Internship Report by Jason by Jason Tham

Internship Report

Student: Jason Tham Faculty Advisor: Dr. Roya Akhavan Job Supervisor: Ms. Missy Northenscold Program: Master of Science in Mass Communications Institution: St. Cloud State University, MN

Hello.

Introduction & Acknowledgement The purpose of this report is to serve as a documentation to qualify my work for graded credit through an arranged course, COMM 600, as well as to provide the faculty supervisor with in-depth information about my work experience. By presenting, analyzing, and evaluating my work on the job, I hope to demonstrate my maturity in writing, graphic designing, and ability to work with professionals in the academic context. This report comprises the following sections: introduction, learning objectives, scope of work, my observation of marketing communications in the academe, reflections, conclusion, and selected work done presented in a portfolio format. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my faculty advisor of this internship, Dr. Roya Akhavan, for her approval and supervision on

INTERNSHIP PORTFOLIO ÂŠ 2013 JASON THAM

this internship; my direct supervisor at the workplace, Ms. Missy Northenscold, for her guidance and patience when working with me; the Learning Resources Services (LRS) and Information Technology Services (ITS) staff members for giving me the opportunity to work on projects of various nature and being flexible with my art direction.

Rationale & Learning Objectives The first two steps toward professionalization in any communications career are involvement in student media and academic preparation through coursework at the graduate level. A professional internship serves as a vital third step in preparing communications students for a fulfilling career. This is why I have chosen to complete a marketing communications internship as part of my M.S. Mass Communications â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Advertising and Public Relations degree requirements. My intentions were to get acquainted with communication practices within the learning resources units and to apply the skills and knowledge in the professional work setting.

INTERNSHIP PORTFOLIO ÂŠ 2013 JASON THAM

To ensure a successful internship experience, I have established the following learning objectives for this internship: »» To acquire an in-depth knowledge of the formal functional activities at LRS and ITS in order to provide communication support for the organizations; »» To develop solid work ethics and a professional identity; and »» To increase confidence from working with seasoned professionals in the industry through first-hand involvement in planning, implementing, and evaluating assigned tasks

Scope of Work My title on the job was Communication Assistant and I was stationed in the Operational Services Group (OSG). This was a paid internship and I worked 40 hours/five days a week. The OSG is a workgroup that serves both LRS and ITS with regards to hiring and personnel, scheduling and facilities management, budgeting and account management, and general operations administration (see organizational chart attached in the appendix section). My role was to provide graphic design, copywriting, and marketing assistance to the workgroup in their ongoing projects. Given my previous experience with LRS, I was expected to support other areas of the LRS and ITS units, including reference, circulation, cataloging, institutional repository, and the deanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office, among other smaller initiatives.

INTERNSHIP PORTFOLIO ÂŠ 2013 JASON THAM

In addition, Miller Center underwent some major renovations during this summer. The 24-hour study lab and coffee shop were being revitalized and redesigned into HuskyTech and Wired coffee shop. Due to these changes, I was fortunate to be a part of the marketing committee and was responsible for the production of all communication materials for the changes that happened to the computer lab and computer store. Such materials largely shape the branding effort of the lab and store. Please refer to the sample work done in the appendix section.

Observation: Marketing Comm. in the Academe and Challenges What makes the academe different from other corporate entities is the tone and manner in the messages that form the basis of marketing campaigns. Marketing communications within the academic context means focusing on communications that appeal to stakeholders in the academe â&#x20AC;&#x201C; students, staff (from programming to student services to university administration), and faculty members. The university as whole has a need to attract students, raise money, develop city-university relationship, and increase her prestige among other competitors to ensure survival, to put it bluntly. With the recent rise of social media as a fertile communication platform, the university

INTERNSHIP PORTFOLIO ÂŠ 2013 JASON THAM

just as other institutions or corporations – needs to tell her story in greater volume and effectiveness. Smaller units within the institution face no different challenge than that. What follow are some challenges that I have observed – and experienced – during my internship at OSG. Stewarts of the university brand establish guidelines and resources for other university units to enhance the institution’s reputation and identity. Here at St. Cloud State University (SCSU), the University Communications is the department responsible for general marketing effort for the university. They create brand book and communication policies for all SCSU workgroups to follow. One of the challenges faced by affiliates like LRS and ITS is the struggle to establish individuality while keeping uniformity with the rest of the departments within the university. There was a period of time during the course of my internship when OSG struggled to determine its mission and vision since the unit was reformed during the SCSU institutional reorganization that happened in 2010-11. With the assistance of the new dean of LRS and Chief Information Officer (CIO) in ITS, and the persistence of OSG staff members, OSG has gotten a head start on recognizing its own identity and purpose before I left the job. Nevertheless, OSG still has a long way to go in terms of establishing more distinctive parameters around the work they do and how they come together as part of the SCSU institution. The attached portfolio includes a communication plan that I put together for the new LRS dean during my internship to outline strategies to communicate LRS roles and functions, as well as OSG positions to the library patrons.

