The Emma L. Bowen Foundation for Minority Interests in Media has been preparing the future men and women of the broadcast industry since 1989. In 2009, the Foundation will celebrate its 20th Anniversary.
Peter Martinez, 22, received an Emma Bowen Foundation three-year paid summer internship at KCET-TV Los Angeles -- the west coast flagship station of PBS.
The internship was sponsored in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Each summer, he learned from professional producers, reporters and cameraman at the show Life & Times.
As a Communications major from Cal State Fullerton, Martinez would like to thank the Emma Bowen Foundation for giving him such an incredible internship opportunity.
The Emma L. Bowen Foundation was created in 1989 to prepare minority youth for careers in the media industry. The Foundation’s program is unlike traditional intern programs in that students work for partner companies during summers and school breaks from the summer following their junior year in high school until they graduate from college. During the five-year program, students have an opportunity to learn many aspects of corporate operations and develop company-specific skills. Corporations have an opportunity to train and mentor students with the option of fulltime employment upon completion of their college degrees.
Students earn an hourly salary and matching funds for college expenses. Academic excellence is also a key component of the program—students are required to maintain a 3.0 grade point average to remain in good standing. The Foundation staff works closely with corporate partners to monitor each student’s academic and work progress. An annual student conference, a community service program and a mentoring program are also provided to further enhance the student’s knowledge and experience. Resource guides for both students and corporate supervisors are provided to maximize the student’s experience while in the program.
This unique, multi-year program prepares a diverse group of talented young professionals to enter the workforce with specific job-related skills, knowledge of the corporate environment and a strong foundation for future advancement. Currently, we have 260 active students nationwide and an equal number of graduates. Approximately 60-70 new students join the program each year.
