Minority students in the mass communication field have a student organization which can help them jump start their careers.
One of the many organizations under the Black Student Union’s umbrella, The Association of Black Communicators has been on campus for five years.
The organization is dedicated to helping students establish contacts, obtain internships and familiarize themselves with the field of mass communication.
Latrez Myer, a public relations senior and the ABC’s president, has been a member of ABC for two years.
Myer said the organization has around 25 members now, but the membership has been more dedicated than in the past.
“This is our first year we’ve had a really good, dedicated membership,” Myer said. “We try to get minority students as well as students who aren’t in minorities and introduce them to people in their respective fields.”
Myer’s position also entitles her a seat on the BSU executive board. ABC also is in charge of the BSU newsletter and BSU’s publicity.
Tiffany Charles, an advertising junior and ABC’s secretary, said ABC caters to all concentrations.
“We help students establish a network among media professionals and their mass com professors in hopes that this will strengthen their communication skills,” Charles said. “We do this by inviting media professionals from various fields to speak to the group.”
Charles said the group also takes field trips to experience their majors in the real world.
This semester the group visited New Orleans’ WGNO ABC 26 for a field trip and attended a minority job fair.
To recruit students, Charles and Myer said the organization has table-sits in Free Speech Alley as well as at Harambee.
Kenyatta Morris, an English senior and ABC’s treasurer, said she is not a communications major but wants to use her involvement in ABC to make contacts in the mass communication field.
“I’m planning on going to graduate school in public relations,” Morris said. “The ABC helps me with my communications skills as well as networking.”
Morris said ABC is successful because of its supportive members.
“We have people who help each other with classes or whatever they need,” Morris said.
Charles said ABC is a good organization for people who want to learn how the media works.
“Being in ABC has broadened my scope of the media world,” Charles said. “You gain more of an appreciation for it once you start contributing to it”
Caleb Wilkerson, a journalism graduate student, was president of the ABC chapter at Southern University, and sits on the national board of directors for the National Association of Black Journalists, a national professional organization.
“It helps students find internships and meet professionals,” Wilkerson said. “Students can make contacts in their field they wouldn’t be able to otherwise.”
Students interested in ABC can attend their next meeting, Tuesday Nov. 11 at 5:30 p.m. in the Union Council Room.