignment, and now today is my last day of my internship. I remember when I started, wondering how on earth I was going to juggle it all-but it seems as if time figured everything out for me. Deadlines came and went, I presented material or I goofed something up, or I missed a day here and there to do something for myself.

I've had many great experiences here-helping to set up for a dedication, writing an article about it, attending a fashion show to write about, but even the day-to-day was fun. While it seems so long ago I was interviewing on-campus faculty and staff for different assignments, or chasing someone down for Michelle, nothing prepared me for coming in this morning to find a cute little bag with a sweet card, GORGEOUS scarf (which I put on right away) and a mug which felt was SO me: "She packed up her potential and all she had learned, grabbed a cute pair of shoes and headed out to change a few things." Few quotes fit me better than this!

Overall it's been a FANTASTIC semester here, and I couldn't be more ready to take everything I've learned and hit the real world ground running, ready to give my all! Michelle & Diane, thank you all for everything you've taught me. Thank you for every opportunity, every piece of advice, and every ounce of support you've given me throughout this short semester.

Adios, Lasell!

-Emmalyn

Red Carpet Treatment-Literally

2011-04-28T11:49:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I'm fortunate enough to be invited to NewTV's Red Carpet Gala 20th Anniversary Event (say that five times fast), thanks to an invite from a professor of mine and Michelle. My first thought was how excited I was to go to a red carpet event for television, since my recent decision to pursue a career in it 125%. My second thought was what to wear! Given, that's probably every woman's thought attending the Gala this evening (and maybe half the men's), but I had a different angle to consider: dressing in a way that was sophisticated, conservative, yet would make me stand out in a crowd to anyone looking for someone to join their station.

Hmm..well, at the last red carpet event I went to I wore a leopard-skin dress, shiny gold heels and long earrings. That surely isn't conservative. Then I thought of a classy little black dress I had sitting in the closet-but what part of that piece stands out? I like to wear something that can be a conversation-starter, and that surely was far too plain. Finally, I've settled myself on an appropriately length-ed navy blue halter dress. Satisfied.

Wait..the shoes? It's important to wear heels, but in representing my internship, they have to also be an appropriate height and color. Hmm..black and blue are generally a no-no. White? Tan? Green for spring? No, the green are too strappy. Crap. And what about a jacket? It's warm out, but it may rain.

For these situations, I believe in plain shoes, and a light blazer or shawl. Just because the title says "red carpet" doesn't mean one has to boast an Oscar de Larenta ball gown, and it's definitely not appropriate to skimp-it-out on this one, especially if you're looking to evolve from college life.

Last but not least is hair and make-up. It's important to present yourself, in addition to your communication skills, well. There's much to be said for overdoing it, or under-doing it for that matter. Here's a list of steps I take when applying make-up for an event out:

1) Boscia Vitamin C treatment- This serves as a base for my super-dry skin, yet also gives it a healthier base than even moisturizer can provide. It moisturizes, yet uses parsley and other repair-focused ingredients to help heal any mishaps on my face while I cake it with makeup.

2) Boscia Tinted moisturizer-OPTIONAL-you've already moisturized, but this is always a cheaper alternative to a base and should be used on a daily basis to keep your skin hydrated. As you can see, I' m a huge Boscia fan.

3) Korres Face Primer-OPTION 2- If you do not feel you need any more moisturizing, even out your palette with Korres Face Primer. A little bit goes a long way, and this is vital for making sure your skin tone is evenly prepared for the biggest step: Foundation.

4) MAKEUP FOREVER Liquid Foundation-MAKEUP FOREVER is popular among makeup artist professionals, and is perhaps the most crucial step to keeping your face fresh for the entire evening. In the summer and spring months powder can come off easy, so I enjoy liquid-yet pay attention to your neck here, so that you don't wind up with an unblended face.

5) NARS Bronzer-NARS is the leading brand of bronzer, which stole the stage once Cargo was set to be sold to CVS and was considered less effective. I suggest an appropriate dusting of bronzer.

6) NARS Blush-NARS makes a great blush, too. Controversial as the name is, the "Orgasm" blush by NARS is a favorite shade.

7) Sephora Eyeliner-There's no need to spend big bucks on eyeliner, honest. Apply as you see fit.

8) Maybelline Mascara-Always voted #1. Don't go overboard on this.

9) Sephora-colored shadows- I love Sephora brand color palettes.

10) TARTE lip gloss-Or your fave.

11) Michael Michael KORS leg bronzer- If you're not wearing tights, this can give you a nice glow.

There you have it, an intern's secret to dressing like a professional in a student's stilettos!

Coffee-less Intern

2011-04-22T07:28:00.000-07:00

Today seemed to be one of those days all of us interns have every once and again-slow, sleepy start in the morning where your first reaction is a cup of coffee to jump-start the day. Unfortunately for me, I may as well have given coffee up for Lent. I'm on strike from it.

Every day, I'd usually grab a cup all last semester. Until I realized the awful crash I get at about 3 pm, the cup I get to recoup gives me a headache, and by 9pm I can hardly to my homework. I'm really productive the rest of the day, though!

I spoke to a woman last night at work about the severity of caffeine addiction. I had never realized how many college students have this addiction, but it's true. Think about it: if an alcoholic says they're going "for a drink", we would question it. If someone addicted to pain killers is "going to the doctor's", we'd think about it. But if a student says they're going for coffee, who cares? They have to stay up late and study. But from my personal experience, it's nothing for your average student to have coffee morning, afternoon, and night. I personally know people who will drink 5 cups a day, and their day can't start unless it's Dunkin' in their cup.

Me? I'm a morning and afternoon crash-recoup coffee girl, and I've been this way for all three years I've been at Lasell. That afternoon crash honestly made one afternoon a week slightly miserable for me, and based on that experience, I've quit coffee unless necessary (my terms of necessary: trying to stay awake for a specific purpose). Cavemen didn't need coffee to make it through the day. Given, cavemen didn't have this much homework, but truth is, we don't need caffeine to do it all-just proper planning and a healthy lifestyle. Peace out, coffee-I'll take this slow-morning start and a glass of water any day.

Crisis Communication

2011-04-20T07:18:00.000-07:00

Today, I got to learn a little something about crisis communication firsthand- coming in to learn that three major local papers wrote online stories about a supposed incident at Lasell on Marathon Monday.

The truth is, a police report was written that made assumptions stating a Lasell student did something that was highly disrespectful to a National Gaurd member during the marathon. Once local newspapers got their hands on it, it was a frenzy. Truth is: not even police have identified who was actually responsible for this disrespectful act, as there was a massive crowd packed with Lasell students, yes-but also locals and out of town visitors.

