Student Profile: To Infinity and Beyond!

February 7, 2014

De Anne Anthony (far right) covering the campus tour with new Clemson President Clements

How did Graphic Communications get me interested in journalism?

I think of it as the other way around, journalism lead to my interest in Graphic Communications. Growing up there were three things that interested me: films/television, print, and music. Those three things still captivate me, even now. I was always intrigued by the stories and images that I would read in the various periodicals that my grandparents had in their home. I would sit and look through Newsweek, TIME, Jet, and Ebony magazines, even the ones my grandfather kept from the ‘70’s, ‘80’s, and early ‘90’s. I even volunteered to get their mail because I knew there was a likely chance that there was a magazine in the midst of direct mail, cards, and letters and I wanted to be the first to read it. They also influenced me by doing typical “older people” activities such as listening to NPR on the radio during road trips, watching the news every evening (which spawned my affinity for Dan Rather and 60 Minutes), and taking my sister and I to orchestral concerts.

These printed pieces, music, and television programs appealed to my sense of wanting to know how things worked. They made me wonder what was going on behind the scenes, as well as sparking creativity and my curiosity about storytelling.

My interest and involvement in GC began in high school, my sister graduated from the local vocational school, the Academy of Career Excellence, ACE as it is often called. During first year in traditional high school, I felt the activities and assignments we were given were quite mundane. I desired a different challenge and attended a tour of the school where we were introduced to all of the trades that the institution provided. Although I knew very little about the field of Graphic Communications during the tour, the instructor stated, “In GC you’ll learn how to go from nothing to something,” and that was all the convincing I needed. I enrolled in ACE as soon as I returned back to my high school.

Throughout the course of the program I began to learn more about the field and all that it encompassed and I began working on the school’s yearbook, program brochures, as well as, fulfilling clientele orders. My instructor Mike Lavender, received his Master’s degree from Clemson’s GC program and he brought us to campus several times to tour Godfrey Hall and Clemson (and attend a few baseball games). I applied to Clemson and was accepted, but I began my college career as an engineering major. After one semester, I decided to move up the hill and transferred into the GC program, where my love affair with print was rekindled.

How did Graphic Communications get me involved in journalism?

My internships, minor, and activities at Clemson got me involved in journalism. As a Graphic Communications major, we are required to complete two internships before we can graduate. I added film studies as my minor and began taking film theory courses which appealed to my interest in video and storytelling. It also compelled me to get involved with the University’s radio station WSBF FM, which satisfied my love for music. I knew how important film and music were to me and I became driven to have an internship that allowed me to work that with both of those mediums. Luckily, my first internship was with View Digital Media of Central, South Carolina, the summer of 2012. I worked with as boom operator on the first film feature production they produced, “Redemption of the Commons.” I was responsible for capturing audio/dialogue of the characters while filming. Have you ever seen a picture of someone on a film set holding a long pole with a large furry/fuzzy object on the end? That was my job and I loved every minute of it.

My second internship, I worked as a Graphics and Marketing Intern with Clemson Student Media, under Jackie Alexander last fall semester. I worked on redesigning the department’s logo and artwork for events, assisted with budgeting for the department’s programs, as well as, organizing and promoting events that we held. And I was in charge of getting the mail (I love getting the mail! It’s one of the best times of my day). All of my mail collecting and hard work was rewarded during finals week, as I sat gleefully on her office floor shredding papers, we had this exchange:

Supervisor: “You’re from Beaufort, right?”

Me: “Yes ma’am, from Beautiful Beaufort by the Sea.”

She laughs and shakes her head and goes back to typing for a minute.

Supervisor: “They’re looking for student reporters for the Orange Bowl, would you like to go to Miami?”

Me: “Yeah, I want to go to Miami!” I overturn an entire bin of shredded paper, yet trying to remain calm, I answered, “Yes, I would like that very much.”

I met with Mrs. Kesha Williams of Clemson’s Media Relations office, and she informed my fellow reporter, Savannah, and I of what we was to be expected of us and we all brainstormed what stories we would try and look for. Savannah and I traveled to Miami on the student motor coach. We were introduced to President Clements during the Alumni Luncheon we covered and met some wonderful and gracious Clemson alumni. We tweeted, posted pictures, and statuses to Instagram and Facebook, as well as writing posts to our blog, Tigress Tales, detailing our experiences in South Florida.

Experience covering/ participating in the President’s tour event:

Since going to Miami, Savannah and I have kept up with our social media reporting. Let me just say freelance reporting is awesome! Recently, we were informed by Kesha Williams and Jackie Todd of Media Relations about covering a campus tour for President Clements, the new Clemson President, that was organized my Student Body President, Kayley Seawright. And of course I agreed to do it!

Covering President Clements’ Tour of campus was a wonderful experience. He arrived at the meet point for the start of the tour with such enthusiasm and interest which remained throughout the day as we moved across the west side of campus. At every stop there was an individual or group of people to meet the President and he graciously shook hands and interacted with everyone. As he talked with student groups, President Clements expressed interest in assisting them. “What can I do to help you all?” was his question and he listened carefully to all suggestions and statements.

President Clements appeared to enjoy learning more about the history of Clemson from everyone he met including a short brief from our ROTC students, some insight on a few game day traditions, as well as, learning more about some of Clemson’s past presidents and instructors that were buried in Woodland Cemetery. As we traversed along the tour he shared some wise words with me, “Don’t take the easy route, you have to challenge yourself, and don’t quit. Go big!” I’ve taken this as my motto for this last semester.

To Infinity and Beyond!

What’s next: I would like to work in the film and television industry and continue to work in radio. I dream of becoming a director, screenwriter, and eventually own a production company. Hopefully my work will inspire someone the same way I have been inspired by film. It seems like a far stretch but I personally feel that Graphic Communications includes film/digital media. With what I have learned through my coursework, projects, and experiences on internships, I believe that I have a unique perspective to offer to audiences and listeners. I look forward to refining of my journalist skills by doing more stories and work throughout my life and as I move forward from GC “To Infinity and Beyond!”