Messages from Alumni
We want to hear from our alumni. To post a message, go to our Alumni Form.
- Messages from 2008
- Messages from 2007
- Messages from 2006
- Messages from 2005
- Messages from 2004 (September - December)
- Messages from 2004 (Prior to September)
- Messages from 2003
- Messages from 2002
- Messages from 2001
| Date Posted: November 13, 2007 Name: Jeremy Paredes Year Graduated: 2007 Location: Woodbridge, VA 22193 USA Email Address: jparedes@redpegmarketing.com Employer: RedPeg Marketing Message: Hi SMAD! I started working the week after graduation (something that I do regret, take some time off, Class of 2008!) at RedPeg Marketing, an experiential-marketing agency headquartered in Alexandria, VA. It's a very different type of marketing, and rather than explaining it, check out our case studies at www.redpegmarketing.com. We work with various clients like Anheuser-Busch, GEICO, the National Guard, Choice Hotels and Chase Bank to name a few. I've been in many different roles since coming back to RedPeg (I interned here) and have been traveling a ton. I'm actually coordinating the Intern Program which is a lot of fun. I'm recruiting for Spring '08 right now but if you're looking for a summer internship, let me know, I'd love to bring some Smadders on board. Speak to you all soon! |
| Date Posted: November 8, 2007 Name: Katie Austen Year Graduated: 2007 Location: Silver Spring, MD Email Address: katie_austen-cw@discovery.com Employer: Discovery Communications, Inc. Message: Ok, just wanted to quickly update my current employment status. After working for 6 months (hard to believe) at a small online marketing firm in Bethesda, MD, E-site Marketing, in the Interactive Media department doing everything from banner ad concepts to google search engine optimization (so scary) I finally realized that this job was going nowhere. Great company, even better co-workers, but it was absolutely not going to help in the long run at all. So, I decided to apply for a Production Assistant position at Discovery, and now, here I am typing on my computer on the 4th floor of the Discovery Tech Center. I work for the UK Reversioning Project. Those silly Europeans speak diff...better then we do, so I get to rewrite the scripts. My producers/editors edit the programs more appropriate for our European audience, and I rewrite the scripts accordingly. So far, so good. |
| Date Posted: November 8, 2007 Name: Chris Clarke Year Graduated: 2003 Location: Arlington, VA 22204 USA Email Address: clarketc@gmail.com Employer: SYColeman Message: Hey Everyone, It's been about 2 years since I posted and felt nostalgic after viewing some posts. I have been working at SYColeman in Arlington for the past four years. I moved from multimedia specialists to web developer and eventually to technical director of Army.mil the Army's official site. I left that position after a year and a half in the capable hands of Dan Drinkard (former SMAD alum). Currently I am the technical lead managing websites and content management for multiple foreign audiences in a million different languages. The work is exciting because I get to step out of communications for English only audiences and examine new media from a foreign perspective. I get to travel abroad occasionally and interface with many intelligent people from wide backgrounds. My advice to advance through the field is to be friendly, keep learning, and be free thinking. There are always opportunities to advance if you keep driving yourself. |
| Date Posted: October 31, 2007 Name: Matt Moore Year Graduated: 1994 Location: Bristow, VA 20136 Prince William Email Address: matt@zinedigital.com Employer: 'zine! DigitalCommunications Inc. Message: Hello all, just wanted to keep everyone posted on the mad doings of Matt. After Producing and Creative Directing for 12 years, I set up my own company and it's been a phenomenal roller coaster ride. The lessons I learned at JMU under Woody, Turner & Co. keep coming back to me on at least a weekly basis. Excited to see what the rest of you have been up to! Matt |
| Date Posted: October 19, 2007 Name: Kristin Naylor Year Graduated: 2006 Location: Arlington, VA 22201 USA Email Address: kristinnaylor@gmail.com Employer: Cohen Milstein Hausfeld & Toll PLLC Message: Hello SMAD people! I graduated a year and a half ago and it has been a wild (yet very valuable) ride professionally since then. Spring of my senior year, I decided to apply to grad school for something fairly unrelated to the SCOM and SMAD field. Partway through my first semester in Ohio (8 hours from good ol JMU) I realized that I was trying to fit this other interest of mine into what I really loved - designing, creating and what I like to call "corporate communicating." I packed up my bags and said goodbye to 30 page papers and went out on a limb and contacted my old SMAD buddies try that elusive term "networking." I was amazed at how supportive and helpful my former classmates and friends were - one even helped me land a sweet summer internship at an amazing ad agency in DC. I worked my behind off there (and had the skills to do it thanks to Dr. Holman's intense classes) and was offered a full time job from a client, which is where I am now. The job is perfect for me - I design ads, newsletters, invitations, maintain the web site and manage marketing projects! No day is boring and I am finally doing what I love. Go SMAD. |
| Date Posted: October 10, 2007 Name: Kevin Freiberger Year Graduated: 2007 Location: Falls Church, VA 22044 US Email Address: kevin.freiberger@gmail.com Employer: Fleishman-Hillard Message: Hey all, I am at work, and I needed a break, so I decided to post. After graduating in May, I spent the rest of my summer in Ashby working in a steel factory and job searching. Awesome, I know. After getting some money together, I moved up to Falls Church VA and took a job with Fleishman-Hillard in the heart of DC. I have been working here for about 2 and a half months now, and it's great. I am part of the web development team in our digital practice group. There are some other older SMAD alum here too. We do some amazing client work from TheAntiDrug.com and AboveTheInfluence.com, to Blackberry and AT&T, to the King of Saudi Arabia and Government of Turkey. Everyone here is really awesome, and the working atmosphere can't be beat. I've learned more in 2 months than I could ever imagine. Well I guess I should get back to work. I hope to see some friends back at homecoming in a few weeks! Stay cool SMAD. |
