Category: Intern Insight

Meet the Interns | Fall 2021

Three new interns are working under the guidance of Dr. Lori Pindar as media communication and engagement inters this summer. Their internships experience in the Department of Communication will include content creation for the departmental blog, YouTube Channel, and other social as well as alumni outreach and interviews, external communication management and upkeep of the departmental newsletter. Learn more about Eleonor, Sophia, and Jasmine below!

Eleonor Wright

Eleonor is a senior Marketing major and French minor from Nashville, TN. She is on the Clemson Women’s Rowing team and this is her first year as an intern for the Communication department. Eleonor is active on campus in CODA (Council on Diversity Affairs) and CODE (Commission on Diverse Empowerment) and is deeply involved in Clemson student government and leadership within athletics. Eleonor is looking forward to working as a media intern because she is interested in continuing this type of work after she graduates and hopes that this will add to her skills and portfolio. Reading pool side or on the beach is Eleonor’s favorite way to unwind when she has free time.

Fun Fact: Eleonor has been to 14 countries and is hoping to go to many more!! 

Sophia Wilkins

Sophia is a sophomore Communication major and Brand Communications minor from Scotch Plains, NJ. She is an active member of Chi Omega on campus and this is Sophia’s first year as an intern for the Communication department. She is excited to be a UPIC intern because she believes this experience will help her figure out what she would like to do for her career. She is interested in this field and is looking forward to honing in on what interests her more. When she is not in tiger town she spends her summers at the beach and is most likely eating Jimmy Johns. 

Fun Fact: She met the Jersey Shore cast!!

Jasmine Lewis

Jasmine is a senior Sports Communications major from Atlanta, GA. She is on the Women’s Rowing team at Clemson and this is her third semester interning with the Erwin Center for Brand Communications. Jasmine works with the Erwin Center social media account and she has had the opportunity to work with the Cadency, a student-led agency, within the Erwin Center. Most recently, Jasmine helped lead and coordinate the 2021 CMO Summit happening this Fall! In her free time Jasmine loves to read and play the piano.

Fun Fact: When Jasmine graduates she plans to join the United States Peace Corps and serve in South America!!

Follow our work here and be sure to check-out our work in these locations:

LinkedIn: Department of Communication-Clemson University
YouTube: ClemsonCOMMChannel
Instagram: @Clemson_Comm
Twitter: @ClemsonCOMM
Facebook. @ClemsonCOMM
Online: www.clemson.edu/communication

International Spotlight

Intern Insights allows current departmental interns to share their perspective on topics relevant to their experience as an undergraduate student. Italicized terms will appear in glossary at the end of the post

Part 4 Andrea Foster

Born and raised in Guyana, South America, Andrew Foster is currently a member of our women’s track team.  I met her my freshman year in the Nieri Student Athlete Enrichment Center and continued to cross paths with her there, around campus, or on the bus. Although brief interactions, something that struck me about her was her warmth.  Despite her name, Frosty has the ability to connect with people like they’re old friends and make you feel seen. She became a friendly face when I was first settling in and finding my feet in Clemson.

When I reached out to her to be part of my International Spotlight series I wasn’t surprised by the story she shared with me. Frosty first landed in the US in the state of  New Jersey where she attended and competed for Essex County College. She experienced  culture shock, noting how customs from her home were met with perplexed stares from others. Frosty recalls making her way to class and saying “hello” to everyone she walked past because this is how she grew up. She explained to me how at home it is considered rude to not acknowledge and say good morning to everyone, including the security guard at the door and each of the sleepy students trudging across campus to their morning class. Later that day when she was on the phone to her Mum, she described how everyone had looked at her like she was a weirdo after she wished literally everyone good morning. Her Mum told her how this was not normal and would come off as a little bit weird to Americans up North, and so she began her adaptation to life in the United States.

Journey to Clemson

Frosty’s Mum was a track athlete too and she loved the sport! Naturally, you would think Frosty became a track star having followed in her mother’s footsteps. Her mother’s success as a track athlete, however, made Frosty want to find out what she was passionate about and blaze her own trail. Frosty shared, “I wanted to find my own thing and my own path.” When she was younger she was into dancing and modelling and really only got involved in track after her teacher more so told her than asked her to run for their school in a race. She didn’t want to let her school house down so she ran it to get them the points for the school competition. She ended up winning and made it to the next stage of the competition. She continued to win, without training, until she made it to her first national team at 13 years old. Frosty won a bronze medal at the Carifta Games while on the national team. Her Godfather took her under his wing to train her because of her natural talent and she hasn’t looked back since. Running track was never something she looked at like “I’m gonna do this” she said, it came about more organically as her passion for track grew.