This morning, it's been up to Michelle to get her hands on the police report itself, see how reporters could have gained that conclusion, get permission to contact the local news sources to get them to fix their stories, and attempt to cease the story from spreading-without making a bigger deal of it by responding too intensely the reporter's about the story's existence, or damaging relationships with these reporters we may wish to send positive stories to in the future.

As for me? I've been lucky to be able to be in on everything-googling the story to find out where it's turned up, I got to look at the police report to understand how reporters may have put this story together, and reading every article I can find to see how it's covered-as well as monitoring student responses on Facebook (which are flooding quickly). Important lessons learned today, that's for sure!

Communication: My "Field of Dreams"

2011-04-14T12:02:00.000-07:00

As I near the day of graduation from Lasell College, my eyes have opened a little wider and I've started to realize just how lucky I am to know what I want to do. The things I've learned, both at Lasell as a student and an intern, have helped me to know exactly what I want career-wise. For me, it's a passion I wake up every day and strive to reach my goal, at night I fall asleep dreaming of the day my goal is achieved. Sometimes, wanting something so badly can be overwhelming, and I need to remind myself to step back and appreciate the opportunities I've had while continuing to work towards my dream. Yet there are many people worldwide who don't have a clue what they want to do. While working at my part-time waitressing job, I find myself amongst a range of people. A highschool student, a college graduate studying for a medical exam, college grads who don't have a clue what they want, and then there's me: mingling among the masses, smiling at every table as I practice my camera-face, and trying not to drop the burning-hot plates and remember every order as if it were critical information for an article at my internship. We could all be a tv series, if MTV wanted to know what's REALLY in the "Real World". Many people have warned me that sometimes, sticking around in a waitressing job is what happens when after graduation, you lose a set schedule. I lose the cozy little office at my internship, I lose the classy-comfortable dorm room in a victorian house, I lose the loan-covered food everyday I pay for with a swipe, I lose the mandatory assignments which keep me on my toes, I lose the constant surrounding of fellow struggling professionals-in-training, I lose the clubs, I lose the professors who so lovingly grace me with advice. Personally? I'm not worried about what I leave behind here. I leave behind four years of hard work and achievements I'm proud of. I worry, instead, about doing too much. Strange to some, but ever since I found what I want, I refuse to fail and have a tendency to overwork myself. Even on spring and winter break, my ClassE blogs can't stop. Nor can my acting, my modeling, my songwriting-or my part-time job, which will now go full-time. The question more is, how do I take what I've learned at my internship and Lasell and make sure I don't get stuck waitressing? Constant pitching of myself is the answer-or so I'm told. But I've been trained to do that, too, from pitching stories at my internship and via practice in internship seminar. Maybe there are other grads like me-we're not worried about having nothing to do, because we won't. We're not worried about finding "a job" to please our parents, because nothing will do except a job connected to what we want. (Even if it means scrubbing the floors of the place we want to be VP). We're worried about survival of the fittest in a world that won't operate on a loan system, that instead sends you bills for loans. But I've found it's best not to overstress yourself about these things for weeks at a time (as I've been doing), but to enjoy your experience and remember the old italian saying, "que seda seda": Whatever will be, will be. I believe it we work hard as we can, what will be is exactly what we've worked for: the goal career in my field of dreams.

Morals in the Story

2011-04-11T07:20:00.001-07:00

Usually, when given an assignment, I ignore every part of me that knows I'm a terrible photographer and go into an event in search of fantastic setups for a shot. I try to keep the camera poised at every possible moment, and hope that one, maybe one, of the 50 or so I take will come out decent enough to land on the web or in the paper. I've been lucky a few times-but for this next event, I'm presented with a challenge: protecting the safety of a speaker at Lasell as I photograph. See, with members of the Secret Service and FBI coming to speak to Lasell students in the criminal justice program this week, it's something that is GREAT to cover from my end. But from theirs, it can be a dangerous risk if someone photographs an agent who may at some point have to go undercover. This leaves me responsible for having to identify who I can and who I can not include in my shots, while also trying to take some that cover the event appropriately. This makes, from my end, a bit of a dilemma: when such esteemed speakers come to Lasell, of course we want to highlight they were there! And who better for a great shot than the entire panel? Now what will I choose as my subject? Yet from a second thought, my morals kick in: No, Emma, this is someone's safety at stake here. And if there's one thing I've learned from my Media Ethics class, it's that being morally and ethically responsible is one of the most respectable things a person can be. In today's society, many reporters are more than willing to do things that can compromise the health, sanity and entire image of an individual just to get a leading story. While temptation is there for any reporter, it's the ones who are the most reputable that in the end will have an enriched career, impressive portfolio and will be granted with trust the more compelling interviews. People want to look good and stay healthy-not too much to ask! Although it's a new challenge, I love being able to be trusted with such responsibility.