Moreover, student marketing is an art and science of its own. While my role was not to help reach the admissions goal of the university, my target audience for most of the campaign I have done were mainly students. When it comes to targeting students, some of the challenges are catching up with newer media and communication platforms that students use and speaking their language. Through my observation, one shortcoming in some previous communication materials that went out to the students on behalf of LRS and ITS was irrelevance. When trying to sell something to students, academic departments must not speak like a parent to his or her child. In many cases, I have seen that undesirable tone disperses across past marketing materials. As a student myself, I dare speak for majority of the student body that we prefer not be talked down at but rather to learn ways we can engage ourselves with the university and academic departments so we can achieve our personal and professional goals. In my work during this internship, I have tried to pursue a more personal tone of voice throughout most of the communication materials and you may find them in the portfolio attached. To better appeal to students, I have also tried to communicate via a medium they are fonder of â&#x20AC;&#x201C; social networks. Social media, however, are a messy channel and are hard to manage. Much planning and strategizing have to be done before the actual communication takes place. During my internship, I have attempted to improve the SCSU Library Facebook page (managed by LRS) and created the new HuskyTech Facebook page (managed by ITS). Among the challenges were to gain student interests in the pages and to find a purpose for the pages (to sell, to communicate, or simply to create

a presence). In my little contribution to OSG, LRS and ITS, I have intended to use these Facebook pages to create awareness about the services available in the library and to construct a brand image for the new HuskyTech service center. Please see my work in the attached portfolio.

Reflection: Three Lessons Learned from an Internship Marketing communications in its nature is a highly collaborative work in which one could not possibly do all the work by him or herself. The first lesson I learned from this internship experience is how to work effectively in a collaborative environment. Throughout the summer, various changes had taken place in the building where I work and at times we were required to relocate workstations and restructure the physical settings in the building. Many a time we were required to help one another in the transition process. Besides, I also learned to receive instructions or brief from project managers and deliver work as expected. While it may be possible that some projects do not

INTERNSHIP PORTFOLIO ÂŠ 2013 JASON THAM

have a solid expectation on the outcome at the time of briefing, the process has taught me to always clarify the communication needs of the specific project before planning and executing the design work. A good rule of thumb that I followed was: if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get the order, find a scope and chase receivables. Another invaluable lesson that I have learned from this internship experience is balancing both quality and speed. My years in college and writing papers have honed me into paying attention to details while getting work done on time. During this internship, I was given a considerable amount of work to handle due to the lack of a communication specialist or designer of this sort in the units I work with. While it was important for me to produce good quality work, it was also crucial for me to get those works delivered in a timely manner. In fact, my one-man-band position has allowed me greater flexibility in my planning and execution processes. As I have mentioned in my acknowledgement, my direct supervisor had also given me the same suppleness to do my work. Much of what this experience entails can also be translated into managing stress well and conquering deadlines. Finally, I have picked up some networking skills via this internship experience. From watching how my supervisor interacts with her massive network, I have learned a lot about maintaining a credible reputation and growing my network. As parts of my learning objectives, I wanted to build a professional identity and practice working with specialized

individuals in the industry via this internship. I consider these objectives met considering the people I have got to know from this work experience and the professional reputation I have established in the workplace. I am certain of this when my colleagues, including those who I have not worked directly with, know me by name and compliment me on the work I have produced. A personal brand is the foundation of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success. I am glad this internship has helped me in expanding my horizon and professional connections with people who I have not had the opportunity to work with prior to the internship. Through the collaborations and working relationships established through my role in the OSG, I now know more people who can be great resources in my future endeavors.

Conclusion By and large this internship has been a great addition to my preparation in becoming a communication strategist in the near future. By looking at the differences between corporate and academic marketing communications, I have identified some challenges faced by academic departments in terms of their communication needs. As these challenges affect oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision in the design of strategic communications and choice of media outlet, a communication strategist should pay close attention to the cause of these challenges and distinguish them when necessary. Then, through my reflection on this internship experience, I have named some valuable lessons learned from working alone and with others. These lessons carry equal weigh as the coursework I undertake in the graduate program as they put textbook theories into perspectives. Needless to say, I have enjoyed

INTERNSHIP PORTFOLIO ÂŠ 2013 JASON THAM

this internship and learned a great deal from the experience, and I hope to encourage other graduate students in the mass communications program to consider completing an internship such as this before they graduate.