Frosty told me that “[she] didn’t really know about universities and colleges outside of her home country.” It was only after the World Championships in Beijing in 2015 when she was 18 that she met Coach Graham in a random moment and was exposed to the potential opportunity of competing as a student athlete in the United States. After the championships she went home and started researching universities and reaching out to alumni. Marian Burnett, an Olympian also from Guyana and a Clemson alum served as an inspiration and mentor through this process.

When reflecting on her time at Junior Essex College where she studied and competed for 2 years running the 800m, Frosty expressed how hard this part of her journey was. She explained how this steppingstone to Clemson, which “[she] had made up [her] mind was her dream school,”helped prepare her to be more independent and resilient. Frosty is from one of the only countries in South America where English is the dominant language, however, she was still adjusting to the different sociocultural norms in the United States. Frosty was living away from home for the first time, managing her school, sport, and finances where she “really had to figure everything out for [herself].”

Why Clemson

Forsty mainly chose to come to Clemson when she transferred from her juco because of her coach at Clemson, Coach Elliot. She knew he had experience coaching international student athletes and Olympians in her event so working under Elliot would help her continue to grow as a runner. Additionally, when she visited Clemson’s campus she recalls the feeling of knowing how much she wanted to be in Clemson “the first impression captures someone’s heart. I felt [that] way when I came to Clemson because of how they treat people”

Frosty’s very first year here at Clemson was “so fun and exciting, from [her] first footsteps on campus as a student athlete [she] felt really grateful.” Her experiences working to transition from a juco to a power 5 school gave her perspective on how different things were with respect to the opportunities she wouldn’t have otherwise had. “[She] struggled to get out [of her country] and to [reach] Clemson. So [she] appreciated things people otherwise might take for granted.”  Frosty told me that at her old school she had a $10 a day meal plan that wouldn’t even cover her full breakfast or how she never had the services like tutoring and EEE that are available at Clemson. At her former institution it was “you, yourself and the book”. These struggles only motivated her to work harder to achieve her goals and was she “blown away” by how well looked after she felt at her dream school.

Andrea competing for Clemson.

Going Home

Frosty told me about how she doesn’t always have the luxury of going home every break and every year because of how expensive travel can be. Additionally, small hiccups on paperwork can also be an additional hindrance for international students like Frosty. For example, at Essex, she was unable to go home due to an issue with her passport and visa. Instead, she took summer classes in order to maintain the eligibility to compete and successfully transfer to Clemson University—meaning she spent three years away from home! When she reflects on being away from home, Frosty shares, “I really don’t know how I do it! I guess I miss home because I miss my siblings and especially my twin. It’s something I have learned to live with.”

Andrea at home spending time with her family.

Covid-19 and Olympic Trials

It’s one thing to be alone and away from family while living in another country, but Frosty, like many international students, found the pandemic to be particularly tough. Frosty said she,  “always had a getaway though [her] sport and in person classes” and when these outlets were taken away, she learned a lot about herself. “I grew closer to myself, got the rest I needed… but when you’re not around your teammates 24/7, I discovered that I actually do love alone time… but it was very lonely at times.”

Frosty went to the Jamaican trials to qualify this summer for the Olympics because she would not have anyone to run with at home and she needed a good race. Unfortunately, she did not get the time but was only 4 spots down from the top 48 qualifiers.

Frosty is another example of the strength and resilience embodied by our international student’s and student-athletes at Clemson. Frosty is a fierce competitor on the track, a daughter, sister, and wonderful friend because of her warmth and amiability.

This summer, the Department of Communication welcomed Hannah Hank, Jackson Moehler, and Abbie Panuccio as UPIC Interns! To celebrate National Intern Day, July 29^th, these interns reflected over their summer and everything that they have learned. Keep reading to hear more about their specific tasks, favorite projects, and why they recommend Clemson UPIC internships!

Hannah Hank:

This summer my main role as a UPIC intern for the Department of Communications was managing the COMMunity Roar blog. My work included editing and uploading my intern teammates’ pieces to the blog. I specialized in creating the International Spotlight series to shed light on some of the great international student athletes studying and competing for the Clemson tigers. I loved having the opportunity to reach out to them, conduct interviews and work to authentically share their stories. I focused on detailing their journeys to Clemson, their adjustments to living in the United States and experiences since being on campus. I learnt about professionalism and workplace etiquette. With respect to content, I developed my journalistic writing by learning to maintain my voice as an author whilst respecting the responsibility of doing someone’s story justice. I hope that my series has exposed members of the Clemson community to our international diversity. I would definitely recommend a UPIC internship to other students to capitalize on this great opportunity to develop professional skills including self-awareness/management, flexibility, communication/collaboration in a workplace setting and receive great mentorship in their field. Thank you, Lori, for the awesome feedback and guidance all summer and to my internship team Abbie and Jackson!