The Etiquette of Email

2011-03-30T07:15:00.000-07:00

"Emmmaaaa, Can I plz have a quote from u on ur event? thx!! PS- wana get lunch lata? luv uuuuu!" If I ever received this, I'd delete it. If I ever sent something like this, I'd expect it to be deleted. Unfortunately, with the web at our fingertips and T-9 teaching an ever-growing generation how to communicate with others, it's easy to forget how a proper email is fashioned and just how important it is how we address others. The email sample above would never fly in the professional world, and many students aren't properly trained on how to write a formal email. Not being able to do something simple as craft a professional email can seriously damage one's entire career: you represent a company, therefore everything you write is a direct reflection of the company's standards of professionalism. On the contrary, writing a well-versed and flawlessly punctuated email can give your career that extra boost employers these days are searching for. This skill is something that can truly make an intern stand out. Put simply, writing an email is not similar to writing a Facebook wall post. When I'm crafting an email (because there is a proper structure), I always begin with a greeting. "Dear Tim Thomas," for example, if it's someone I don't know very well. If it's someone I do, it is appropriate to open an email with "Hi Tim," or maybe even "Hey Timmy," if it's your best friend. Next comes the body. If I don't know them, asking for a quote would look something like this: "My name is Emmalyn Anderson, representing the Lasell College Department of Communication in Auburndale, MA. I'm just wondering if you may be willing to provide us with a quote for your upcoming event "Working with Children"? If so it would be greatly appreciated." Introduce yourself, and identify where you're from. It's just plain polite, and otherwise, it may look like spam. Next, respectfully ask permission for what you want. Don't assume anyone is entitled to give you anything. If it's a friend, then you may be more relaxed. Something like this would be acceptable: "I'm currently working on a story for Lasell's Comm. Dept. on your "Working with Children" event, and I'm wondering if you'd be okay with providing me with a quote I could use? We'd really love to pump this story up for you!" In this situation, there's no need for introduction, because we're friends. So jump right into what you need, and suck up a little bit: first, I asked his permission for a quote, again. Still not assuming that because we have drinks every Thursday that I'm entitled to a quote from him. Second, I sucked up a bit: mentioning I'd "really love to pump this story up" shows that because you're close friends, it would be like you're doing a favor as well and shows that you care about what has your friends' name on it. You chose them for the quote because you want to give them media exposure. See? It's all in how you phrase it. Finally, it's time to close the email. For someone I don' t know, this is a pretty standard closing: "I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your time, Emmalyn" This is putting the ball in their court. You let them know their response is waiting on THEIR convenience, with no rush to them. Then, you thank them for taking time out of their busy day to focus on your specific requests, out of the hundreds you should rightfully assume they get. Lastly, I signed my first name, giving them permission to contact me on a first-name basis in the hopes that he may write back in the same fashion and you can be on a now first-name basis to build a relationship with this person in the future. If it is your friend, you can be far more informal with this, but structure is still imperative. "Please let me know if you'd be interested in helping me out on this one. Hope to hear from you soon!, Emma" Here, you're asking for help so that it doesn't seem too much like he'd owe you anything for doing him the favor of "pumping the story up for you." Next, you write "Hope to hear from you soon!" in an excited manner, because you really like this person, but just because you're friends doesn't mean you expect an immediate response. Again, ball in their court. Then, you can sign off with a shortened name that you would give them permission to address you as. And, send. Simple things such as how you open and close your email are an easy way for higher-ups to recognize just how valuable you are to a company. Writing an email may seem easy-but it's the simple time you take to make sure it's properly formatted that can ultimately help or hurt you. What's in your outbox?

Juggle, Juggle, Juggle

2011-03-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

The return from spring break, as previously mentioned, was not exactly seamless. Things ran just as they had before: homework still came out of nowhere, as for me did outside opportunities that seem to land at my feet when I least expect them. But I like my life that way, crazy as it seems.

I'm lucky to have an internship that is very understanding of outside commitments. For many students, school isn't the only thing you do and finding an internship that respects this can be challenging! For example, I like to act outside of school/interning. It's tough sometimes to balance that schedule, aka "juggle" everything, but otherwise it wouldn't be possible to do both what is needed and wanted-although the truth is, I guess I want it all.

Today, I was happy to come into the office dressed for an audition and still be able to receive a warm welcome and well wishes. Although I try my hardest not to mix one job with another, it's important to me that the person whom I am as a whole is accepted wherever I go, and sometimes time schedules prevent me from minor clashing. Some places won't be okay with your image as an artist, of whatever type that may be. Proud to say, this is not the case at Lasell.

Finding this internship has truly been a perfect fit for me this semester. I've been able to juggle so well that I've missed one day due to sickness (not to brag about my near-perfect attendance..okay I'm bragging). If you're looking for someplace that will accept you for who you are and be flexible yet give you responsibilities you'd like to have in an internship-look at Lasell College's Department of Communication. Just, wait til next Fall-I'm not finished until May, and I won't leave any sooner!!

Return to Monday Mornings

2011-03-21T07:31:00.000-07:00

After a much-needed spring break filled with the perfect blend of friends, a little work and a lot of sleep, I find myself back in my cozy office in the Department of Communication here at Lasell with a caramel iced coffee in hand. I look Monday head on, ignoring the screams in my head to go back to sleep, and dive into my first day back at my internship head first: media advisory, web story, big story. Then I hit a bit of a roadblock.

The "big story" is one that I've been working on since the week before break, performing interviews with professors here at Lasell and digging up as much information I can gather. Slowly I've begun piecing together an article, but everything I've written thus far I revise each time I look back on it. Normally, I'd have had this out so much sooner, but every time I do another overlook I find another thing I want to change or a bit of information I forgot and can't bring myself to hit the "send" button for submission. I find myself moving like a turtle on this one. (Slow and steady wins the race, right?) What is going on here?! This can't be me, I don't lag on articles like this!

This is what I've gathered: The Monday morning after spring break is the hardest day of an internship all semester, seeing as at this time for the past week I've been sleeping. I can't seem to put together words on this last article; it's as if I need to re-program my brain! For me, a TRULY hard day isn't one when I have a ton to do. Even on the busiest days, my brain runs on automaticity and just pumps out one thing after another with time flying by.

I, however, refuse to accept defeat from this morning. It's time I throw myself back in the swing of things, multi-tasking like a true winner. My hours might be done in the office, but I'm hitting the send button on this thing by the end of the day. As the mighty Dr. Seuss once said, "I've got a big bat. I'm ready, you see. Now my troubles are going to have trouble with me!"

Learn Something New Every Day

2011-03-09T07:19:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I went out on a fun new assignment to cover author Kathleen O'Shea speaking at Lasell on women aging in prision. Getting out in the field is my favorite thing to do, for several reasons.

For one, I always learn something that I didn't know before about a particular subject. Even if I had previously formed an opinon on the subject, hearing the other side of any subject can only expand my knowledge on what the other side thinks. On the subject of women aging in prison, my general opinion was that they were there for a reason so I had no sympathy. Yet that's not entirely true. What is true is that laws have changed over time, therefore so have the severity of sentences. Some states have such intense laws, i.e., Missouri, that one woman was imprisoned for something her grandson did because since they lived together she was charged as an accessory. Fair? I think not. There was also an imprisoned woman whose wheelchair was stolen by a younger crowd, so she couldn't get to the next building to eat for three days. Terrible things to listen to, but if I never received this assignment I'd never be able to know these different sides of something I thought I knew all about.

Another part of getting out in the field is that I learn something new about reporting itself. My first time out way back in high school, I learned I need a mini-notebook. Next I learned I need a camera, then quotes and interviews, to keep opinions out of things, etc. This time, I learned to always sit at the end of a row in an aisle setting. I thought by sitting in the back I'd be all set, but found quickly that latecomers in this style setting typically make a bee-line for those. I felt awful interrupting people over and over trying to get better angles, but I've got a story to tell and could let nothing stop me from my quest!

In the future, I hope I can continue to go out and cover events at Lasell. To be honest, otherwise I never would have gone to this presentation otherwise, but I'm extremely glad I did!