| Date Posted: October 5, 2007 Name: Carrie Muhleman Year Graduated: 2007 Location: Virginia Beach, VA 23455 United States Email Address: cem2170@email.vccs.edu Employer: Bayville Golf Club Message: So I graduated with a Print Journalism degree and now I'm the Landscape Manager at Bayville Golf Club, a ridiculously beautiful (and expensive) private club on the Chesepeake Bay. I'm currently working on a master's degree in horticulture, which the golf club is paying for, and have managed to move into an apartment by the beach all by myself. It's pretty cool. Soon, I'm going to be freelancing for some gardening magazines, which isn't exactly what I had in mind when I started out in SMAD in 2004, but it'll do. In fact, none of what I'm doing right now is exactly what I had in mind, but I'm making a pretty decent living for now and keeping writing, which for a while there had lost its flair, a good friend and hobby. Ha if anyone is interested in a career change, just lemme know. ^_~ |
| Date Posted: September 20, 2007 Name: Chris Swecker Year Graduated: 2007 Location: Staunton, VA 24401 U.S.A. Email Address: sweckect@jmu.edu Employer: WHSV TV-3 Message: After graduation, I took 3 months to search for jobs, play the waiting game to hear back from employers, interview, get accepted, get denied, take a few trips, have some fun, move twice and start sorting things out in "the real world." I now work out of the Staunton Branch of WHSV TV-3 as a photojournalist, though the title is a little misleading. I basically take an assignment or two (mainly human interest soft news stories) on any given day, go film an event, interview people, and edit the piece together for the news that night. I also set up live shots, film local sports, and cover accidents, but it's all behind-the-camera work (no future Ron Burgundy here). I get to meet a lot of different people and have actually been on JMU's campus covering events three times now. I've even seen Rusty Greene, John Woody, and fellow alumni while out filming so you may see me out there if you're around Harrisonburg or Staunton. A lot of young people work here and there is usually an open position in some form of production at whsv.com, so check it out if you want a start in television. I think this job is a great foot-in-the-door position that will lead to bigger and better things in the future. Good luck to everyone in their job/life searching and drop me a line if you're ever in the area! Take care. |
| Date Posted: September 19, 2007 Name: Christopher Izzo Year Graduated: 2004 Location: Astoria, NY 11103 USA Email Address: izzyjmu59@hotmail.com Employer: Deutsch Advertising Message: SMAD is on the quad now? Boy how things change. For 2.5 years after graduation I worked as an interactive designer for a small studio on Long Island. Being such a small agency, I wore a lot of hats, and gained experience designing & building websites, creating flash animations, optimizing images and sounds, even doing print layouts! But it was time to spread my wings, and I just recently landed a position as "Interactive Producer" for Deutsch Advertising in downtown Manhattan. The office is awesome -- everyone is young, people get around on Razr Scooters, and they allow dogs too. The recruiter here has even said that she "likes people that come from JMU" and "values the education and knowledge they seem to possess." So, if you're looking for a position up in NY, don't hesitate to drop a line. |
| Date Posted: September 6, 2007 Name: Meghann Pasco Year Graduated: 2006 Location: Crofton, MD 21114 USA Email Address: pascomt@gmail.com Employer: Visions, Ink. Message: Hey everyone! Hard to believe it's been a year and a half since graduation already - and I've definitely been keeping busy! After graduation I began a studio internship at EURO RSCG 4D in Baltimore, MD - the 5th largest worldwide advertising agency - where I worked under art directors, designers, etc on projects for clients like Nationwide and BMW. It was a great learning opportunity, but I didn't get the chance to be creative and it didn't pay the bills!! This past February, I was offered a full-time job as a graphic designer at a much smaller marketing company near DC - Visions, Ink. - and I absolutely LOVE it! I get to work on all of my projects from start to finish and have complete control of the art direction. I feel like in the short time I've been here I've done it all: brochures, posters, newsletters, websites, logos, annual reports, metro billboards, t-shirts and most recently I've designed 2 dolls for Children's Miracle Network. Visions specializes in marketing for credit unions and has a press and mailhouse on site, which is great because I get to see and keep samples of the final product. Flex hours are also an added perk of course ; ) If anyone is interested, we may have a project manager position opening up in the middle of October, so feel free to email me if you're interested or just to catch up: pascomt@gmail.com |