Jackson Moehler:

Working as a UPIC Intern for the Department of Communications was a great first experience in a professional working environment. As an intern, my main role was to control all media sites for the department. This included Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. As the media intern, I was responsible for creating visual content for all accounts and coming up with different topics to discuss. One of my favorite projects for social media was creating visuals to celebrate National Ice Cream day! It allowed me to get digitally creative and also provide some fun information to incoming freshman learning to navigate Clemson’s social scene. I also had the opportunity to work on my writing and communication skills by conducting interviews and turning them into blog posts. I loved conducting the interviews because it allowed me to get out of my comfort zone and work on my adaptability and analytical skills. This also helped me discover how much I love hearing other people’s stories and experiences, and then transferring that into my own writing style. I would definitely recommend a UPIC internship, specifically with the Department of Communication, to everyone because it is an amazing opportunity to expand your skills to a whole new level and work with amazing people. My mentor, Dr. Lori Pindar, helped me grow so much, not only as a professional in the workforce, but as a human being. Working alongside other interns as well gave me a new perspective on a professional working environment because you really have to focus on being flexible, collaboration, and time management. If you have the chance to become a UPIC intern, I would 100% recommend!

Abbie Panuccio

Coming into this internship, I was excited to work under a professor I have always admired and to also have the opportunity to grow as a young professional. I spent a majority of my time reaching out to young Clemson alumni who had graduated from the communications department so I could share their stories of success and show the endless possibilities ahead for current undergrad students. I also had the ability to begin coordinating a series that highlights the impact of students, particularly student athletes, serving the Upstate community. Community service has always been a passion of mine, and I was incredibly lucky to have a mentor that enabled me to run with my passions this summer even if they were not a part of my original job description. This internship pushed me to grow in ways I truly never expected. I was given the chance to collaborate with an incredible team, connect to Clemson alumni, and connect Clemson to several non-profits. But I think my biggest take away from this experience was that even as young professionals in undergrad, we should have the confidence to be bold in what we do because we have been given these opportunities for a reason.

If you were inspired by their summer experiences with the Department of Communication, or with UPIC as a whole, the department is looking for more interns for Fall 2021! Below is the link to the UPIC website that has a list of all on-campus internships as well as how to apply!

UPIC Internships Link: https://career.sites.clemson.edu/internship_programs/UPIC_program/

International Spotlight

Intern Insights allows current departmental interns to share their perspective on topics relevant to their experience as an undergraduate student. Italicized terms will appear in glossary at the end of the post

Part 3 Nini Dica

When I met Nini Dica I thought to myself, this kid has to have one of the sickest accents I’ve ever heard. If you don’t catch his accent, you can’t miss him burning through campus on his notorious electric scooter between the dorms and athletic facilities. Nini was born and raised in Timisoara, Romania. His hometown is one of the biggest in Romania due to the economic benefits found there which means there is a greater influx of people and cultures coming to Timisoara from eastern Europe.

Timisoara, Romania.

Nini began playing football at the age of  two because his father, Nelu, had a coaching and management role for the professional team, Poli Timisoara. Nini’s journey with tennis began one night when he was seven while his father, Nelu, was hanging out with some friends, including a tennis coach. Nini started messing around with the racket and ball that was available and football was replaced with tennis.  At 12, Nini became more serious about his tennis career after he won the Nike Junior Master competition and had the opportunity to travel to the United States and compete in a larger competition. After visiting the United States he “knew the tennis was great here.” Nini moved to Belgrade, Serbia, and spent the last five years training where tennis greats like Tiravic trained.

Timisoara, Romania

It was Nini’s Mother who pushed him to pursue an education in the United States whilst continuing his tennis career. As we all know, mother knows best!  With her encouragement, Nini began his US college journey and was caught between two college choices, Pepperdine and Clemson.  Ultimately, Nini said his decision was made easy because he “…came to Clemson because of the coaches and the tennis team.” He knew this would be a great move to continue to develop his game and pursue his goals. Additionally, upon reflecting on his visit to Clemson with his father, he said, “I liked the people and the community. I came when Clemson played Wake Forest, it was the first American football game I saw and the atmosphere was nice!”

Nini competing in Europe

Nini arrived in Clemson in May 2021 on a quiet Friday night. He explained to me how the first weeks here were tough for him because he missed his friends and the spontaneous nature and busy pace of the lifestyle associated with living in European cities. Nini said “[being at Clemson] continues to get better as my teammates return and more people arrive back on campus … I love the nature here, the tennis is nice, the people are nice.” Nini is a man of few words but deeply introspective and grateful to be here.

Nini is currently recovering from knee surgery on his ACL which he had operated on in January of 2021. He is working with one of our athletic trainers, Donna,  to do rehab and exercises in our basketball facility, Littlejohn Coliseum. It’s great seeing Nini put in the work every day to heal and get ready to compete for the Tigers this year, to which he is “very excited for the season to start.”

