NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – TSU’s Career Development Center Tuesday held a student career showcase for mass communications and music majors in the Performing Arts Center.
Representatives from 13 media, marketing and entertainment companies set up booths, received resumes, conducted on-the-spot interviews and answered students’ questions about internships and employment opportunities.
Alexis Thorton, a graduating senior, who came ready with a resume and application, said she was “really glad” to attend a fair on campus just for mass communications majors.
“Usually when we have a career fair on campus not many students come out from our department because it doesn’t feel like it is designed for us,” said Thorton, of Memphis. “This makes us feel like they care because as a graduating senior, this improves my chances for a job.”
Thorton, who interviewed with at least two companies, may just be one of the lucky ones among nearly 80 students at Tuesday’s career showcase to land a job as a result of the program.
Steve Burbank, local sales manager for Comcast Spotlight, came ready to hire a graduating senior.
“We are looking for the right candidate to hire as an associate sales account executive,” Burbank said. “We are looking for someone to join our world-class media sales organization with a growth mindset who has an eye toward enhancing their sales acumen.”
He said the successful candidate will receive 12-months hands-on training, mentoring, learning assessment and product knowledge, as well as an eight-week corporate on-board training in Philadelphia, Denver and Atlanta.
Tina Reed, associate director of TSU’s Career Development Center, said unlike job fairs, the mass communications career showcase was designed to showcase students to potential employers.
“This was also intended to let them (students) know what type of opportunities they have in terms of entertainment, media and music,” said Reed. “We have some very good students here and some great companies. We just want to match them up and get them connected.”
Dr. Tameka Winston is the interim chair of the Department of Communications. She likes the idea of a career showcase dedicated specifically to mass communications, music and other liberal arts majors.
“Our students are among the best; they work very hard and they are always looking for internships and things of that nature,” Winston said. “We hope that this will be very beneficial to them especially going into the summer month.”
Among some of the other major companies and institutions at the career showcase were the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, local TV Channels 2 and 4, and Sony Music.
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With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.