Proud of my Peers

2011-03-03T10:59:00.000-08:00

It seems to be the busiest time of the year for everybody around here, especially Michelle. Every time I turn around, she's off to take pictures of something new, there's a new email about a new article, or a different project on her backburner. Hectic as her life, to me, may seem, it's great to be able to see the way things are inside of a Communications office. With the Leaves deadline looming, there are billions of things to be done and I'm honored to be able to help with them.

There are some things about being an intern here that are different from most places, however. I get the opportunity to go off-site to help track down photos of a student for the magazine, deadlines vary for web/print, and your work can some days depend solely on the responses of others. At times, it's up to our office to be the "annoying person"-if we NEED THAT QUOTE! It's very different than most industries, which is why I find I enjoy it so very much. I'm not usually one to sit still (in fact, I find that hard to do even when I should be relaxing), so I love the opportunity to constantly have different projects to work on. There's always a new interview, new assignment, new project. It's also teaching me quite a bit about my peers at Lasell, too.

Sometimes, I hear my peers say that Lasell students are "lazy", that Lasell is "easy" and boring. Yet I don't feel that way about my soon-to-be alma mater, and I'm finding neither do many of the students around me. The more articles I write and research I do on my peers, the more I find there are students here doing great things. Just like everywhere else in life, it's up to YOU to seize opportunity, or create them for yourself if you don't see them! Writing stories on my peers helps me to network with other students here that are taking advantage of what Lasell has to offer-and there's a lot here, in every department, if you know where to look and have the drive to succeed.

It's up to you, as a person, to find those challenges. This isn't preschool, and nobody's going to hold your hand. If you're dedicated then someone may point you in the right direction, but only you can put one foot in front of the other, and I'm proud to be a part of documenting the accomplishments of my peers.

Road to the Real World

2011-03-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

It finally feels as if spring may be creeping upon us this morning. While I didn't shudder from the cold for once, I did find myself quivering with the knowledge that graduation is right around the corner! Finding a job, an apartment-all very scary things while you're trying to finish copious amounts of homework.

One thing I'm proud to say I'm not worried about, however, is if I'm prepared for my first job. For the past few months, I'd secretly been wondering if I'm fully prepared to tackle the "real world". Yet the more I paid attention to it and dipped my paws in by sending emails, making phone calls and producing articles here, I've learned a secret: those "real-world" professionals I'd so feared are no different than me at all. The only difference is while I've been improving my portfolio to impress them, they've been working steadily to produce the same media to attract the attention of people like, well, me.

There are people in my class that sadly have never had an internship, and have made no conscious effort to get one. For them I feel terrible, as I know the feeling of wondering if I'm cut out for the jobs I want so badly. If not for my internship, I'd have had no idea that I'm on the exact same playing field as the "real world", just with a fresh mind to the field.

This being said, I'm grateful to say I feel as if I've taken the right road to the real world by being able to take this internship opportunity within the Communication department. Education is the foundation, but hands-on experience is irreplaceable!

Gotta go-back to writing! :)

Refreshing the Page

2011-02-24T12:13:00.000-08:00

There are so many more fun experiences to be had in this internship than simply "refreshing the page" of my inbox, but today that seems to be the form of media bringing me the largest wealth of information for articles I'm working on. Finding quotes, tracking down photos, following up with others, you know.

One very exciting experience I was offered today was to see Fox 25's on campus appearance taking B-roll for a story! Honestly, there's nothing I'd rather be doing..except making money, I suppose. Which is, unfortunately, exactly what is holding me back from partaking in today's fun. Work.

Sometimes, it can be difficult balancing a job, school, and an internship, as well as other random extracurriculars that I won't bore you with. There are so many opportunities that arise from simply being someplace at the right time-meeting a new guest speaker in class whom you could network with, learning your company needs a new manager that could pay you more money, or great opportunities like I've had going to the BSO.

There's a very lucky girl, sitting up here in the Communication Department-it may sometimes feel like I'm "everywhere", but it's great to know that other people see me going "somewhere" enough to extend such opportunities my way. Hopefully, I can make the next one!

Swimming In a Sea of Information

2011-02-17T11:41:00.000-08:00

Today being my long day here (long being four hours), there was tons of work to be done! After knocking off a media advisory and web story, I've gone back to two other stories I've been working on.

Have you ever felt like you've injested so much information on one topic that you need to step back for a moment? I feel a little that way right now, bouncing back between both stories. Hence the blog-break, as I call it. One of them is very fun, one is very informational however through my research today I've gained a wealth of knowlegde; a "sea of information" that I've been swimming through and trying to sort.

Today, I've re-learned that instead of constantly tackling things head-on as is my usual practice, it can be best sometimes to step back a minute from something and come back with a fresh eye for it.

The best break I think I could have asked for at this time came in the form of a call from Michelle asking me to meet her, along with President Alexander and a cameraman, in the Klingbiel parking lot. There, she taped my reaction to a very interesting sight. Wish I could tell you more about it, but that would ruin a bit of a surprise we've got going on here.

Gotta love working in the world of PR-never know what's coming next!

Girl On A Mission

2011-02-16T06:07:00.000-08:00

I feel like a Facebook addict this morning, constantly refreshing the home page as I sit here with my yummy iced coffee and digital piles of microsoft word documents. You may wonder, isn't there something else she should be doing with her time in an internship? Nope. I'm doing research.

Facebook has become the newest, most convenient and effecient form of communication. I've found in trying to ask my fellow students in person what top 5 things they have in their dorm room for a story, they "don't have time" to chat or they can't think of it on the spot. Unless I knock door to door, there's no way I could get these answers. Which certainly is a possibility, however if there's a more productive route I'm going to take it. With Facebook, I post the question in a status, and am able to gain responses at the convenience of others as they are in their rooms looking around at what they appreciate most (I'm assuming laptop will come in at number one, but I may be wrong). Another benefit of using a Facebook status is the ability to reach a much broader audience. Here at Lasell, I could knock door to door. I could take the T to other institutions across Boston, however online I'm reaching my girl friends in NYC. My boyfriend's friend's in FL. My old friends in SC, and my friends who've transferred to ME.

See? Instant nationwide varied responses-well, at least if I keep refreshing the home page.

Intern-Mania!

2011-02-11T07:34:00.000-08:00

One thing I love about Lasell is how small of a tight-knit community it is. For two of my major stories right now, I'm emailing people I haven't talked to in a long time about something they're doing and it's a great way to re-connect! Not only am I building a fantastic portfolio, but I'm able to follow what new and great things people I know are doing. I'm finding I've surrounded myself with quite an impressive crowd around here!