Wishing you the best for your freshman season mate and settling into Clemmy!!

Local Terms/Phrases/Slang to Get Familiar With

Sickest: Often used in Australia as a synonym for awesome or cool.

Clemmy: In Australia we give literally anything and everything nicknames or contract words, I don’t know if anyone else refers to Clemson as this lol but I do.

Nini Speaks Romanian

Football: It is common for people to refer to soccer as football.

Intern Insights: International Spotlight

Intern Insights allows current departmental interns to share their perspective on topics relevant to their experience as an undergraduate student: italicized terms will appear in glossary at the end of the post

Part 2 Ousmane Sylla

I met Ousmane Sylla in May 2021. I’d made my way home from my day of class and workouts and was settling in for the arvo when I heard a knock at the door. Seeing as all of my teammates were, for the most part, home for our summer break, I figured I’d open the door to an RA. Nope. Sylla stood at my door after a hand with a math problem. Now I wouldn’t at all claim we share a love of math—and I was hopeless at helping him out with the problem. Since then however, a knock on my door has become pretty standard.  Sylla and I have forged one of the most competitive friendships founded upon introducing him to UNO and a shared appreciation for Chipotle.

Sylla hails from Dakar, the capital of Senegal, Africa. Speaking about his hometown, he shared, “It’s a pretty cool city, I live near the beach. About 16 million people live there.” Sylla started playing soccer when he was only 3 years old.  He and his friends from the neighborhood would play in the streets from morning until what felt like 7 or 8pm when his grandma would yell for him to come back inside.

Sylla home with his grandmother Ndeye Sylla.          Sylla practicing last fall.

First Steps in the US

He first started playing soccer more competitively when he was 15 after moving from Africa to the United State–. Sylla continued his education and played at Montverde Academy after being scouted/recruited to play at a more elite level. Sylla did not speak English when he arrived in the United States which was challenging because he was also experiencing culture shock. In response to his early experiences in the US, he said “it was very hard. It was tough.” In addition to different lifestyles and societal norms, he also was adapting to factors like new foods and acclimating to the weather. Like I said in my last post, grits, they’re weird.

Despite the challenges and adversity he faced, Sylla explained to me why he persists and continues pursue his passion of playing soccer professionally. Simply put, you have to sacrifice and “give what it takes” to pursue your dreams. For him, like myself and other student athletes on our campus, this meant moving away from his parents, siblings, grandparents and friends for an opportunity to compete against some of the best in the United States. However, I can only imagine how alienating it had to be to deal with a language barrier on top of southern slang itself which really is something else.

Sylla shared, “I love soccer, soccer is more than my sport.” He channels his motivation from role models he looks up to like Kobe Bryant for his mentality with regard to sport. His father Ibou Dada, is another big inspiration for him, as he taught him to always be the best version of himself, kind and respectful. The more time I spend with Sylla, the more I pick up on little golden mantra’s like “rest at the end and not in the middle.” Or my personal favorite “the job’s not done yet” to tell yourself when you are really digging in and gassed (exhausted) in a workout. I loved hearing about Sylla’s mindset because it speaks to the courage and determination of international students and, specifically student athletes, to achieve their goals. Like Sylla says “If you have a dream, you have to go get it.”

Sylla and his Father Ibou Sylla.

Dreams Deferred but Looking Ahead

Originally, Sylla was supposed to come to Clemson in August 2020 but he couldn’t get to America from Senegal due to COVID-19 impacting travel. As happy as he was to watch his team win the ACC Championship, he said it was frustrating for him to not be able to be a part of it. Sylla detailed that he chose to come to Clemson because of the great soccer program and coaching staff. He connected with their values reflecting the things he holds as important in his life including community, family and having a winning mentality because he knows this will drive them to future team success. Sylla stated “I am really excited to be part of the Fall [2021] season. I also really enjoy being at Clemson because of all the new experiences I have had off the field.”

Sylla playing last Spring.

From Sylla’s first steps in the United States learning English and experiencing American culture, to having to patiently wait to join his team last Spring to play, he has conducted himself with great character. But don’t be fooled, he is also highly competitive going by UNO as a standard or the card game Ganagui he taught me. So let his journey and the challenges he overcame serve as testament to me telling you, he will definitely be someone to watch this season when he competes in the Fall for the Tigers!

Much love brother!

Diam

At the lake!                                A Chipotle run when we got soaked in the rain, apparently                                                                                neither of us have got the whole South Carolina weather thing down yet.

Local Terms/Phrases/Slang to Get Familiar With

Arvo: afternoon.

After a hand: to help someone out with a task or issue/problem.

