Russell R. Silva
Staff Writer
The University’s Leos PR club hosted a panel event, “Leos to Leaders,” that provided students with the opportunity to meet successful La Verne graduates.
The panelists spoke to students about making it in the media industry and gave advice on pushing themselves to follow their dreams.
“It’s about how persistent you are when it comes to starting at the bottom of the list,” said Kevin Schatz, an Amp radio host and 2006 graduate who majored in broadcast.
“I started as a telephone operator and someone down the hall was watching; now I’m here.”
Schatz answered student questions on how to balance finding a career and working a side job to keep a steady income.
Audience members asked how they can break into the communications industry with no experience.
Other students asked what experience should be gained.
Panel members responded by explaining the importance of personality.
Redlands Community Hospital Public Relations manager, Sigma Kappa sister and 1995 graduate Nikyah Pfeiffer said it is important to network because anyone can be your hiring manager.
She said that when you get the experience it does not matter where you are starting, all that matters is the experience and knowledge in the field.
Pfeiffer said she got her first job through a newspaper she was throwing away.
She sent in her resume and ironically a fellow Sigma Kappa was the hiring manager.
“Sometimes it’s about the luck of the draw,” Kelli Barajas, broadcasting major, 2006 graduate and on air personality for KFROG said.
“I love Los Angeles and didn’t want to leave here to find a job. Mike (Laponis) told me about a position at KFROG and eight years later I’m still here.”
Panelists said that it is important to do research before accepting a job because sometimes you can wager a higher amount of pay.
“When it comes to how much money you want to make, you need to be able to evaluate yourself the best in front of your bosses,” Barajas said.
Try to look within a company you are already working for to get the experience you need before leaving to go somewhere else, said panelist Eric Bishop, who is now Chaffey College’s interim vice president of student affairs and a former associate professor of journalism at La Verne.
Panelists stressed the importance of getting a great job, but also looking for great benefits.
Director of Digital Communications at Whittier College and 2002 Journalism graduate Edna Becerra said many jobs do not offer great benefits so when they are available one should take full advantage.
Each panelist made remarks about how great the communications program is at La Verne.
Now that the campus has more of an integrated department, Becerra said, crosstraining is key.
“The more you know, the more inclined someone is to hire you.” Barajas said.
“If you’re willing to leave home, your chances become even higher.”
Senior public relations major Sumi Sivalingam said it is not about what you know, but who you know.
She said she learned that networking is what gets you in the door.
“Know your self-worth because only you know what you’re worth,” Sivalingam said.
Russell R. Silva can be reached at russell.silva@laverne.edu.