Another thing I'm truly enjoying is the wealth of information I take in every day. Each time I receive a story, I feel a rush to know more about it. If there's a website associated with any story (which most of the time, there is) I'm following it. Maybe I don't need to know every bit of information on every story, but it's those little background details that I feel give a piece a little something extra. I'll dive into a bio about a company founder, history of an organization, what goes on at each location branch, details of a competition.

I'm finding each day I work, I'm learning something new. Will I ever use the fact that Evelyn Murphy was Lt. Governer in 1986, or that The Food Project's Boston location is rooftop at the Boston Medical Center? Maybe, maybe not. But it's kind of like reading the book "How to Move Mt. Fuji" or "Why Flamingos Wear Pink"-I walk away chock-full of new information, and that's a great start to my day.

Emmalyn

Nice To Meet You

2011-02-10T12:23:00.000-08:00

Hi there! I'm Emmalyn, the Communication Department's newest Spring 2011 intern, and I will be taking over this blog from now until May. I hope you enjoy hearing about my journey!

I've been here for about a week now, and already feel right at home with my own adorable little office and Michelle always happy to help with any questions my mind can manage to rack up!

Last Thursday, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the Boston Symphony Orchestra's Project Beethoven Fashion Desgin Competition at Symphony Hall in Boston. It felt GREAT to be sitting second row to the runway, taking notes and absorbing the glamorous atmosphere filled with patrons boasting glasses of fine wine, donned lavish fur coats. Among the attendees were Professor Ruppert, Dean Austin and Jim Ostrow, whom were great to talk to!

I truly appreciate, as someone who aspires to become an entertainment reporter, being able to have had the opportunity to be given such freedom within my first few days on-site at this internship. I love the feeling of responsibility, seeing the final-draft of a story I put hard work into, and even the editing/research process I'm finding I enjoy, too. I love coming up with all the answers to a story, watching it piece together!

As of right now, I'm working on a story on a previous alumni profile and highlighting some of Lasell's upcoming events in February/March. I'm finding the Lasell faculty to be so helpful when it comes to needing information/quotes/interviews..sometimes as a reporter that can be so difficult, yet here I seem to have half the stress than I've battled in the entertainment world!

Here's to more amazing stories-and nice to meet you!

Emmalyn

Insane Schedule Today

2010-03-02T08:49:00.001-08:00

So I have a bunch of work that Michelle needs me to do today, she is very busy herself and I think everyone is just aware that there is a lot that needs to get done. I have to go to a doctors appointment in less then an hour and will have to finish some of this work later tonight at home. There is never enough time in the day! I think the word for this situation that we are in is chaos. Sounds about right to me.

Much To Do About Everything

2010-02-25T07:31:00.000-08:00

So I had the opportunity to take some photos for the Leaves alumni newspaper the other night. I really enjoyed myself, took a bunch of pictures and had a great time doing it! Of course now I have to look through 60+ pictures and have to write a story to go along with them. And next week I am expecting more work involving the Haute for Haiti. I say bring it on! I am enjoying this week immensely and would not change any of it. Michelle is very busy and hopefully I can help her get some of the extra work off her plate. Well I have to get back to writing this story, so I must go. Until next time.

Sick But Back In The Game!

2010-02-16T08:10:00.001-08:00

Well I have been sick the past few days (food poisoning is not fun), and it feels like it has been such a long time since I was last in the office with Michelle. But today I am here and things are back to normal! I walked in today with a bunch of things on my plate to do and I am eager to take them on. Anyways it is back to work, figured I would write a short update today when I had the chance :)

Third Week Awesome!

2010-02-09T08:34:00.000-08:00

I sat in on a phone conference with Michelle earlier and soon I will be going to the student voices panel, not sure what to expect but then again I never do. It has been an awesome week so far and its only Tuesday! It is great working with Michelle, the assignments are never the same but I am not used to this way of working. One day I am in the office and the next day I am taking pictures at Day Middle School? At least I am not making coffee runs and copying hundreds of pieces of paper :) This is the sort of work environment that I imagine when I think of a good job. Little restrictions, people help each other. and practically no commute!

Haiti Service

2010-02-01T06:48:00.000-08:00

Last week I had the opportunity to go to the prayer service for Haiti. I did not know what to expect but after listening to the speakers I have to say I was moved. It was a very emotional event, students, faculty, staff, and Lasell Village members where all there. The audience was as diverse as can be. I was particularly impressed with Reverend Jerry Madkins and the Haitians guest speakers who sung a song in there native tongue. While I was in the audience listening to the service, I was also taking pictures for Michelle. Afterwords Tara Rufo interviewed me and asked me my general opinion about the service. It was a great experience and I know everyone who attended the service was touched in some way by the combination of prayer, speech, and song.

First Week Interning

2010-01-26T08:36:00.001-08:00

Well, as the title says, this is my first week interning for Michelle Gaseau. I really enjoy the working environment, the varied daily assignments, and the people here are great also! Everyone is very friendly and I am being eased into the world of Public Relations. In about one hour I will be interviewing Marc Fournier about the Recyclemania program here at Lasell and writing a story about the accomplishments Lasell College has made towards being a green campus! The best part about this internship is that I have no idea what will happen next, no work day is the same as the last, and that keeps things interesting.

Wrapping up the Semester with Some Holiday Fun

2009-12-01T06:57:00.000-08:00

As the semester comes to an end, I look forward to many of the events that CAB, Lasell, and Center for Spiritual Life sponsor. At the end of every semester there is a school-wide symposium which I have never had the opportunity to actually observe. All four years going here I have been a part of it; whether having a presentation in Rosen or a project on display in De Witt hall. This Symposium begins next Tuesday and continues on until Friday. I look forward to seeing the interesting projects that students have been working on as well as the refreshments, and sense of unity that this particular event provides. There is nothing better then seeing your classmates and friends all dressed up presenting what they have learned, as I learn more about the people I go to school with and the different connected learning projects that have been offered. It increases my school pride dramatically when I see some of the outstanding projects students have put together here.

It is finally the Holiday season and I am beginning to see events like "the giving tree" and holiday fest show up on my agenda. I can not wait to attend Holiday fest today... I love the holiday season!!!