Is something else: to say something really is something else, you are probably perplexed by the situation.

Wolof, Translations

The Language Sylla speaks at home.

Ganagui: the card game Sylla taught me.

Diam: peace.

Intern Insights: International Spotlight
Intern Insights allows current departmental interns to share their perspective on topics relevant to their experience as an undergraduate student.

Part 1 Hannah Hank

After my appointment as the manager of COMMunity Roar, the Department of Communication’s blog, I was challenged to present the perspective of international students on our campus. However, I can’t speak for 1295 undergraduate and graduate students currently on campus because of the myriad of factors that contribute to the experience of an international student attending Clemson University (Clemson University Office of Institutional Research, 2020). In the wake of 2020 and all that this unprecedented year brought, I won’t hesitate to disclaim: this is my personal take. See my glossary at the end of the text for Australian translations.

If you read the initial Meet the Interns post you would have a snippet of an insight into my life in Australia. I grew up in a coastal, country town called Port Lincoln–a half an hour from our family’s oyster farm/recently turned tourism business in Coffin Bay. My Mum and Dad, ironically, told my brother and I “the world is your oyster” when they gave us the opportunity to continue playing basketball and attend high school in the big smoke of Adelaide. In Adelaide we competed for our respective club teams every week, and our state team South Australia Metro in the Australian Basketball Championships each year whilst continuing our studies at Trinity College. The seven and a half hour distance between ball and school in the city, and our humble home in Lincoln made for a family challenge to adapt and sacrifice. Initially we moved as a family and Dad commuted for 3 years until Mum had to move home. With this change my brother and I started boarding with host families when I was 14. I will always be grateful for the opportunities that came from this experience in my teenage years. This experience helped my brother and I reach our goal to play division 1 basketball in the United States while studying. Now I get to continue to pursue my goals to play professionally and see where my education takes me post-basketball.

Photographs of me playing for my club Forestville Eagles after we won the grand final and South Australia Metro when we placed 2nd in year 12.

Connection is a word that gets thrown around a lot with respect to interpersonal relationships, sporting team’s chemistry, the dynamic in a workplace environment or the nostalgia that ties someone to their hometown. I think connection is often romanticized, and rightly so, because it really is so powerful. I will always think of Port Lincoln as my home and yet I stand corrected that you cannot have a similar connection to another location. I remember when I was moving 10, 246 miles across the world at 18 and my friends and family were throwing banter at me at the airport saying I better not come home saying “y’all” or blasting country music. I knew home to be home and it was irreplaceable to me, so even the thought of calling another place home left a sour taste in my mouth. I am happy I was wrong. Here I am, two years later and I already know Clemson will always have a special place in my heart too— as will Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen. I’ve learned that what they say is true. It’s not the place, as much as I love being by the water, but it is the people that make a place. I have really felt that here at Clemson.

My first Clemson football game with some of my tiger sister teammates.

Visiting my brother in New York. My parents visiting my Freshman Year. Going to visit my homestay sister who I boarded with year 11 and 12 this summer in North Carolina where she attends university at Elon.

I think a massive part of feeling at home is the Clemson family and specifically, the other international student athletes I have come to know and call great mates of mine. It is sort of a mutual nod when you watch another international’s eyes light up to an incoming facetime from home when time zones finally line up. Or sharing in the joy seeing them open a package from home like a kid on Christmas morning. It’s over homemade meals of foods you’ve never tried before. I cannot help but be grateful because they open your mind to different perspectives and cultures outside of the one you grew up in. I’ll always get a kick out of watching kids try vegemite (always a good laugh). Internationals have a shared connection of taking on the Unites States and understanding the challenges like homesickness, COVID-19 travel bans and wrapping your heads around grits and who thought it was a good idea to put a prawn in one (they belong on the barbie).

In the next International Spotlight, I will be continue this series sharing the perspectives of some of the incredible, talented, beautiful beings I have had the pleasure of meeting due to our shared connection as international students of Clemson University.

Go Tigs!!

Local Terms/Phrases/Slang to Get Familiar With

Mum: Mom or Mother

Big Smoke: A city

Trinity College: In Australia it is common for private high schools to be called colleges

Year 12: Senior year of high school

Prawn: Shrimp

Barbie: BBQ or Grill

References

Clemson University Office of Institutional Research, 2020.https://www.clemson.edu/institutional-effectiveness/oir/factbook/index.html

Three new interns are working under the guidance of Dr. Lori Pindar as media communication and engagement inters this summer. Their internships experience in the Department of Communication will include content creation for the departmental blog, YouTube Channel, and other social as well as alumni outreach and interviews, external communication management and upkeep of the departmental newsletter. Learn more about Abbie, Hannah, and Jackson below!

