Internships, part-time jobs await JMC students this fall

Now that you are back in Abilene for the fall semester, some of you will be looking for JMC internships or part-time job opportunities. I have good news. Some of Abilene's best JMC-related employers are waiting to hear from you.

Before you browse the list of opportunities below, you may want to review the internship program requirements. All internships require the department's prior approval. E-mail me before accepting any internship. Also, keep in mind that the university will no longer allow seniors to participate in graduation ceremonies if they have an incomplete or "in progress" grade on their transcript. If you plan to graduate next May, for instance, you must complete your internship and submit all of the required paperwork at least three weeks prior to the end of the spring term.

Internships

1. If broadcast journalism is your thing, then you'll be pleased to know that both of Abilene's network TV providers, KTAB/KRBC and KTXS, offer internships. TV stations also offer opportunities for public relations, advertising and electronic media majors. KTXS TV offers internships in news, production, promotions, weather and sports. For news, weather and sports internships, contact George Levesque, KTXS general manager, at levesque@ktxs.com or 677-2281. For production and promotion internships, contact David Caldwell, KTXS creative services director, at davidcaldwell@ktxs.com or 677-2281. KTAB/KRBC TV is looking for both fall interns and part-time workers for its Friday night high school football coverage. KTAB and KRBC interns may get to report, produce, write, shoot video or edit video. Interns can also gain experience writing, designing and creating graphics for the station's Web sites. Contact Austin Kellerman, news director, at AKellerman@ktab.tv.
   
2. Hospitals offer excellent internship opportunities in a variety of JMC fields including public relations, event planning, graphic design, media relations, copywriting and advertising creativity. Hendrick Medical Center's Marketing Department offers interns the opportunity to work in all aspects of hospital communications and marketing work, including one of the city's largest annual event-planning programs for the Children's Miracle Network (spring). For more information, contact Elizabeth Ables at eables@ehendrick.org or 670-2431. On the other side of town, Abilene Regional Medical Center offers internships in marketing and public relations. It is seeking interns who are proficient in Adobe PhotoShop and Illustrator and who have good word processing and spreadsheet skills. As would be true in any hospital setting, ARMC says students need to have "extreme diplomacy and tact" and be able to handle confidential information. Professional appearance and good decorum are also on the qualifications list. For information, contact Julia C. Belcher, marketing and public relations coordinator, at julia.belcher@armc.net or 428-4952.
3. Zachry Associates is Abilene's only full-service advertising agency. Zachry offers internships for senior Ad/PR majors with a strong background in graphic design. Students should have at least a 3.0 average GPA and a demonstrated interest in advertising creativity. Students should have samples of their graphic design work to share if called for an interview. For more information, contact Danny Flanagan, art director, at dflanagan@zachryinc.com or 677-1342, extension 125.
4. One of the best opportunities for students interested in event-planning careers is right here on the ACU campus. The Office of University Events seeks a student intern to assist with coordinating, planning, organizing and preparing for special events, meetings and conferences. The office also manages all events in the new Hunter Welcome Center. Students will a keen interest in event planning and who possess good communication and customer-service skills are invited to apply. First see me for a complete job description and then contact Jennifer Ellison, director of events, at jme00a@acu.edu or 674-2632.
5. The City of Abilene offers excellent internship opportunities for students interested in public relations and video production. These internships pay a $350 stipend to your ACU account. Two internships are being offered this fall in public affairs and video production. The public affairs intern may get experience writing news releases, creating public service announcements and producing articles for the employee newsletter and e-newsletter. Applicants should be familiar with Adobe InDesign and PhotoShop software. The video production intern will get the chance to work with the City's Channel 7 TV station. Experience will include writing, shooting and editing public service announcements and working on city-produced television programs. Applicants should be familiar with digital photography, Adobe Premiere Pro nonlinear editing system and PowerPoint. For more information on either of these internships, e-mail me for a complete job description and contact information.
   
6. While no specific information is available at this time, three other Abilene employers who often provide outstanding internship opportunities for JMC students are the Abilene Reporter-News, West Texas Rehabilitation Center and Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Central Texas. Check these organization's Web sites and e-mail me if interested in more information.
   

Part-time jobs

Abilene Christian University Press seeks a student to work part-time in marketing and promotion. The student in this position will learn how to send e-mail marketing blasts, design Web sites, spend time in marketing research and work with Web-based catalog marketing. This position is not available until Sept. 20. For more information, contact Dr. Larry Fitzgerald, director of marketing, at lxf07a@acu.edu or 674-2870.

Our own KACU-FM has opportunities for student announcers. This is an excellent opportunity to work on Abilene's most professional radio station and the region's only National Public Radio affiliate. Contact John Best or Dave Smith for more information.

Finally, ACU's Alumni Relations Office has part-time student positions posted with the ACU Career Center. See the Career Center for details.