Savannah State Update:
- JMC offers hands-on courses partnering with real media partners like City of Savannah, WJCL, and Hot 2100 Savannah.
- Guest speakers and programs (e.g., Martina Allen, Justin Glasgow, EICOP) expose students to entertainment industry internships.
- Initiatives like Comm-Connect and CMAC College Day provide networking, live-broadcast experience, and career-focused workshops.
Since the beginning of the fall semester, Savannah State University’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC) has enhanced students’ professional development through hands-on experiences and guest speaker events.
Since the beginning of the fall semester, Savannah State University’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC) has enhanced students’ professional development through hands-on experiences and guest speaker events.
Students have had the opportunity to visit media stations and gained valuable insight into the industry, along with networking experiences. The department continues to align its program with the real-world demands of the media industry.
In addition to these experiences, the department has created courses that tie directly to the workforce. These classes work with real media operations such as the City of Savannah, WJCL, and Hot 2100 Savannah, allowing students to gain practical skills that they will use in professional media environments.
By offering students the opportunity to work directly with media outlets, the department isn’t just making sure students learn media; they get to experience the jobs themselves.
In addition to these experiences, the department has created courses that tie directly to the workforce. These classes work with real media operations such as the City of Savannah, WJCL, and Hot 2100 Savannah, allowing students to gain practical skills that they will use in professional media environments.
In early September, two media professionals, Martina Allen and Justin Glasgow, visited the campus and spoke to JMC students. Allen is a Savannah State JMC alumna. She shared her journey on how she became a social media enthusiast to becoming a television personality on WSAV. Glasgow, a photographer and a freelance writer who has featured in The Guardian, Rolling Stone, and many more publications.
“Getting to hear from professionals like Martina Allen and Justin Glasgow was really inspiring,” Jania Brinson, a mass communications junior, said.
The Entertainment Industry College Outreach Program (EICOP) is a non-profit educational arts and workforce development program. Their visit gave students a look into opportunities in film, television, music, and areas in the entertainment industry, a field many students are interested in but don’t know opportunities to jump in.
The EICOP team spoke about programs like the HBCU in LA, HBCU in NY, and HBCU in ATL, which is a highly competitive program that is open to all majors and provides 8-10 weeks in an immersive internship experience. These programs place students right in the entertainment industry, giving them hands-on experience working directly with major studios and networks.
“We always think about news or radio, but they showed us there’s a whole world out there in the entertainment industry. It really opened my eyes to all the job opportunities that are out there once I graduate,” Kalaysia Robinson, a mass communications senior, said.
In addition to gaining industry exposure, students have been given the opportunity to participate in Comm-Connect. This initiative is open to all freshmen and sophomores within the Department of Mass Communications. It’s designed to help students foster a supportive environment where students can network, share resources, and gain insight from upperclassmen, while setting a strong foundation for success in the program.
Another standout during this semester was CMAC College Day. The event brought together JMC students and professors for an event filled with networking and live demonstrations, and career insight.
As part of the event, Tiger 411 and Tiger’s Roar collaborated to produce a live show. A real-time broadcast that offered students a chance to experience what it’s like in the work environment.
Students filled roles serving as anchors, camera operators, floor managers, producers, and technical staff. Everything was done mimicking the environment of a professional newsroom.
“I feel like we are mimicking the environment in the professional newsroom,” Lynbyrd Massey Jr., a mass communications senior, said. “Being in that space and executing everything live, that’s not something you can fully learn from a textbook. I loved every second of it.”
Massey continued, “Through the JMC program, I’ve already been getting enlisted for different opportunities, internships, projects, and collaborations. I truly feel like this department is guiding us, step by step. They’re showing us the ropes, making sure we don’t just graduate with a degree, but with a path. I feel supported, prepared, and excited for what’s ahead because of the opportunities JMC keeps providing.”
The department also has workshops throughout the semester with different organizations that focus on building personal brands and interviewing techniques.
With JMC’s growing list of partnerships, updated curriculum, and commitment to hands-on training, the Journalism and Mass Communication Department is going to give its students an advantage when breaking into the media world.
As the semester continues, the JMC department continues to create opportunities that prepare students for success.
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