PART ONE - Description

This fellowship came at an excellent time for me as a recent graduate from the College of Communications at Cal State Fullerton. I'm able to use this three-month opportunity to work at a network news division so that I can add to my previous experience at KABC online news, and KCET public television.

Using the ABC/Disney Career website, I created a profile and uploaded my resume and cover letter that were reviewed and updated after I visited the Cal State Fullerton Career Center. A few weeks later, ABC Human Resources confirmed a couple resume facts with me, then forwarded it to the news department. It only took a couple more days after ABC called my references that I got a phone interview and then eventually the fellowship position.

Michelle Horde-White is the senior ABC NEWS recruiter for off-air talent -- and the one responsible for this summer's fellowship.

My in-class training from Communications 371 and 372,  such as field producing and writing, has definitely helped me during my fellowship. Also, Communications 201 has helped me realize the two different writing styles: print and broadcast. This was made very clear that writing a TV script is much easier than writing an AP-style formatted news article for abcnews.com.

One of the best learning experiences was researching and interviewing for my scooter story for abcnews.com. Throughout the process, I learned what it takes to create an original story with high editorial standards. Once I thought I had what was a well-written article got edited so it read better for an online audience.  Even though I didn't have college newspaper experience being a broadcast student, this article allowed me to expand my skills and get a byline on a respected website.

PART TWO: I had different supervisors at each department, sometimes multiple ones in a single day. When I was at abcnews.com, I had one supervisor responsible for the completion of my article, and another one allowing me to post AP wire stories (entertainment, travel, and sports) to their respective areas on the website.  Each supervisor was friendly enough for me to ask any question that I may have had as I learned the work flow and software.

I've realized that broadcast journalism is changing just as much as print. Everything has gone online, and being able to write for multiple platforms beyond just television is something everyone should know while studying at a journalism school. It's better to have knowledge of just about everything and don't focus on one aspect of the media industry. Producing, shooting, and editing video is not enough to compete in today's world.  I felt ready to take on this ABC NEWS fellowship because I got involved with Titan Communications and KCET-Orange at Cal State Fullerton. Thanks to Dr. Brent Foster, I was confident enough to know that I would excel in my fellowship position at ABC NEWS.

My work assignments here at ABC NEWS kept me excited to come to work everyday. News changes and my assignments were never the same. Some days I would research story ideas, tape interviews, or help write questions or scripts.

After all is said and done, I would seriously consider accepting an entry-level position at ABC NEWS in New York. I would recommend others to seek out network level internships or fellowships because one sees the resources of the network and the level of journalism not found in many local newsroom across the country. Plus, to be in New York for three-months is quite a ride.

The internship program at the College of Communications is the gateway to for real-world experience -- not to mention the chance for a job position at the end of the internship. A company invests enough time to know the student and their work that they feel compelled to hire them.  That is a win-win for the company and Cal State Fullerton.

PART THREE: During my first rotation at abcnews.com, I witnessed how news coverage was handled when Tim Russert passed away in June.  After NBC News went on the air to announce the initial death, abcnews.com went right to work getting the breaking news on the homepage plus the other stories they created (including quotes from politicians and other news reporters, list of accomplishments, etc.).  This was a surprise to me being in this situation where I could watch news develop before my eyes and see how it was told to the world online.

In all the departments I've been at this summer, accuracy and speed are key. Being first isn't always the goal. However, having the right information and going public with it outweighs any damaging retractions the news organizations must make after hasty decision-making.

I've made enough contacts at ABC and at the UNITY Convention in Chicago to keep me well connected to the news industry and New York. It truly is the people you know that makes the difference when it comes to job-hunting.