| Date Posted: August 30, 2007 Name: Julia Filz Year Graduated: 2000 Location: New York, NY 10036 Email Address: julia.l.filz@gmail.com Employer: Deussen Global Communications Message: Though it hasn't been the first day of school for me in 8 years, this time of year always brings my thoughts back to the 'Burg. So much has changed since those days of cardboard Dominoes and stale air in the Breeze office; since the mad dashes across Port Republic to Anthony-Seeger and back again to the Quad... As one of the very first SMADDIES, I'm glad to see the department continue to grow and thrive! I'm in New York these days, still working at a super-fantastic PR agency and staring down on Broadway as we speak. We've started a new division here, so my focus has shifted from Wine to Cause and Community Relations. I now get to combine my passion for humanitarian causes and volunteerism with my gift of gab. Ha ha. Went to Africa recently to work with HIV/AIDS-affected communities in Namibia. Completely life changing. We're actually looking for an Account Coordinator for my team (entry level), so if you're interested in learning more, please drop me a line. GO DUKES! |
| Date Posted: August 30, 2007 Name: Ben Haslup Year Graduated: 2006 Location: Bethesda, MD 20814 USA Email Address: haslupbf@gmail.com Employer: America's Most Wanted Message: Bored at work, thought I'd post. After graduating I went home, waited tables, and did some short films and a documentary on my spare time. Then, on a whim, I decided to apply for a producer position at the Fox TV Show America's Most Wanted. I saw an ad for producers on the Virginia Film Office's website (good place to look for jobs). I sent my reel, did the interview thing, and voila - I'm producing TV at America's Most Wanted. I've been here for almost 8 months and I have to say, it is a pretty awesome job. I've directed a few re-enactments, produced some pieces, and appeared as a woman abuser in a mini-reenactment (Mom and Dad were proud). Here is an online interview I did for one of my cases: http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=45931. Just scroll down. Check us out at AMW.com, or tune in on Saturday night, 9 PM on Fox. |
| Date Posted: August 15, 2007 Name: Alex Graber Year Graduated: 2007 Location: New York, NY 10009 Email Address: Graberar@gmail.com Employer: MTV Networks Message: Hi. Things are pretty slow at work today (this is very rare) so I figured I would write on this board. After graduation I went back home and had lots of fun doing nothing and sort of looking for a job. It was fantastic. Any way I got referred for a PA job by someone I had interned for the summer before at MTV so I just said yes, drove up here and decided to figure everything else out later. I kind of slept on couches for a month or two and then 2 other friends from JMU (smad majors) came up here and we got an apt, which is the hardest most annoying process ever. Anyway things are going great here. The hours are long and the work is pretty tedious at this level sometimes but the whole place is pretty fun to work at, young people, lax dress etc. They mostly hire from the intern program so I don't have any jobs to offer. Since production jobs up here are mostly freelance you kind of have to always look for work while you work So I'm in the same boat. I really like New York and plan on living here until I move to LA to build my house made out of diamonds. (Diamonds!) Anyways life is awesome and I'm glad I didn't get a job that I hate going to everyday. If anyone needs a place to crash up here we charge reasonable rates for a very comfortable couch. |
| Date Posted: August 7, 2007 Name: Jennifer Love Year Graduated: 2006 Location: Fairfax, VA 22030 Email Address: lovejn@gmail.com Employer: Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network Message: I wanted to pass along a job opening with the organization that I work for. I have been working for the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network for over a year now and am still loving it. See below, and let me know if you have any questions. Editorial assistant with health nonprofit in Fairfax, Va. Must have good writing and editing skills and be detail-oriented. Some production and clerical work required. Send cover letter and resume to jobs@foodallergy.org. |
| Date Posted: August 1, 2007 Name: Frank Rathbun Year Graduated: 1977 Location: Annandale, VA 22003 Email Address: michgridfan@aol.com Employer: Community Associations Institute Message: I didn't even know about this website until I saw Dave Wendelken listed as a reference on a resume. Has it really been 30 years since I last ventured to Elkton at 3 a.m. to deliver the Breeze "boards"? Since Neckowitz wrote "Trite!" along the margins of my copy? Since we played cutthroat wiffle ball games in the Breeze office? Since Ron Carrier was "Papa Doc"? In contrast to such memories, I was saddened to learn that Roger Wells had passed away. Roger was the editor of The Breeze the year I served as managing editor. Having just lost a close friend to liver cancer, I can only begin to imagine what he endured. I'm still married, and more happily than ever before, to Janice. We will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary this September. Our boys, 21 and 19, are searching for answers that will come with time--I hope. I'm the vice president of communications and marketing for a membership association in Old Town Alexandria, but other activities, such as raising sons and playing competitive baseball, sustain me. But enough of that. To Breezers who graduated in 1975-77 -- Cindy Carney, Greg Byrne, Sandy Amann, Bobby and Jimmy Morgan, Jennifer Goins, Gary Fullerton, Tom Dulan, Wade Starling and JoAnn Sullivan, to name but a few: I hope you and your families are happy, healthy and content. (I know, Alan--Trite!) |
| Date Posted: July 21, 2007 Name: Stephanie Brummell Year Graduated: 2007 Location: Richmond, VA Email Address: sbrummell@gmail.com Employer: Richmond.com Message: Hey everyone! I hope I'm not the only person missing JMU and dreading not being able to come back in August :-(. After a long, long (and picky) search, I finally started my job with Richmond.com as their new Editorial Assistant. There are a lot of changes coming to the site (new layout, new writers, etc.) so I'm really excited about it. I'll be publishing 1-2 stories a week, so check the site for them! Richmond.com offers great opportunity for internships. The building is awesome to work in, right off of Main Street. If any of you other SMADdies are in the Richmond area, shoot me an e-mail! Go Dukes! |