Abbie Panuccio

Abbie Panuccio is a junior marketing major with a minor in sports communication. Hailing from Greenville, South Carolina, she is the youngest of four girls. She and her sisters grew up as tigers which did not make Abbie’s decision difficult when it was time to look at colleges. Abbie’s favorite part of Clemson is the Clemson family and her fondest memories are walking the dikes and the many meals she has had at the Esso Club with her friends. She is also deeply involved in the campus community as a member of Alpha Delta Pi where she serves as the chair of special events as well as a member of Fellowship Christian Athletes where she serves on the prayer and encouragement team. Abbie’s passion to serve others has served her well at Clemson through the numerous opportunities Clemson has provided her and she is happy to call Clemson her home.

Hannah Hank

Hannah Hank is a 20 year old international student-athlete who will be a junior this year as she continues her degree as an English major with a minor in Communication. Hannah calls Port Lincoln, South Australia home, growing up on the beautiful coast of the Eyre Peninsula, her family runs an oyster farm/tour operator business called Experience Coffin Bay. In her free time she enjoys being by the ocean/lake/pool, hikes and spending time with friends and family. She represented her state at the Australian Basketball Championships and was selected for two Junior National squads before being recruited to Clemson University. Since moving to the United States to continue her education and basketball career, Hannah has joined the Tiger Leadership Academy and recently was appointed as an ambassador for Tigers Around the Globe (TAG) affiliated with the athletic department.

Jackson Moehler

Jackson Moehler is a junior Sports Communication major with minors in psychology and nonprofit leadership. She is from Marietta, Georgia and is the oldest of five siblings. In her free time, she loves to hang out with her family and friends, try new restaurants (follow her food Instagram @tigertown_treats), and watch her favorite television show, Friends. Jackson also has a 9-month-old golden retriever  puppy named Boone. Boone loves going on walks at the dike and swimming at the rowing docks! Jackson grew up playing soccer and basketball and now is a member of the Clemson Women’s Soccer team. Jackson chose Clemson University because she loved the family atmosphere of both the campus and the people. She also loved how sports plays a huge role in the culture of Clemson and how everyone rallies together for all of the different athletic teams. Jackson chose Sports Communication as her major because she wanted to be able to learn about the inner workings of a sports team and organization from a school that is known for their athletics. Sports have helped shape her into who she is, and she would love to start a career with any major sports organization within their media department.

Follow our work here and be sure to check-out our work in these locations:

LinkedIn: Department of Communication-Clemson University
YouTube: ClemsonCOMMChannel
Instagram: @Clemson_Comm
Twitter: @ClemsonCOMM
Facebook. @ClemsonCOMM
Online: www.clemson.edu/communication

On behalf of the Communication Department, we would like to welcome you all back to Clemson and hope you had a safe and restful holiday break! We are also welcoming back our two fantastic interns, Bridget and Pepper. Bridget and Pepper are returning for their third and second semesters, respectively, under the guidance of Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Lori Pindar, Ph.D. Both interns are excited to get back to virtually engaging with department faculty, staff, and students! 

See below to learn about Bridget Kane and Pepper Kolman and how they have adjusted to their new virtual/ hybrid lives.

Bridget Kane 

My name is Bridget Kane and I am excited to continue working with Dr. Pindar and Pepper during my final semester at Clemson. This internship has helped me develop skills that will allow me to seamlessly transition into the workforce upon graduation. Specifically, over the past three semesters I have developed into a leader, sharpened my decision making skills, and enhanced my professional communication skills. I have greatly enjoyed engaging with department faculty, staff, and alumni and look forward to continuing to do so this semester. 

Transitioning from a social and outgoing person to one who spends most of my time behind a computer screen, has not been the easiest, especially as a Student-Athlete at Clemson. The interviews I have conducted with faculty, staff, and alumni were a much needed source of social interaction and I greatly enjoyed getting to know, and equally as importantly laughing with, these individuals via Zoom. Thankfully, after 7 months of the pandemic and the understanding of social distancing and mask wearing, I have been able to return to a life that is starting to resemble normalcy. Although I still take most of my classes from my bedroom, I have returned to rowing practice and interacting with friends in a safe manner. As more and more people are starting to get vaccines and my May graduation slowly approaches, I am hopeful for what the future holds and where my Tiger Pride will take me!

Pepper Kolman

My name is Pepper Kolman, and I am so excited to be returning as an intern for the Department of Communication. It was truly a pleasure to work with Bridget and Dr. Pindar last fall, and I can’t wait to see what is to come this Spring. I think my favorite part of this internship so far has been engaging with faculty and staff in the department. In addition, I have appreciated the opportunity to further develop my communication skills and fine tune my coachability. 