Portfolio To demonstrate my maturity in various communication practices, the following pages include some examples of work I have produced during the course of this internship. For the ease of your perusal, I have categorized these works according to their project or campaign name.

Web Design Redesigned header and “Ask a Librarian” button for SCSU Library homepage. After several tries, refreshed the SCSU Library logo - minimalistic style. Opt 1: Without StC logo

LIBRARY

ST. CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY

Library

S T. C L O U D S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y

ST. CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY

Learning Resources Services

LIBRARY

The

Ask A Librarian

email. chat. phone. consultation.

LIBRARY

AT THE MILLER CENTER

AT T H E M I L L E R C E N T E R

ST. CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY

S T. C L O U D S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y

LIBRARY

AT THE MILLER CENTER

AT T H E M I L L E R C E N T E R

ST. CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY

S T. C L O U D S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y

LIBRARY

AT THE MILLER CENTER

AT T H E M I L L E R C E N T E R

ST. CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY

LIBRARY S T. C L O U D S TAT E U N I V E R S I R Y

LIBRARY @ MILLER CENTER

LIBRARY S T. C L O U D S TAT E U N I V E R S I R Y

LIBRARY @ MILLER CENTER

Learning Resources Services

LEARNING RESOURCES SERVICES

ST. CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY

S T. C L O U D S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y

LEARNING

RESOURCES

SERVICES

LIBRARY @ MILLER CENTER LEARNING

RESOURCES

SERVICES

S T. C L O U D S TAT E U N I V E R S I R Y

LIBRARY @ MILLER CENTER L E A R NI NG

R E S OU R C E S

S E R V I C E S

thelibrary LEAR NING

R ESOU R CES

SER VICES

LEARNING

RESOURCES

SERVICES

LIBRARY @ MILLER CENTER LEARNING

RESOURCES

SERVICES

S T. C L O U D S TAT E U N I V E R S I R Y

LIBRARY @ MILLER CENTER L E ARN I N G

RE S O U RC E S

S E RV I C E S

LIBRARY

IN THE MILLER CENTER S T. C L O U D S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y

library in the miller center LEARNING RESOURCES SERVICES

Web Elements Created web showcase buttons for the library portal to advertise events that are planned to be held during the 2013-14 academic year.

About the Common Reading Program

BANNED BOOKS WEEK September 22-28

EDIBLE

BOOKS F E S T I VA L

April 7, 2013

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION WEEK

HUSKIES CELEBRATE NATIONAL POETRY MONTH SUMMER HOURS

St. Cloud State University November 18-22 Check out the new

Library Search Constitution Day September 17

Welcome Students!

See where the buttons are placed: lrts.stcloudstate.edu/library/default.asp

Digital Display Created a digital display graphic to inform students and library patrons about the wireless connection upgrades during the summer.

Thank You Cards Designed new series of Thank You Cards for SCSU Library (LRS) to be given to generous donors and givers.

Highlights Cards Designed a series of cards that are placed next to computers in the library to emphasize features and services available in the library and its website.

Highlights CITATION STYLES Need help with citations and writing bibliography? The library citations page has a collection of common styles used for most majors, including APA, MLA, ASA, Chicago, Turabian, and Sciences.

Highlights

Look for the Research Assistance tab on the library homepage and RESOURCES ON MINNESOTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HISTORY Minnesota Reflections, which is now almost 8 click on Citation Styles to find more details about writing bibliographies.years old, is a project of the Minnesota Digital Library. The collection brings you more than For more assistance, speak with your librarians at the Reference Desk. 80,000 images, maps and documents from more than 125 of the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultural heritage organizations. Find out more about the collection at reflections.mndigital.org

Hot

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU IDENTIFY TOPICS. Find the following reference resources ar the A - Z Databases search tab on library homepage: - Point of View Reference - Opposing Viewpoints - CQ Researcher - Facts on File - ProQuest Newspapers

Highlig

TOPICS & TITLES. ! FOR FREE E-BOOKS d online references at the librarying an follow Find e-Books scribed to the . SCSU is sub research page joyment: en ur yo for e-Books ence - Credo Refer ticism Online - Literature Cri ical Books hn - Safari Tec thor Online About the Au - Something iters Project - Women Wr

Need Help? Contact us at (320) 308-2084 or email to lrtsinfo@stcloudstate.edu

hts

MILLER C SUMMER ENTER LIBRA RY SESSION HOURS MON-TH U

R 7AM FRI 7AM 10PM SAT CLO 4PM SE SUN 2P D M - 10PM

Librarian Rescue!s!

to the

SCSU libraria secret weapo ns are your a great rese n for doing They are av arch project. ai Reference De lable during and will he sk hours, lp you pick a topic, find ar a bibliograp ticles, create hy - you name it. Fo r information, hours and stcloudsta visit lrts. te library/re .edu/ askalibra search/ rian.asp.