| Date Posted: July 18, 2007 Name: Jack Harris Year Graduated: 2007 Location: Manassas, VA 20111 United States Email Address: jacksontharris@gmail.com Employer: Washington Redskins Message: Hey there all you SMAD people. Jack Harris here just checking in, saying hello. Moved up to DC, and I've been working freelance, and just got hired by the Washington Redskins for the season doing some video editing for them so thats pretty exciting. Things are going well. Hope all in well in Harrison Hall. Hopefully I'll get to stop by soon. Everyone enjoy there summer! |
| Date Posted: July 12, 2007 Name: Matt Langan Year Graduated: 2007 Location: Mountain View, CA 94043 USA Email Address: bangin@mattlangan.com Employer: Simply Hired Message: From Harrisonburg, VA to Silicon Valley... I'm following my dreams in the mecca of the Internet industry. Simply Hired picked me up after a post-graduation trip to San Francisco through the College Of Business (I strongly encourage cross-discipline participation). We're a job search company that acts like Google in that we aggregate job postings from all over the Internet and bring them to you in one single search (we get all the results from Monster, Jobs.com, and similar databases, as well as from corporate and niche job sites - the search results are really extensive). I'm working as a marketing associate for now, but anticipate that my role will change in the next couple of months. I'm learning a ton and am being exposed to a lot of really smart people. I'm currently working on our new Facebook App, Workin It!, which is eventually going to be the predominant professional networking tool for Facebook users. Yesterday I went up to the city with the product manager and developer of the app and had coffee with the Facebook development team from HotOrNot.com, who have launched several very successful apps on the new developer platform. A little bit about the work culture out here - Dress is casual casual (not business casual). My first day of work I wore jeans, sandals, and an Old Navy t-shirt I've had since high school. Today I have been dancing around while writing ideas on my white board, with my iPhone headphones tapped in blasting some Aesop Rock and The Mars Volta. The bay area is THE spot for the hottest stuff in the Internet world. No other city in the world can compete. If you're interested in making your way out here get in touch with me. I'd love to see a SMAD presence in the Bay Area (cough Julia Robinson cough). - Bangin' Langan |
| Date Posted: July 8, 2007 Name: Ashley Walkley Year Graduated: 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA 90049 USA Email Address: ashleywalkley@yahoo.com Employer: Macerich Message: Just an update on the whereabouts. Relocated to LA after 3.5 years in Phoenix. Took a position as a Marketing Manager on the client side with a retail development company. Working on a huge project in Santa Monica next to the Promenade! Things are going great...! |
| Date Posted: July 8, 2007 Name: Laura Creecy Year Graduated: 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA 90027 Email Address: creecyle@hotmail.com Employer: Freelance Message: Hello SMAD world... just got an email from a recent SMAD grad about moving to LA so I thought I would post again to let everyone know what I am up to. I have been freelancing in LA as an editor/photographer/web designer/whatever pays the bills, but trying to break into post-production. I just finished my first feature documentary which was a long long process (254 hrs of footage to TRT 87 min) and its now looking to find distribution. You can read more about the film Divertissement: Everyday Dancers Stories at http://www.everydaydancers.com |
| Date Posted: July 2, 2007 Name: Natasha Khanna Year Graduated: 2007 Location: New York, NY 10012 USA Email Address: khannanx@gmail.com Employer: Robinson Lerer & Montgomery Message: Hi Everyone! I wanted to post because there are a two open entry level positions with my company, and they are looking to fill them soon. I work for RLM, a strategic communications firm in midtown Manhattan that specializes in crisis communications, investor relations, employee communications, etc. I can't say it pays fabulously well, and I will say it is tough work, but I love the people, the work and the company. It is a great foot in the door and an opportunity to deal with a lot of big name corporate clients. Also, they promote fairly often, so you have a chance to move up the ladder quickly. Feel free to drop me an email to discuss: khannanx@gmail.com |
| Date Posted: June 27, 2007 Name: Kevin Barnhill Year Graduated: 2004 Location: Arlington, VA 22203 USA Email Address: kevin.barnhill@natgeochannel.com Employer: National Geographic Channel Message: Hey SMADIes, I have a job lead here at NGC and wanted to pass it along to you folks. The position is an entry level engineering job. It's basically helping to set up networks, installing VTR machines, working on our encoding equipment and helping to install a tapeless library. It's all very technical and not creative in the least. However, I will say that a lot of the editors and staff members we have here started out in similar positions. I started out as a Network Operations assistant and worked my way in to editing. They are looking for someone who wants to get their feet wet in the business and can groom to be in our Post Production environment. The job is not glamorous and will not have any benefits. I expect the salary to be in line with most entry level positions though and NGC does pay well. Please get in touch ASAP via my NGC email listed above. Also give me a shout if you live in the DC/NOVA area and want to get a beer or go to a game sometime.Good luck all, I hope everyone is doing well! |