From Cradles to Lasell Village

2009-11-24T08:16:00.000-08:00

Lasell College's media relations class hosted a fundraising event at the Campus center last Thursday. The event was called "Rock the Cradle", and it consisted of a dance party with food and drinks in which admission was either 1$ or a winter clothing item. Erin Dologhan's media relations class organized this event, which raised 200$ for Cradles to Crayon's "gearing up for winter" clothing drive. The fundraiser also collected many jackets and other winter gear. DJ Mr-Rea was on the turn tables during the dance, as there was also food, popcorn and drinks available. I attended this event, took many pictures and enjoyed the music. I think more people would have gone if the dance party was later in the evening, (it ran from 7:30-1030)

This morning I had the opportunity to attend probably one of the cutest events I have been to in months. Since Thanksgiving is on Thursday, children from the Rockwell Nursery school came to sing and hang out with the residents of Lasell Village. This nursery school children come for most holidays and many of the Village residents such as Mrs. Kaplan and Mrs. Thurber visit this school multiple times a week. I loved seeing the cute little kids dressed up as Native Americans singing and drumming (on their hand-crafted drums). The teachers were very nice and energetic as well. It was definitely a nice way to start my day, reminding me of youth and the purity of little children!

Project ACES

2009-11-10T06:45:00.000-08:00

What a fabulous idea! Students from the Boston Renaissance School came to visit two Thurdays ago for Lasell's Awareness Confidence Education Success (ACES) program. CCBL ran a couple of days full of entertainment for these students as they explored the campus as if it were their own. The students were given campus tours, time to build their futures electronically, time to play basketball, classroom activities and time to simply indulge in our campus dining hall/ 1851.

I met these students to take pictures in the 1851. They got very excited when they saw that I had a camera and their leader James had them pose for some very cute photos. Next I followed them into Wolfe hall, where I watched as several of the classrooms were used for the students to play facilitated games.

It was adorable too, there were 44 students and many of them knew a lot about college already! I remember being that age and not knowing ANYTHING about college life. What a great Idea to give kids early exposure to college in order to mark it in their minds as an ultimate goal.

Light the Night Walk

2009-10-22T07:56:00.001-07:00

I interviewed with Seth Mantie of CCBL Tuesday, in order to learn more about the successful Light the Night walk which took place Last Thursday night at the Boston Common. Seth informed me that Lasell had impressive participation/ representation, having had the biggest team out of 27 colleges, even big inner-city school colleges! We raised almost 1800$ for the Leukemia Lymphoma society as well and it was a unifying experience despite the cold. How impressive!!!

Fall Interviews

2009-10-22T07:24:00.000-07:00

Wow.. This semester is flying by!

In the midst of school, work and figuring out what my life will consist of post December graduation, I have been learning a lot of very interesting things through interviewing people and writing for this internship.

Michelle and I interviewed Mairead Van Heest of Sodexo dining in order to get the scoop on how Lasell's dining has become "more green". I learned many things from this interview. As a student that dines in the cafeteriea, I was suprised that I had not heard of many of the things Mairead told us. After the interview I noticed that the tables started having informative fliers on them, regarding the changes Lasell has made.

I learned that the trey belt they installed this semester is more energy efficient because it allows for students to not have to use a tray in order to send their dishes back into the kitchen. I also learned that excess vegetable oil is being recycled and used to heat homeless shelters this winter. Lastly, regarding heat, NStar has agreed to use Lasell for a pilot study this spring, allowing for students to control their own heat consumption. Lasell in turn, is going to offer their students prizes for having the most energy efficient residence hall.

Some other things I have learned include Lasell's purchase of sustainable fairtrade coffee and Nalgene bottles that offer each student a refill of a 16 oz. beverage for the price of a 12 oz. beverage once refilled. There are also now candy bars available at the campus center whose benefits go back toward stophunger.

Last but certainly not least Lasell is going to offer a can drive, with hopes of entering the Guinness Book of World Records.

Lunch with Liz Walker

2009-10-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

Before Liz Walker gave her breath-taking speech on Tuesday, Michelle and I (joined by a couple of other faculty) sat down in Valentine dining hall for a lunch chat with her. My first thought: what a powerful lady. Her presence alone radiated power as she probably stood at least a foot taller then myself, and knew how to start, entertain, and animate the conversation! What a lady, I thought. We chatted about a trip to Israel she had made, and her overall humanitarian work, Liz's activates for Women's rights, poverty, Sudan and domestic violence. She is also part of a church group. I was tremendously inspired by her sophistication.

And then it was time for her speech. Michelle and I grabbed a video camera from IT and made our way up to De Witt where we occupied the first row. Her speech gave me the feeling that you get at weddings and graduations. She related the subject of connection to how everyone in the world is connected, and brought up the irony and importance of real life. The irony being that there are so many people living their lives stressed out everyday, on their cell phones, making money,listening to static that the world has created for itself, forgetting to pay attention to their inner- most voices.

Walker calls these "voices" callings, that we cannot neglect. She based her speech around three themes: taking risks, answering your callings and connections in order to educate us about the importance of finding your innermost passion and taking risks in order to do what you feel you were meant to do on this earth. Discussing the true essence of life and continuously quoting Martin Luther King, Walker did an amazing job of making me realize A) how lucky I am and B) How I can't let my life pass me by without following my calling. I personally feel like I know what I was put on this planet to do. Walker said that callings were what your contribution to the world was meant to be, considering that we are all connected, in conjunction with everyone else.

Having lunch with Liz Walker prior to her speech showed me how humble she was on top of inspirational and proactive. I really look forward to hearing Liz speak again. What a lady!

Lasell's Sukkot

2009-10-08T11:50:00.001-07:00

Today I celebrated the Jewish festival of Sukkot for the first time ever! Located directly to the left of Carpenter house, the tent- like, topless Sukkot occupied about an 8'x 10' block. Barbara Asinger did a fabulous job of gathering candy apples and hot apple cider for the celebration and Michelle and I sat in and observed the holiday as students passed through. I learned that the celebration was created in order to show appreciation for the sweetness of life.

I love attending unexpected events such as this, considering I am not jewish...and look forward to more to come. It is important for me to attend these events also in order to write more vividly about them in describing to the community how Lasell is becoming more spiritually diverse.

When I first got into the Sukkot, it was so nice just being able to feel the cool fall wind blowing through my hair and looking at the foliage. The event gave me a feeling of prosperity, with proof that one does not need to necessarily be Jewish in order to appreciate the celebration of another religion.

Lasell has a new campus!

2009-10-07T20:59:00.000-07:00

And alas I finally saw it... getting out of my car behind McClelland I walked onto the courtyard area that now constitutes the front of East and West. I had only seen it from afar, and hadn't had the opportunity to stop over by that part of campus .. so finally seeing it was quite the experience for me.

