More than 20 students from NU-Q are preparing to experience professional life at some of the world’s foremost media organizations as part of their residency programs.
For 10 weeks, the journalism and communication students will join select communication firms and media outlets in major cities around the world to gain experience as budding media professionals. The students—mostly juniors—will gain invaluable insight about their career track as well as an enhanced sense of work ethic, networking and professionalism.
The prestigious media and communications organizations that will host NU-Q students this year include Cosmopolitan, Sports Illustrated, Marie Claire, BLJ Worldwide, Huffington Post (HuffPost) Live, all based in New York City, as well as Euronews in Lyon, France. Students will also work with top publishers such as the Boston Globe and esteemed journalism organizations such as the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting(Washington, DC).
According to NU-Q Dean and CEO Everette E. Dennis, the residency program has been successfully running for over 40 years at the home campus in Evanston, Illinois, and was first made available to NU-Q students in 2011.
“The complete, life-learning experience provided by the residency program is one of the unique benefits of studying at NU-Q,” he commented. “The program ensures students develop the solid capabilities necessary to get ahead in their chosen career. It not only prepares students professionally, but also serves as a maturation period for them.”
Supervising the program is Richard Roth, senior associate dean at NU-Q, who provides the academic oversight for each student taking part in the program.
“Students are involved in everything,” he explained, “from meetings and strategic planning to day-to-day activities. Over time, they are able to contribute insights and leave a lasting mark on the organizations they are working for.”
Abir Bouguerra is an NU-Q junior majoring in journalism. She is excited to pursue a career in broadcast journalism and is about to embark on her residency with Euronews.
“I am very excited about stepping into the professional world. I believe Northwestern has equipped me with the knowledge I need to feel confident among professionals and to work beside them. This residency is the right time to test this knowledge, and I am already looking forward to seeing what will come out of the experience.”
Professional skills are not all that students gain. Haya Al-Mannai, who spent her residency at Bloomsbury Publishing in 2013, said her time there helped her become “more confident and independent as a person.
“I gained insights on a diverse range of professions …. during my residency, I was able to apply the skills that I had learned at NU-Q. Assignments were never overwhelming, as I took two public relations courses at NU-Q that really helped prepare me for my residency.”
The 2014 residency program runs from February 17 to April 25.