| Date Posted: June 25, 2007 Name: Paul Robertson Year Graduated: 2007 Location: New York, NY 10025 Email Address: paul.b.robertson@gmail.com Employer: Message: Hey, everyone! I'm missing good old Harrison Hall already...:-( I'm chilling in New York for the summer and just getting adjusted to the city prior to commencing grad school this fall. Still don't have a summer job, which is not only bumming me out but burning a hole in my wallet as well. I've got some pretty decent leads, though. Just wanted to drop a line and tell everyone hello. I'll definitely be back sometime soon to talk to all the great SMAD professors. Oh, and I'll keep you all posted about things, too. :-) |
| Date Posted: June 20, 2007 Name: Katie Austen Year Graduated: 2007 Location: Bethesda, MD 20814 USA Email Address: kausten@esitemarketing.com Employer: E-Site Marketing Message: Hey everyone! Gosh, I miss you kids already. It's crazy to think that we've been out of school for over a month now, and I've been working in the real ever since. Yes, I gave myself a wonderful week break upon graduation and then started right in on the interactive media team here at E-Site Marketing in Bethesda. My job is pretty broad-- I do everything from Search Engine Optimization to basic Dreamweaver applications for our hospitality industry clients. They range from luxury resorts such as Estancia La Jolla Hotel and Spa in OC, Cali to all of the wonderful Marriott Properties around the world. We just got acquired by Sabre Holdings - the company that owns Travelocity.com, so things are definitely exciting around here. I never knew Google could be so complicated. It's definitely a good starting out position-- but look out for me in LA by next summer. There are job opportunities. E-mail me your resume if interested. Check us out - www.esitemarketing.com. |
| Date Posted: June 19, 2007 Name: David Piotrowski Year Graduated: 2005 Location: Pensacola, FL 32508 Email Address: davidgp1983@gmail.com Employer: US NAVY Message: After bumping around jobs in DC for a year, I decided to break away from the SMAD route and become a naval officer. I will be commissioned as an ensign in two weeks. From Officer Candidate School in Pensacola I will deploy to the USS NEW ORLEANS stationed in San Diego. The Navy provides a number of benefits for college graduates, so if you have any questions or interest about officer programs in the Navy or any other military branch, feel free to contact me. My email is davidgp1983@gmail.com. Thanks. |
| Date Posted: June 13, 2007 Name: Kristin Schmitt Year Graduated: 2007 Location: Glen Allen, VA 23059 USA Email Address: kschmitt@royall.com Employer: royall & company Message: Hi all! I hope everyone is surviving while getting used to life after JMU and SMAD- I know I am, but just barely! Dr. Johnson encouraged me to post something on here, so here goes: I just started my job at royall & company. It is a Richmond company that does direct marketing for colleges and universities. I am in a brand new position as an associate project manager. It's pretty cool because I get to interact with a team of people, including creative folks. I'm in charge of creating schedules and proofing art and copy before sending it to the print shop. It is a great company- young and expanding. There are a lot of opportunities for SMADiators. Check out the website or contact me if you're interested- www.royall.com. |
| Date Posted: June 4, 2007 Name: Billy Hanger Year Graduated: 1982 Location: Suffolk, VA 23434 USA Email Address: hangecwi@cps.k12.va.us Employer: Chesapeake Public Schools Message: I'm not teaching TV for awhile. I'm back to making shows for a school system. I am going to keep my license current in case anything comes up. If there are any of the old folks who can still remember when it was called Communication Arts contact me. GO Dukes! Boo to JMU for cutting the Men's track team. |
| Date Posted: June 1, 2007 Name: Chris Clarke Year Graduated: 2003 Location: Arlington, VA 22204 USA Email Address: chris.clarke@l-3com.com Employer: SYColeman Message: Hey fellow Smaddies, I wanted to share a summer position with anyone who might be interested. Unfortunately, one of our employees is out this Summer due to an unforeseen circumstances and we need to fill their spot while they are out. This is a graphics position working in the Pentagon. It would be ideal for a sophomore or junior. You will do a lot of Photoshop/Illustrator/ and some powerpoint. Yes, I did say powerpoint but its not so bad. |
| Date Posted: May 21, 2007 Name: Jeanine Gajewski Year Graduated: 2003 Location: Baltimore, MD 21211 Email Address: jeaninegajewski@gmail.com Employer: SmartCEO magazine Message: I just started a new position as Associate Editor with SmartCEO magazine, a regional publication for CEOs of growing companies in the Baltimore and Washington DC areas. I'll be writing and editing for a new section of the magazine in which CEOs will share anecdotes and business tips. Right now we are looking for a paid intern to handle some editorial duties. If you know anyone in the Baltimore area who is looking for some experience, please email me. |
| Date Posted: May 15, 2007 Name: Rachelle Lacroix Year Graduated: 2003 Location: Washington, DC 20007 USA Email Address: lacroixr@fleishman.com Employer: Fleishman-Hillard Digital Message: Left Cincinnati almost a year ago to work in Fleishman-Hillard's DC office for our global Digital group. It's a great space to be in - we work with our traditional PR teams to weave interactive and digital pieces into our clients' overall campaigns through internet and mobile marketing, social media, video, web design and development, blogs, etc. It's a great company to work for - great clients, great work and great colleagues. If you're ever interested in PR 2.0, send me a note! We're currently looking for a Digital Communications Intern and a Graphic Design Intern (print, web or both) to work full time in our Digital group over the summer. Please get in touch if you're interested. |