As someone who is comfortable spending most of my time at home, one challenge I have faced these past few months has been remembering to venture out and stay social. While meeting over Zoom is not the same as meeting in person, I have greatly valued getting to know Dr. Pindar and other faculty members during our interviews. I am also on the women’s rowing team here at Clemson, and seeing my teammates each morning is becoming a highlight of my day. If you happen to see bow lights dancing across Lake Hartwell at 6am, it is probably us. Even though I have another year here at Clemson, it is quickly dawning on me how fast this time truly passes. I am not yet done writing my story here at Clemson, but I am so grateful to continue being an adjunct part of this department. 

As a global citizen and active participant in the world, it is important to stay informed about issues globally and locally. Essential aspects of our lives are changing on a daily basis and it is our job to learn, assess our emotions towards the change, and take action. Being a college student, I find that due to my schedule and personal obligations, I tend to miss the daily news on television. Instead, I have found that using a combination of other resources has been effective for me—and below are recommendations on how to stay current and involved.

One of the simplest ways to receive information is through subscriptions to various news outlets. I receive daily emails from different accredited outlets and have found that it is the best way for me to receive information without being overwhelmed.  I can sift through and read articles from various sources at the start of and throughout the day which allows me to make the most of my time and the information I receive.

Bridget’s Suggested Email Subscriptions:

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  The Skimm: focuses on telling the in depth story of one main topic each morning. The writers of The Skimm use easy to understand language as well as slang to relate to and get the message across generations. The Skimm also has links to websites that further explain certain aspects of an article within the email for easy access. The Skimm also has a regular podcast!

• Apple News: presents highlighted stories from around the world and provides links to articles from various media outlets. This email allows one to read a small blurb about each article and delve deeper into those that interest them.
• The New York Times: morning briefing emails showcase the top stories from their website and newspaper that day. Like The Skimm, the email provides readers with one main story but also has a section called “4 more big stories” where they give a quick summary of each and provide readers the option to navigate to the full articles. Since the New York Times is one of the most widely read newspapers in the United States and has won more Pulitzer Prizes than any other media company in U.S. history, I trust this source over many others.
• National Geographic: keeps me informed one what is going on in the world environmentally.

Another way to stay informed is listening to a daily podcast to get an overview of what is going on in the world today. Personally, I prefer listening to a short podcast that will give me the information I need, without going into significant detail. Listening to a short podcast works well for me because I can listen to it while I walk to class or while I’m doing other activities. The length also ensures that I will stay interested the entire time. These podcasts give me the opportunity to learn about topics and further research the ones that either interest me or confuse me, without taking up large amounts of time.

Bridget’s Suggested Podcast Subscriptions:

• The Gist: describes itself as a “daily evening show about news, culture, and whatever else you’ll be discussing with friends and family tonight.” It is a 30 minute long podcast where host, Mike Pesca, spells out the most prevalent issues related to news & politics, culture, technology, business, and human interest. Pesca starts his podcast with a comedic or satirical take on a current issue. He then gets into the show which includes interviews with guests to offer their insight or perspective on certain topics. Additionally, Pesca introduces an abundance of facts followed by stating his own fact-based insights and opinions on the matter.

• 

  The Daily: describes itself as “how the news should sound.” It was created by the New York Times and is hosted by Michael Barbaro. For 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week, Barbaro hosts a show where he delves into what he believes to be the most important issue or event going on in the country on that day. Barbaro often collaborates with a different New York Times journalist or experts on the topic he is discussing to provide Americans with detailed facts and insights on a particular topic—allowing people to create informed, educated opinions on these topics. Barbaro ends the show with a two-minute segment about what else a person needs to know on that day.

Further, since most of us are constantly logged into social media, a way Chandler Potts stays informed is to follow news accounts online:

I am a Gen-Z college student who relies on her phone more than she should. I accept that I fit this stereotype and the pros and cons that accompany it. However, it can be incredibly useful to utilize different social media accounts and platforms in order to receive well-rounded news. Older generations may have various opinions about media consumption from strictly social platforms or, but I have found that I enjoy controlling where my views go. Instead of supporting mass media and news channels that are almost all owned by the same two companies and undoubtedly push their own agenda while reporting news with an underlying bias, I choose to not contribute to their views and ratings. I follow independent reporters and news accounts on Instagram and gain my knowledge via posts and linked articles.

News channels are known to post negative, dramatized news because it is good for ratings and therefore more profitable. Likewise, anger and separation generates more cash flow than unity does. However, in my experience, independent news sources are less inclined to include bias and social media accounts tend to generate followers and account interaction by posting stories that create positive or authentic imagery and generate positive feelings. Personally, I am happier in this space that highlights the good while still informing on current issues rather than being constantly bombarded with the negativity around us.