Image: libra ry.sdsu.edu

CONSTR IN THE M UCTION ILLER CEN Please be TER inform

THE REPOSITORY AT SCSU ed that th 125) and Here are a few example topics: The Repository provides open access to a Extended Ho e Coffee Shop (MC 10 2) diverse collection of academic, scholarly, ar e closed fo urs Computer Lab (M Animal testing, Assisted suicide, Business ethics, r constructio C and creative content by faculty, 24-hou n. A tempo r computer Censorship, Death penalty, Genetic engineering, Gunscientific, students, and staff at the University. It organizes, lab is locate rary d at Case-H control, Human rights, Islam, Pop culture, and more!distributes and preserves the scholarly and ill Ha

Facebook Banners Created a series of Facebook cover images theme around the Miller Center to personalize the SCSU Library Facebook Fanpage and give it a recognizable brand.

Brochure Designed a brochure to promote the Institutional Repository services at St. Cloud State University. Copy provided by Dr. Keith Ewing, professor at LRS.

Staff ID Badge Came up with concepts for new ITS student and employee ID badges. 2

1 5

Final version sent to print.

Marketing Collaterals Designed a series of Back-to-School marketing collatoral materials to promote the SCSU Library. Also responsible for researching price of these items.

New Coffee Shop Branding Designed two logo options for the new coffee shop in Miller Center. Second option (right) was selected.

W WIRED

WIRED

HuskyTech: Coming Soon Created a series of Coming Soon posters to announce the opening of the new HuskyTech service center.

play.

learning is fun, and the world is only inches away from your finger tips

opening soon @ miller center

teach.

new ways to deliver course materials and share your ideas

opening soon @ miller center

learn.

a whole new learning experience with the latest technologies

opening soon @ miller center

collaborate. connect, construct, communicate, and achieve expertise together

opening soon @ miller center

HuskyTech: Brand Communication Designed all communicationn materials for the new HuskyTech service center, including logo, tagline, copy, and design.

HUSKYTECH Helpdesk |

Training

Service

Retail

HuskyTech: Brand Communication More promotional items.

FORGOT SOMETHING? NEED HELP?

HUSKYTECH MILLER CENTER 1ST FLOOR // ATWOOD CENTER HUSKYNET.STCLOUDSTATE.EDU // (320) 308-7000

• Device configuration • HuskyNet account setup • Anti-virus installation • General assistance • Computer products • Educational discounts WE’RE OPEN ON MOVE-IN WEEKEND (SAT-SUN)

9:00am-12midnight

HuskyTech: Price Sheets Redesigned the computer product price sheets.

iPad Price Sheet

HUSKYTECH

HuskyTech • 720 4th Avenue South, Miller Center 102 • (320) 308-7000

iPad Mini Capability & Price

Battery Chip Cameras Video Recording Display

Siri Support

Wi-Fi 16GB $329 32GB $429 64GB $529

Wi-Fi + 16GB 32GB 64GB

iPad with Retina Display Cellular $459 $559 $659

Wi-Fi 16GB $499 32GB $599 64GB $699 128GB $799

iPad 2

Wi-Fi + Cellular 16GB $629 32GB $729 64GB $829 128GB $929

Wi-Fi 16GB $399

Wi-Fi + 3G 16GB $529

Up to 10 hours of web with WiFi Up to 9 hours of web with cellular data

Dual-core A5

Dual-core A6X with quad-core graphics

Up to 10 hours of web with WiFi Up to 9 hours of web with cellular data Dual-core A5

FaceTime HD camera (1.2MP) iSight camera (5MP)

Back camera (960x720)

1080p HD

720p HD

MacBook Air Price Sheet HUSKYTECH FaceTime camera (VGA HuskyTech • 720 4th Avenue South, Miller Center 102 • (320) 308-7000 resolution)

7.9-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Retina display 9.7-inch Sheet (diagonal) LED-backlit iPod Price HUSKYTECH HuskyTech • 720 4th Avenue South, Miller Center 102 display • (320) 308-7000 Multi-Touch display with IPS technology 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Multi-Touch with IPS technology 1024-by-768 resolution at 163 pixels per Multi-Touch display with IPS technology 1024-by-768 resolution at 132 pixels per inch 2048-by-1536 resolution at 264 pixels per (ppi) inch (ppi) Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating inch (ppi) Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating MacBook Air 11-inch MacBook Air 13-inch Yes Yes No Configuration 1: $949 Configuration 2: $1,049 Configuration 1: $1,149 Configuration 2: $1,449 CPS 4-Year Warranty