| Date Posted: May 8, 2007 Name: Blu Nordgren Year Graduated: 2004 Location: Somerville, MA 02144 USA Email Address: blu82(at)mac(dot)com Employer: Self, currently Showtime Networks, Inc. Message: Hi everyone who reads these postings. Just wanted to give an update: I'm currently working as Post-Production Coordinator on the second season of "Brotherhood," a Showtime Networks series that takes place in (and shoots in) Providence. Also made it into the guild while working on the last feature (go Local 700!). You know who to hit up if you're looking for work in the New England area! Peace, BluNordgren(at)mac(dot)com |
| Date Posted: April 30, 2007 Name: Lindsay Carson Year Graduated: 2006 Location: Savannah, GA 31401 Email Address: lcarso20@student.scad.edu Employer: Message: Lots of people find it humorous that I went from SMAD to SCAD, but here I am still in the south getting my MFA in Advertising Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Its been an incredible experience thus far, so much so that i switched from the one-year MA program to the two-year MFA program. Grad school is definitely a good option after a broad program like SMAD...I have been able to take my base knowledge from JMU and really learned a lot of new skills here. In addition, I will be interning this summer at Erwin-Penland Advertising in Greenville, SC. My portfolio is slowly ending up on WWW.LINDSAYCARSON.COM if you are curious where grad school gets you. Glad to see everyone is doing well...good luck to the 2007 grads. If you have questions about SCAD, feel free to contact me =) ps - i might still be in a college environment, but i still miss jmu... |
| Date Posted: April 25, 2007 Name: Meri Price Year Graduated: 2005 Location: Washington, DC 20007 Email Address: meriprice82@hotmail.com Employer: Volunteers of America Message: Hi All, My company, Volunteers of America located in Old Town Alexandria, VA is currently looking for a Publications Director/Senior Writer-Editor. We have a few people coming in to interview this week and are looking to fill the spot pretty immediately, but if you send me a resume and cover letter and let me know you're interested, I'll give it directly to my boss. See description below: Senior Writer/Editor Volunteers of America, a major national nonprofit human services organization located in Alexandria, VA seeks a Senior Writer/Editor with an innate curiosity about the human condition to manage, research, write, edit and proofread a variety of internal and external publications to support a national communications program. The selected candidate will research and write news and feature stories, magazine articles, newsletters, brochures, booklets and more; and will also oversee freelance writers and photographers. Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications or related field required. Must have the ability to handle shifting priorities under tight deadlines. Five-to-eight years of experience as a writer/editor of a variety of print materials preferred. Ability to work flexible hours and to travel required. Qualified applicants are encouraged to submit a resume and cover letter to hr@voa.org. |
| Date Posted: April 18, 2007 Name: Alex Chunn Year Graduated: 2002 Location: Arlington, VA 22181 United States Email Address: achunn@henninger.com Employer: Henninger Media Services Message: Who We Are Located in Arlington, Virginia, Henninger Productions is the film and video production arm of Henninger Media Services. We are a team of experienced, highly motivated broadcast professionals with an exceptional record for creative, award winning non-fiction programs, commercials, and training videos. Since 1995, Henninger Productions has created original productions for both broadcast and non-broadcast markets and has aired shows on distinguished networks such as: The Discovery Channel, The History Channel, The Travel Channel, The Military Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, and many more. Currently, we are accepting resumes and cover letters for our Summer 2007 Production Internship. Job Description Production Interns are responsible for the logging and digitizing of tapes, working with Avid editing software, finding stock footage, helping with research for various show productions, helping with set-up and break down of equipment on shoots, and daily tasks assisting the producers. A minimum of 16-hours per week is required. Qualifications A degree or pursuit of a degree in film studies, communications, journalism, or similar field, a strong desire to work in production and some knowledge of different tape formats. Knowledge of editing software, and some production experience a plus. If you're interested please email: Alex Chunn - achunn@henninger.com www.henninger.com |
| Date Posted: April 13, 2007 Name: Emily Gilbert Year Graduated: 2005 Location: Chicago, IL Email Address: Emily.Gilbert@bm.com Employer: Burson-Marsteller Message: To all those designers looking for a summer internship - Burson-Marsteller in Chicago is looking for you! Below is the job description. Feel free to e-mail me with questions or resumes. You'll need a strong portfolio. Burson-Marsteller’s Chicago Office has an amazing internship opportunity in its Marsteller (Advertising and Design) Practice this upcoming summer. The ideal candidate is a design student that is a senior or recent graduate. Applicants should have a solid design portfolio and excellent communication skills. In order to be considered, please submit a cover letter and resume along with a PDF, CD/DVD or website of portfolio. |
| Date Posted: April 13, 2007 Name: Shelby Giles Year Graduated: 2005 Location: Alexandria, VA 22304 Email Address: shelbygiles@gmail.com Employer: Corporate Executive Board Message: I just wanted to post an update on the openings at my company:) The Creative Solutions Group within CEB is currently looking for five new designers (We're a nice-sized company:); three graphic design specialists and two graphic design associates. Go to www.corporateexecutiveboard.com to learn more about the company. If you're interested in these positions feel free to email me at sgiles@executiveboard.com. I'd be happy to refer any smad students/grads to the company. Take Care!:) Shelby |