Chandler’s Suggested Instagram Accounts:

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  @gaurdian_us: The Guardian provides serious content in an Instagram friendly form with videos, linked articles, and strong graphics. It originated as a British news source prior to the creation of a US version. It’s motto is “no hidden influence, no agenda, no commercial interests. Just open, honest, fearless journalism.” The Guardian provides independent insight on a variety of national and international hot topics.

• @theonion: The Onion is a satirical digital media and newspaper company that publishes articles on international, national, and local news. It is targeted toward millennials and gen-z therefore, if you are sensitive to foul language or sarcasm, it may not be the source for you. However, if you can get past the shock value, it is a good source of current events and alternative viewpoints on what is going on in the world.
• @tanksgoodnews: Tank’s Good News describes itself as a place for people to get away from the toxic news cycle. Here, you get your daily dose of positivity happening around the world and can have your faith in humanity restored. It links positive articles in its bio and takes submissions from followers. It may not be the spot to get informed on political happenings or social injustice, although it has delved into these topics more as of late given the events going on in our country, but if you want to see a teacher recognized for going above and beyond for their students or a community rallying around a child with disabilities, this is the spot for you.
• @globalpositivenews: Much like the account above, Global Positive News is dedicated to spreading positivity and providing a retreat from what one would see when they turn on the six o’clock news.
• @goodnews_movement: Again, this is an account that focuses on positive current events and spreading joy throughout the community of its followers.

Staying Informed is cool, do it!!!

In this day of the 24/7 news cycle, staying informed is a choice we have to make each day so that we can form educated opinions and make educated decisions. Lack of knowledge of specific facts and figures about current events can lead to ignorance and the spread of misinformation. By using the resources above, you can easily become a more informed citizen of this world.

Author: Bridget Kane, ft. Social Media Insight by Chandler Potts

Sources:

www.theskimm.com

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/29/podcasts/the-daily/

When the coronavirus pandemic reached the United States, universities across the country shut down all on campus activity and switched to an online forum. First, Spring sports were suspended indefinitely, large group events were postponed, and the cancellation of classes soon followed. With our spring semester in upheaval, uncertainty soon followed. However, a sense of unity spread among college students across the nation as they were sent back to their hometowns to finish up their remaining two- to three-months of classes in their childhood bedrooms.

As a Clemson student and student-athlete, I was unsure how this transition would work. For many students, not only were they stripped of an in-person learning environment, but athletes lost their sports, seniors lost their end of college festivities, roommates lost one another, and all students lost any sense of normalcy.

In this time of drastic change, Clemson University administrators and professors did the best they could to make the transition as seamless as possible. In my experience, professors developed plans they believed would best fit their students and were also prepared to switch their plans based on reactions and feedback from their students. Professors combined Zoom classes, Canvas discussion forums, virtual office hours, assignments, and assessments to create the best environment possible for their students to finish out the semester strong.

Similar to other institutions, Clemson University provided an opportunity for students to receive an alternative to the standard letter-grade earned for the Spring 2020 semester.  This opportunity enabled students who were not satisfied with the A, B, or C they earned in a class to receive a “pass” on their transcript. Additionally, this policy allowed students who were not satisfied with a D they earned in a class to receive a “special pass” on their transcript and students who were not satisfied with a D or F they earned in a class to receive  “no grade” on their transcript.

The spring semester concluded in a way that no one expected and required students, faculty, and staff to be more creative, forgiving, and exemplary with themselves and others as we all faced unique circumstances. Continue reading below to hear how this impacted the student perspective.

Chandler Potts, Senior, Graphic Communication on Online Learning

This summer I enrolled in eighteen credit hours in order to finish my last semester of college. To say that eighteen credits combined with a full-time internship, job interviews, and the current events happening in our world is a lot to manage would be an understatement. However, the online education provided by the university has actually helped to alleviate some of the pressure that I have experienced. My professors made a huge effort to give their students everything they would get from an in-person class and have also made modifications to make the transition smooth for students.

The majority of my classes are taught by recorded lectures and shared learning decks; with instructors creating availability to meet on Zoom as you would with office hours. Email correspondence has strengthened and I feel that any question I may have is valued and answered quickly. The most prominent change that I have experienced comes from a professor that completely restructured her course and made it self-paced. This means that students can complete and submit assignments on their own timeline so long as they are turned in before the end of the semester in order to alleviate any added stress of due dates. While policy changes such as this may not be suitable for everyone, it has helped me hone my management and self-accountability skills while also helping me manage my stress levels.

This semester has been challenging, everything has changed, but it has also been incredibly uplifting to see my community come together to support and empathize with each other. I find myself feeling grateful that I have had the opportunity to gain this experience of learning in an adaptive environment. Although challenging, the Clemson community coming together to make changes and adapt to improve learning for all is what makes this place so special.

Authors: Bridget Kane and Chandler Potts