At a glance I thought "It is now almost like Lasell College has a stronger pulse." The campus seems so much more alive, with the new workout area overlooking the courtyard... guitar players, skateboarders and socializing students inhabiting the first enclosed, lighted area...ALL promoting a new sense of community. What a fabulous way to get Lasell students to connect with each other more!

While I had ventured over to this new territory simply to grab a book from a friend living in West, I thought about how different my college experience would have been, had that area existed when I was an underclassman. Feelings of jealousy and pride are the only things that I feel when I think about what could have been, thinking about the progress Lasell has made over the years.... becoming a four year college, going co-ed... all of the recent improvements Lasell has made, becoming more competitive and accommodating..... I am only left to conclude that I could not be happier to be helping Michelle out with Lasell's PR at such a progressive/imperative time.

Runway 2009/Marathon Monday

2009-04-17T10:26:00.000-07:00

Runway 2009 is fast approaching, senior show is May 2 so mark your calenders. And if you don't make it, check out the fabulous collections online after the show, hopefully they'll have it up there asap.

On another (sad) note, my internship at the NewtonTAB is over and now I am ready to buckle down and write those final papers. It's so hard to do homework when it's almost 70 degrees out like today, but the library is open until midnight most nights so I'll get to lay in the sun AND do my work. Probably. Plus, everyone usually scrambles to finish their final projects and papers a week before school ends so you're sure to see a bunch of your friends there which makes it not so bad.

MARATHON MONDAY is in two days!!! The race goes right past our school and there are always crowds of students everywhere celebrating. We have school off which is great. You really get to enjoy the atmosphere and relax before finals hit. It's funny to mention Marathon Monday to other schools not in the area or out-of-state friends, they have no idea what this "holiday" is all about.

If you really want to get a taste of what Lasell is like, walk around campus Marathon Monday. There's sure to be a cook-out or two :)

We NEED a Lasell Fashion Store!

2009-04-03T08:33:00.001-07:00

As my birthday quickly approaches (17 more days wooooo) I am obsessively hunting for THE perfect dress. I googled, yahoosearched, and looked at all the stores' websites for exactly what I was looking for, something loud and bright. And no luck.

I wish Lasell had a fashion store where you could buy student designs' or request something to be made (for an affordable price). The collections at last year's Runway 2008 fashion show were amazing; most I would have even purchased for myself and a lot were impressively sewn and constructed. Some of my friends' are designers and their work is so original and inventive. I remember a few that would have fit my birthday criteria perfectly.

On another fabulous fashion note, Lasell will be in another design competition at the Natick Collection called Form to Fashion. Lasell will present student garments at the Neiman Marcus court for a few weeks in May while mall-goers vote on their fave.

Mount Ida, Framingham State and The School for Fashion Design are competing also...but of course I am biased :)

Boomer the TorchBearer?

2009-03-25T20:53:00.000-07:00

The mascot was revealed tonight. There was a loottt of people. I did not expect sooo many students to show up and it wasn't just the pizza that got them there. They handed out flashlights in the beginning (making us confused at first) but then during the presentation they had the atheletes flashing them and whatnot, so it made sense.

President Alexander rocked out a Lasell t-shirt and running sneakers. His speech was theatrical and entertaining, except I think people were too excited to listen to the whole thing.

Well, Boomer the TorchBearer is our new Mascot! And yes I know it sounds silly at first and may not make sense but: 1. torches are a big part of Lasell history and are used in graduation ceremonys and 2. the people who founded Lasell in 1851 were nicknamed "boomers".

Clever, easy to remember and "historically based"...do you think it was a good name?

Post-vacation

2009-03-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

So it's back to work for me. Spring break was too short, I miss the sunshine!

In my last post I pointed just out how frantic I was with assignments in the beginning of the week and just how relieved I felt for spring break week.

Well, I'm thinking maybe the whole "frenzied and frantic" me from last week is just me...

Yesterday was my first day back to class. We had an assignment due and I completely blanked and didn't do it. Today I rushed to get to class by 3, except once I got there I remembered my class doesn't start until 4! Oh, and at work today, I almost walked out without my sunglasses and with a co-worker's coffee, thinking it was mine.

Maybe I need another week off Michelle and Gail? Please?

I can't get too upset today because the snow is gone, the sun is shining and I got a parking space in my lot :) The landscapers were out on campus today lawn mowing and doing yard work. Spring is finally coming! The campus looks so beautiful when spring hits…its one of the main reasons why I chose Lasell. I am excited that my dorm this year has a porch and a large lawn; my friends and I are definitely going to break out the beach chairs and tan once it’s warm.

Last year one girl dragged her mattress outside to lay on it in the sun…not sure if that’s allowed but it was a great idea.

Also, I attended a Women in Islam speech this morning. I learned a lot about the aspects of Islam, the struggles Muslim women face and sexuality-based aspects of the Koran.

Although, after the presentation I did walk out of the auditorium looking for my car in the parking lot and started to flip out when I couldn’t find it...until I realized I parked in the street.

Spring Break next week!

2009-03-13T12:36:00.000-07:00

Spring Break is next week and I couldn’t be happier.

Five days in Florida lying on the beach and two days sitting at home doing absolutely nothing. The perfect week if I do say so myself!

Monday and Tuesday of this week were absolutely hectic. I had deadlines for the TAB and my Magazine & Feature writing class, assignments due to Michelle, a test in Publication Editing and an internship evaluation “essay” for Field Experience.

Everyone thinks I’m crazy for taking on so much my last semester of senior year, but in this economy I need to do anything and everything to put me ahead of the competition. The way I have been trying to see it is, I have the rest of my life to party and most of my friends still have a year of college left so I can visit them if I’m missing the “college life”.

Plus, there’s always enrolling in grad school: new friends, new classes and possibly a new city.

Also, internships are a way to learn what I hate and love in a career while I’m still in school, rather than figuring it out by having to quit job after job because I’m unhappy.

I will miss Lasell but for right now all I am worrying about is how to stuff a week’s worth of bathing suits and maxi-dresses into a carry-on.

Have a great spring break everyone! :)

Community politics...a learning experience

2009-03-13T12:32:00.000-07:00

I had to cover a Sherborn selectmen meeting recently. When the Sherborn editor and my Newton editor asked me, I of course said yes even though I had never even heard of Sherborn.

And yes, I admit. I googled what a selectmen was.