| Date Posted: April 9, 2007 Name: Stephanie Saltzberg Year Graduated: 2006 Location: Fairfax, VA 22033 USA Email Address: s.saltzberg@gmail.com Employer: FAMILY Magazine Message: Hi everybody! This message is regarding some intern opportunities at Washington Family Magazine this summer, located in Herndon, VA. The internships are open to both current students and recent graduates. I have been working here at FAMILY since last October and it is a great place to learn about the magazine industry. I am not doing the hiring for these positions but could put in a good word for you if you apply. Send me an email at s.saltzberg@gmail.com if you have any questions about anything. I would love to have some JMU friends here in the office this summer! ---- SUMMER INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE FAMILY Magazine, Washington’s premier parenting magazine is seeking summer interns. This is a great opportunity for someone to gain experience in the magazine industry. Washington FAMILY Magazine is the largest regional parenting magazine in the Mid-Atlantic region and the third largest in the United States. Along with our highly recognized magazine in the Washington, DC area, we also have a monthly magazine in Jacksonville, Florida and Kansas City. We are offering two types of internships with a total of three positions available. Summer Paid Intern (1 position) Duration: 2.5 months minimum Compensation: $9 per hour Responsibilities: General office work, some graphical work (minor ad changes) and proofing of materials (ads and articles). You will also be given 2 research/writing assignments. Summer Unpaid Intern (2 Positions) Duration: 6 weeks minimum Responsibilities: General office work, some graphical work (minor ad changes) and proofing of materials (ads and articles). You will also be given one research/writing assignment. Knowledge of the following programs would be a preferred, but is not required. All programs are run on Mac OS 9. Microsoft Office PageMaker Photoshop Illustrator To apply for these internship opportunities fax or email your resume to: Fax: 703-318-5509 info@theFAMILYmagazine.com |
| Date Posted: April 5, 2007 Name: Nate Tharp Year Graduated: 2004 Location: New York, NY USA Email Address: ntharp14@hotmail.com Employer: Eisenman Associates Message: A heads to any alumni in the New York City area, my employer is looking for a Full-time Freelance On-site Web Designer/Developer. Here is a link to the posting on craigslist. http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/web/306155426.html Also, we'll be looking for another summer intern this year. Our intern last year was a SMAD student and we wouldn't mind having another one this year. The dates of the internship are flexible, roughly 6-8 weeks. The hours are 10-6 daily (except for summer Friday hours) and it is a paid internship. That's pretty much all the details I have for now, but I'll post more when I get them. In the interim, anyone interested can feel free to email me with resumes or questions. |
| Date Posted: April 3, 2007 Name: Brian King Year Graduated: 2005 Location: Alexandria, VA 22305 USA Email Address: brian.king@l-3com.com Employer: SYColeman Message: Looking for a great Web Developer/Multimedia Designer. Knows CSS, HTML, PHP, mySQL, webstandards and handy with Photoshop, Illustrator, inDesign, Flash, Dreamweaver. Ideal person would be Interactive media, position is in Crystal City/Arlington, VA. Full-Time, full benefits, stock options, 401k matching, team oriented environment, great bonuses, lots of other JMU grads, interesting work. Need the ability to acquire and maintain a security clearance. Great opportunity for the right person. Please forward your resume and online portfolio link/personal page to Brian King - brian.king@l-3com.com. For more information on the company: http://www.sycoleman.com |
| Date Posted: March 12, 2007 Name: Matt Walkley Year Graduated: 2006 Location: Falls Church, VA 22046 USA Email Address: walklemb@gmail.com Employer: BeeryRio Architecture + Interiors Message: Hey fellow SMAD Majors. I graduated last May and am now a Multimedia Designer at BeeryRio Architecture + Interiors in Springfield/Fairfax, VA. I take care of marketing materials (screen & print), presentations, the company intranet, and a soon-to-be-created new website to replace the outdated one. Things have been going well, and we actually have an opening for an entry level designer. I thought I would let everyone there know about this, and we'd love to get some resumes and portfolio samples if anyone is interested. I'll paste the job description below, and if you're interested please feel free to email me at matthew@beeryrio.com. BeeryRio is an award-winning firm of 65+ Architects, Interior Designers, and Graphic Designers with offices located in Northern Virginia. We are looking for a highly creative and passionate graphic designer with 0-3 years of experience. If you enjoy working collaboratively, love design challenges, and have a willingness to learn, we would love to hear from you. You must be a creative thinker who possesses strong design skills with the ability to take a design concept and maintain brand consistency throughout a variety of communications mediums. Good multi-tasking skills and attention to detail are a must. Duties Include: - Design and Maintain branding elements for internal and external clients. - Print design projects from concept to production. - Design and Produce Presentation and Support Materials. - Conference Materials and Booth graphics. - Collaboration with designers, marketing and architects Requirements: -Proficient with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign CS, Acrobat, Premier, After Effects, and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and Powerepoint) - Excellent References and Portfolio |
