BY: Cheryl Smith
In June 1980, I breathed a sigh of relief. Forty-five years ago, I became a “professional journalist!”
Not only was I graduating, but also I had a job and so I wasn’t a “failure.”
I know that’s a dismal way of looking at a situation but for a number of reasons, I believed that I had to “graduate on time” and have a job in order for me to feel as though my four years at Florida A&M University (FAMU) were years well spent – worth every penny and every minute.
Sure I studied, made the Dean’s List, enjoyed campus life, learned how to play Bid Whist, was initiated into the Beta Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., worked as the statistician for the men’s basketball team and worked on the newspaper and yearbook teams.
In other words, FAMU didn’t owe me anything!
Those four years were epic!
It’s important to note, however, that I spent two semesters interning for news organizations – one in television and the other for a newspaper.
Even today, I am amazed that students are spending 4-5+ years on campus only to graduate without one internship on their resumes. For me, I am also frustrated at those professors because they know that internships are necessary. And if by chance they say they didn’t know, well that’s another problem!
I still remember some students saying, “In interviews they ask you if you have any experience but I can’t get experience if they don’t give me a job!”
Well, you can get experience through a number of internships, fellowships, and externships. So even if you don’t have someone who pushes you toward opportunities that help prepare you for a future in your chosen field, find yourself a mentor who can help.
Over the years, I have taught numerous students and with those book lessons, they also received life lessons.
I thank FAMU for the many life lessons that helped me then and still today.
I wanted to be a journalist so I could tell those stories about people who looked like me, and stories that weren’t being told. I wanted to be a voice for the voiceless, a soldier without a sword.
Now many of my friends are retirees and they want to know when I will take that bold step. Well, I don’t see retirement in my future. I am doing what I like to do and will keep doing it until I can’t anymore.
Then when you consider the attempts to silence journalists or erase history, my “job” becomes even more important. So I’ll keep on writing and talking and posting because I’m going to keep on enjoying this ride!