I studied the news site about the issues that were to be discussed at the meeting and when I got there, realized I was way over my head. The terms “motion” and “bid” were thrown around in discussion over the construction of a new garage. I had no idea what was going on!

After the first (almost 4 hour) meeting, I had all the information down, quotes, figures etc…but had no clue what most of it meant. Thank goodness for the Sherborn editor and the Sherborn Town Administrator, they saved my life! The editor reminded me to write the article in “laymen’s” terms so I could stop being nervous about how to use the political and architectural phrases. I was to write for the people who read the Sherborn paper, not for a lawyer or architect.

I went to a follow-up meeting on the garage and knew exactly what they were saying and understood almost everything.

Michelle, who worked in newspapers, gave me tips and taught me that these types of meetings are the “bread and butter” of community newspapers. And although the meetings and politics can be complicated, the task is usually thrown to an intern or newbie reporters.

I’m glad I learned these lessons now. Perhaps I won’t get so nervous when I have to report on Newton’s 24 aldermen; Sherborn only had 3 (selectmen).

Thank goodness for my camera!

2009-03-10T20:26:00.000-07:00

When I left the TAB in Needham the other day, a car crash happened right in front of me! So the journalist in me grabbed a camera and took a few pictures of the damage and sent them to a reporter at the Needham newspaper. (Don't worry, no one was hurt!)Just goes to show, if you wanna be in journalism, always carry a camera. You never know what may happen!

Oh, and here is what I did for an assignment for the TAB. We took pictures of the aldermens' sidewalks. Some were perfectly shoveled and well, others were awful. I almost fell flat on my butt a few times and people were staring at me trying to take these pictures. Either they thought I was crazy or I was some secret photog.

So, what exactly do I do?

2009-03-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

I guess I never really explained what I do as a Communications Intern...

I work in the Office of Communication alongside Michelle Gaseau, the Director. I help Michelle put together stories for the school website and alumni newsletter. If there are possible story pitches, I usually contact the person involved or research the event or speaker. Then Michelle will ask me to create a media advisory notice or a blurb for a weekly "what's going on at Lasell" email.

For instance, today I attended a Torture and Democracy talk, something that I probably would not have gone too if it was not assigned. Michelle was away at a conference and wanted me to see how it was. Although the topic of torture is not generally a preferred subject for me, the speaker was entertaining and informative. I assume that I will write up a short blurb about it as an assignment tomorrow morning, which will help me practice reporting on events.

The assignments I am given are always varied, which keeps the days I work from blurring together. I am learning a lot about public relations and writing; two valuable skills that I can take with me to my future job in communications (well, hopefully I'll find a job in communications!)

Oh, they’re complimentary...

2009-02-27T12:42:00.000-08:00

“Oh, they’re complimentary” …being a reporter is great

I now officially understand the perks of being considered “the media”. As a Newton TAB reporter, I was able to snag floor seats to the Boston Symphony Orchestra last Thursday night (and the post-concert Project Runway fashion reception).

(The fabulous designs at the finale of the Project Mozart runway show...)

Funny thing that happened: I noticed someone sitting in front of me with a faux-hawk hairdo who was writing during the concert. I found out later that it was Jonathan Soroff of the Improper Bostonian, who ended up “hosting” the Project Mozart runway show after the concert. Weird, right? I felt sort-of important—for about 5 minutes—when I found out I had just as good of seats as he did.)

Thursday was the last night for Project Mozart, a fashion design competition that challenged participants to create a garment inspired by the work of Mozart. Five Lasell College students and one from Mount Ida were chosen for the competition so the TAB sent me there to cover it. It would have been a great local story if someone from Newton had won. But I still wrote the article anyway from a local angle (necessary for community journalism) and sent it to the editor for deadline day.

I opened the paper the next day and found that my article got bumped for a more regional piece (appearing in all the TABs) that didn’t just focus on the Newton students. Oh well, I learned that sometimes you write something for nothing except the experience, but hopefully it will end up on Newton’s website at least.

I wasn’t upset because just being able to go to the BSO was a great experience in itself (I had never been before). I even brought my ice fishing, flannel-hat-wearing boyfriend…who loved it.

Even if you aren’t a die-hard classical music fan, the BSO is a fun way to explore Boston and just do something different. It even has discounted tickets for students and is right on the MBTA line, so there are no excuses to do the same thing every night.

Meeting Industry People

2009-02-25T10:57:00.000-08:00

Thank goodness for that long President’s Day weekend we just had!

I love being at Lasell, but everyone needs a break from classes and internships now and again. Plus, I think too many late night trips to the Campus Center for delicious pancakes and buffalo chicken wraps are taking their toll…

I had a really interesting class last week in Publication Editing, with adjunct Professor Patrick Kennedy, who works at Boston University as an editor in the Office of Creative Services. He arranged for us to have a Q and A with Joe Keohane, former editor of the Weekly Dig. Keohane was personable, down to earth, and taught us a lot. He told us about the dynamics between writer and editor, teaching us that in order to be a journalist, you cannot be overly sensitive. You’re going to get your work edited, cut and sometimes completely overhauled, he said.

Personally, I used to hate whenever a teacher would grab that infamous red pen and “ruin” my work. But now I realize editing can be good for you and helps you grow as a writer.

I also recently attended an Intercultural Communication seminar hosted by the International Association for Business Communicators for FREE. Plus the seminar’s featured speaker was the author of the book we used in my intercultural communication class. Now that’s what I call “Connected Learning”, (Lasell’s motto f.y.i)

I thought that whole “Connected Learning” idea was just a motto, but I'm really seeing that this is how Lasell delivers education.

Hey Everyone!

2009-02-17T06:59:00.001-08:00

My name is Shannon, and I am a senior at Lasell. I am a fashion merchandising major with a minor in communications. I work on campus for the Registrar’s Office: I am the one who puts up class cancellations at 8:30am in 9 degree weather and helps angry students who can’t get into their preferred classes :)

I am interning with Michelle, the Director of Communications in the Office of Communications. I learn about media relations and assist her with gaining press for Lasell. I sometimes work from my room, sometimes at Klingbeil (the Institutional Advancement building), or I am running around campus. It’s a lot of fun, I never know what assignment or task I’m given next. This blog is one of them!

I also intern at the weekly newspaper Newton TAB; my fancy job title is “correspondent” (so cool!). I write stories for the paper and help the Editor with proofreading and formatting. I just edited something that said “pubic administration” instead of "public administration"…can you imagine if that went into the paper?!! Yesterday I got to write the Police blog. It’s funny to read what weekly “crime” happens in Newton, which is hardly any.