Welcome

Welcome to my blog! Here you will read about my summer internship at the Marin Independent Journal in the Sports department. Enjoy!

My Resume

Alexandra R. Lugo
936 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Apt 104
Kentfield, CA 94904
H: (415) 459-3235
hugolugo4@aol.com

OBJECTIVE

To observe, understand and participate in newsroom operations; to report and write at least one by lined story to appear in daily newspaper.

EXPERIENCE

November 2006 to January 2007 Cost Plus World Market Corte Madera, CA
Customer Service

• Assist customers in locating merchandise.
• Stocking & pricing merchandise for sale.
• Maintain, clean & neaten areas throughout the store.

June 2007 to July 2007 Marin Independent Journal Novato, CA
Sports Intern

• Update system with schedules
• Take phone calls and record scores
• Write sports briefs, report on games

EDUCATION

2004 to 2008 Redwood High School Larkspur, CA
Currently a junior with a 3.85 GPA

• Highlights include Varsity Softball, Cub Editor in Chief of the Bark (school newspaper) March 2007, Bark newspaper, Photography 3, Non-Fiction, AP History

June 2007 to July 2007 ROP/STC Advanced Internship Class Terra Linda, CA

• Class taken in preparation for internship. Highlighted important aspects of having a job: creating a resume, interviewing, and communicating professionally.

SKILLS AND INTERESTS

• Computers: PC & Mac, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and HTML.
• Photography, Creative Writing, News Writing.
• Community Service: Girls softball clinics, volunteer at the Redwoods retirement home in Mill Valley, CA, volunteer at the St. Vincent’s Dining Room, San Rafael, CA
• Sports: Play on a summer traveling team, Blue Angels 2001 to present, and high school.
• Personal Traits: Highly organized, detail oriented and multi-tasker. Quick to learn new skills and self-motivated.

Internship Description

Throughout this internship I took phone calls and recorded youth sport scores. I wrote sports briefs that appeared in the daily newspaper. Additionally, I covered little league baseball games and wrote a feature story at the end of my internship. I also did some busy work like moving books from shelves and boxing them. I also entered sports schedules into the computer to appear in the newspaper.

Organization Overview

The newspaper business is in jeopardy right now due to the rise of other media. The Internet, TV, and other means of communication are taking over the information waves which makes it hard for the printing press to continue to thrive. The industry is decreasing because of technology. It is easier for one to read online and listen than to read a physical newspaper. It's all about time consumption and how quick and efficient one media can be and the printing press just doesn't cut it. Several newspapers have been conducting surveys to figure out what the public wants. In effect they have been creating and "beefing" up websites to meet the needs of the customer. Circulation has decreased exponentially in the past decade and newspapers are not the center of daily life as they once were. Print news has been a information medium for centuries but has nearly faded out in this generation. The Marin IJ is struggling with this issue, as is every other publication. These companies are dealing with it by adapting to the needs of the readership as well as continuing to publish a paper. Print journalism won't become obsolete for several years, but it seems as though it will continue to be less used.

Organization Structure and Culture

Some of the people I work with at the Marin IJ are: Dave Allen, Sports Editor, Derek Wilson, reporter, and John Dugan, reporter. The culture of the newspaper is laid back as far as work environment goes.The nature of the newsroom when I am there is quiet and seemingly calm. During certain times of the day, phones are ringing off the hook. However, journalism itself is not a calming or laid back business. Accuracy is the most vital factor in any kind of journalism. Every detail counts so in that sense, the culture is meticulous and not as relaxed.

Career Path to Top

A journalist's job is to inform the public. While that may seem simple, the job is on of the most demanding and requires several skills in not only writing but other areas as well. The job does not only entail writing stories but also: writing headlines, editing stories, operating cameras, researching, interviewing, etc.
To be successful in this job field, one needs plenty of journalistic experience. College is necessary (Bachelor degree or more) and high school experience is recommended. However, journalism school is not required Employers are always looking for creative people to bring new angles and stories. They are also looking for outside communication experience and knowledge such as someone who is bilingual, has traveled abroad, or has scientific technical work experience. (For Example. The average wage for a reporter or correspondent is $45, 300 in California and $32,300 in the United States. Northwestern University is noted for their prestigous journalism school, as well as University of Southern California. Both of these private schools have a tuition cost of $35,000-$45,000.

How My Internship Fits/Does Not Fit My Future

As I finish my internship at the Marin IJ, I have found that this type of career fits my future. However, I would like to focus on sports feature writing rather than reporting on games. I like using my creativity in writing more than just spitting out facts. The kind of writing I did was more than just spitting out facts and I got to use my creativity which I enjoyed. I know that this aspect is apart of sports journalism, but it is not one that I prefer (more news writing). I value the information I learned from this internship and look forward to my future experiences.

Advice to New Interns

-BE ON TIME TO EVERYTHING

-Always have a pad of paper and writing utensil

-Don’t be afraid to ask questions because if you don’t, you WILL mess up

-Always check and re-check facts and spellings of names

-Don’t stress when your editor rips your story to shreds—it happens to everyone