Carriers

Storage

iPod Shuffle 2GB

Processor iPod Nano 16GB Memory

Graphics $49 Capability

Battery In the Box Size Weight Display Navigation

Music, audiobooks, podcasts

$208

$262

64 GB Flash Storage

128 GB Flash Storage

1.7GHz Dual-Core Intel i5 2.0GHz Dual-Core Intel i7 iPod Touch 32GB iPod Classic 160GB 4 GB 1600MHz DDR3L iPod Touch 64GB Intel HD Graphics 4000

Size/Weight $149

Width 11.8 inches $299 / $399 $249 2.38 lbs Music, movies, TV shows, 5MP iSight camera with Music, movies, TV shows, 720pvideos, HD Camera, 2 USBpodcasts, 3.0 ports Connections videos, podcasts, audiobooks, 1080p HD video recording, audiobooks, Thunderbolt port, MagSafe photos, FM radio, Fitness Walk Siri, AirPlay Mirroring, apps, photos 2 power port Bluetooth 4.0 + Run support built in, Nike+ games, music, widescreen support built in video, iMessage, FaceTime Up to 5 hours wireless web Battery HD camera with 720p HD Up to 30 days standby time video recording, Game Center, email, Safari web browser, Facebook and Twitter integration, Passbook, Maps

Up to 15 hours of audio

Up to 30 hours of audio Up to 3.5 hours of video

Up to 40 hours of audio Up to 8 hours of video

Apple Earphones, iPod shuffle USB Cable

Apple EarPods, Lightning to USB Cable

Apple EarPods, Lightning to USB Cable, iPod touch loop

Apple Earphones, dock adapter, USB cable

1.14 × 1.24 × 0.34 inches

3.01 × 1.56 × 0.21 inches

4.86 × 2.31 × 0.24 inches

4.1 × 2.4 × 0.41 inches

0.44 ounce

1.1 ounces

3.10 ounces

Up to 36 hours of audio Up to 6 hours of video

4.9 ounces

2.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display

4-inch (diagonal) Multi-Touch Retina display

2.5-inch (diagonal) color LCD with LED backlight

Clickable controls with VoiceOver button

Multi-Touch display

Click Wheel

$262 128 GB Flash Storage

256 GB Flash Storage

1.8GHz Dual-Core Intel i5

2.0GHz Dual-Core Intel i7

4 GB 1600MHz DDR3L Intel HD Graphics 4000 Width 12.8 inches 2.96 lbs 720p HD Camera, 2 USB 3.0 ports Thunderbolt port, MagSafe 2 power port Bluetooth 4.0, SD card slot Up to 7 hours wireless web Up to 30 days standby time

Tutorials for New EMS System Created print and video tutorials for using the new online event management and facilities reservation site. Shot, produced, and narrated the videos. TUTORIAL Reserving Multiple Locations for an Event

1. Log in to EMS with your StarID and select the type of reservation you want to request.

2. Fill out the logistics information and click “Find Space.”

3. Use the green “plus” button to add multiple locations to your reservation list.

4. Fill out event and contact information and then click “Submit” to complete reservation request. Wait to receive email confirmation from the scheduling coordinator.

Questions? Email Scheduling Office at atwood@stcloudstate.edu or call 320.308.2905.

Communication Plans for LRS & OSG Crafted and strategized communication plans for Learning Resources Services and Operational Services to educate students and patrons about services in the library.

PUBLICITY PLAN FOR LRS

PUBLICITY PLANS for LEARNING RESOURCES SERVICES

CHALLENGES • To educate the campus community about the changes from LRTS to LRS & ITS • To distinguish personnels in LRS and their respective positions • To present LRS as a fresh identity to the campus community (mission, vision & values) • To identify the functions of LRS COMMUNICATION CHANNELS • Website/Homepage • Social media (Facebook, vine videos) • Library display case • Highlights cards • Walls/Posters/Frames • Oﬃce calendar • Special event (oﬃce party) TIME FRAME: August-September 2013 OUTSTANDING ITEMS • New LRS logo • Style guide

and OPERATIONAL SERVICES GROUP

See complete plan at: http://issuu.com/jasontham/docs/commplan

OSG Internal Website Created an internal web portal for Operational Services Group to deposit forms and other downloadables. Designed and conceptualized using Weebly.

See website at: http://operationalservicesgroup.weebly.com

Thank You ÂŠ 2013 Jason Tham.