| Date Posted: February 3, 2007 Name: Rachel Guelzo Year Graduated: May Location: Lynchburg, VA 24502 Email Address: rguelzo@liberty.edu Employer: Liberty University Message: So, it has been over two years since I last posted on here--hard to believe how quickly time passes! Last I wrote I was preparing to move to Europe, and now two and a half years later, I am working as the copywriter for Liberty University's marketing department in my hometown of Lynchburg, Virginia. I have been working there for a year now while also attending graduate school full-time in the MBA program. It has been wonderful being back near family and friends, but once graduation rolls around, I plan to take the vast amount of experience I have gained through my job and make a move for bigger and better things...stay tuned! Keep up the good work guys, SMAD-ites forever we shall be! :) |
| Date Posted: January 22, 2007 Name: Nikki (Veale) Haffey Year Graduated: 1999 Location: Charlottesville, VA 22903 USA Email Address: nikkihaffey@gmail.com Employer: Thomson Scientific Message: Hello all - it's been a while! I moved down to Charlottesville, VA last May after spending some time in Texas and about 6 years in Arlington, VA. I got married in September 2005 to another JMU alum, Gene Haffey...we had dated on and off (mostly on) since living in Chappelear freshman year! I've been in marketing for the past 7 years, currently Marketing Communications Manager for ScholarOne, a small division of Thomson Scientific. Liking it a lot actually, and it's keeping me busy and traveling to all sorts of fun destinations, most recently London, Fort Lauderdale, Philadelphia, San Francisco... Would love to get back in touch with SMAD folks! We're back in Northern Virginia almost every weekend (why'd we move?!) if anyone is still up there. Nikki |
| Date Posted: January 16, 2007 Name: Allison Long Year Graduated: 2006 Location: Blacksburg, VA 24060 Email Address: long2ad@gmail.com Employer: Positive Radio Group Message: Hey Guys, it's taken me a few months, but I've finally gotten a job. I'm here in Blacksburg working for Positive Radio Group (they do ESPN Radio, FoxNews, Oldies ZFM, Joy AM) in the Sales Department. If anyone is looking for a job in this area, we're looking for someone to do 60% sales, 40% on air time for local news and sports. Contact Aaron Marks at amarks@thesportsaddictnetwork.com if you're interested and let me know if you're coming! |
| Date Posted: January 10, 2007 Name: Shelby Giles Year Graduated: 2005 Location: Alexandria, VA 22304 Email Address: shelbygiles@gmail.com Employer: Corporate Executive Board Message: I just thought I'd send a little update for the new year. I relocated to Alexandria, VA from Richmond about seven months ago. The area has been great to me thus far. I've been working on music and modeling while working in D.C. as a Graphic Design Specialist for the Corporate Executive Board (CEB). We are actually looking for a few good designers, both web print, to join our team. If you would like information about these positions, please e-mail me at shelbygiles@gmail.com. I would be happy to refer you and tell you more about the company. Happy 2007! |
| Date Posted: January 6, 2007 Name: Kate Stevens (Lewis) Year Graduated: 2002 Location: Metairie, LA 70006 Email Address: lewis534@bellsouth.net Employer: The Times-Picayune Message: Hey, everyone! My husband and I moved down to New Orleans for his job in May and we are enjoying life in the Big Easy. The city is still adjusting post-Katrina but it's an exciting time to be here. I'm working as a business reporter for the Times-Picayune temporarily while a reporter is on maternity leave, but I hope they will hire me full time or on a freelance basis when my gig is up. Drop me a line if you're ever down here, but sorry, our apartment is already bookd for Mardi Gras! |
| Date Posted: January 3, 2007 Name: Matt Stuart Year Graduated: 2004 Location: New York, NY 10005 Email Address: matthewxstuart@gmail.com Employer: TheStreet.com Message: I am doing video editing for TheStreet.com now, and we are seeking another editor. We are looking for someone who is fast and easy to work with…it’s much more corporate video than MTV video, so we need someone who is okay with that. It's pretty good experience, and it's a fantastic name to have on your resume...average income of our audience is $92K If you're interested, please feel free to email me at matthewxstuart(at)gmail(dot)com your resume/cover letter. We are looking to find someone in the next week or two, so please be in New York or ready to move there very soon. Thanks |
| Date Posted: January 2, 2007 Name: Jennifer Naigle Year Graduated: 2006 Location: Chesapeake, VA 23321 Email Address: jnaigle@wgnttv.com Employer: CBS (The CW) Message: Hello to everyone in SMAD! The business world is great, but it doesn't compare to all-nighters with your peers working on long projects:) I am currently working for the NEW CW station in Hampton Roads. Many of you probably haven't heard of us yet, but we are the ones who now air all the previous WB shows like Seventh Heaven and Gilmore Girls. You should check us out if you haven't already:) I work with the promotions department, helping to write and edit promos for the station. I also get to dabble in a little web design and studio work as well:) It took me until December, after a May graduation to find full-time work in the media business, but the wait IS worth it. There were times when I felt like I would be a substitute teacher forever!!!!! But eventually someone out there will recognize your skills and talents and take a chance on you! So don't give up on your dreams!!! Good luck to everyone out there preparing for a future in this business and I wish only the best to those who are already living their dream. |
The JMU Journalism Alumni site is for JMU alumni who studied journalism, broadcasting or public relations or related areas at JMU, or who worked in these fields at JMU or after graduation. It is open to alums regardless of JMU major or current occupation.
