Erik Waldman Temple London Spring 2012; Major: Film & Media Arts
Watch Eriks’s latest update below or check out all of Erik’s video blogs here!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8_vW3BNuiQ&w=560&h=315]
Owen Pelesh Temple London Fall 2011; Major: Theater
Watch Owen’s latest update below or check out all of Owen’s video blogs here!
Jaclyne Hopkins Temple London Fall 2008; Double-major in Communications and History; Intern at Prospero World: www.prosperoworld.org
I am a Communications and Research Assistant to the two directors who started Prospero, a charity consultant between donors and small international NGOs, only a year ago. My favorite current project is the Esther Benjamins Trust, a charity that works in Nepal rescuing young captives from the Indian circus. The charity has rescued and rehabilitated 300 Nepali children since 2004.
This work is what I would like to do in my life and I have seriously considered returning to London to become apart of the Prospero team because as a new and small company, we need devoted and involved people from all over the world. In addition, following my pursuit of a Masters in Communication Management with Temple University or Global and Cultural Communication with the University of Pennsylvania, I would like to start my own NPO, modeled after Prospero’s strategies and methods. Either way, the connections and wealth of knowledge I retain from this experience have and will continue to fire my passion for humanitarianism and hands-on sustainable work internationally.
Annie Leitenberg Temple London Fall 2008; Major: BTMM; Intern at Global Radeo
At my internship at Global Radio, I have been asked to edit pieces that will be going on air, write scripts for upcoming Podcasts, and even got to help with a midday broadcast. My most memorable project I’ve had so far was one that took me out of Global Radio. One of the girls I work with asked me if I would help her with a personal project that Global Radio was sponsoring. We were shooting the ‘Student Radio Awards’ that were being held at the fancy O2 venue in London. I was a production assistant, helping with sound and lighting. It was a networking event so I was able to meet a lot of key industry figures and it was a very rewarding experience as those I worked with saw how hard I was working the whole night.
This experience has given me such a leg up because I now know how the industry differs internationally. While there are many similarities, I plan to bring back much of what I have learned about their business. I feel very confident while I am here because they give me so much responsibility and are always sure to praise me after I do a good job. It makes me feel like I can do anything, and that is very important for an intern. I can’t imagine how this experience will not affect my future. I have met tons of people who are willing to keep in touch and help me out once I return to the states. I know I will always have this to look back on and hopefully continue to learn from. It is such an amazing program and I am so grateful that I have been able to work with the people that I work with.
Cristin McGrath Temple London Fall 2008; Major: Public Relations; Intern at Inn or Out LTD
As an intern at Inn or Out LTD, I typically spend my days creating press releases, promotional PowerPoints, newsletters and documents, and reading through event proposals. I also spend time working alongside the Personal Assistant of Lena Bjorck, founder of Inn or Out, and the team of event manager. I was immediately welcomed into the team. I have never been give work that others would not do, and most of my tasks have pertained to the Public Relations field. The office is large enough to have worked with Bill Clinton, Queen Elizabeth and Rolls Royce, but small enough to have that “family” feeling.
My most memorable project that I have worked on thus far is a newsletter that the company sends out to potential clients. It is creatively called “Catering for Success”. I rewrote the entire document, and chose refreshing pictures that accurately portrayed the company’s personality. Seeing as this is my first internship, I could not have chosen a better business. I started off with respect from my colleagues and was not seen as ‘the intern’ They appreciate the work that I put into every piece I produce, and see my potential in the field. This company has secured my desire to enter into the public relation and promotional fields after graduation. Despite working the normal 9-5, I strive to work in an environment similar to that of Inn or Out, where each project is different, and you never do the same thing twice! This experience will only rocket me to a new level of success. Having the privilege to work within a new country, culture and accent only allows me to be better than I could have ever imagined. Seeing from behind the scenes how such a successful firm functions gives me ideas and stirs my motivation to get to the same level as Inn or Out. Maybe one day, I’ll be able to plan an event for Bill Clinton, or better yet, President Barack Obama.
Alisa Scharf Temple London Fall 2008; Major: Film and Media Arts; Intern at Big Tree Productions
Every day is different at Big Tree, which is something that I love about my internship. There is always reading to be done in spare time – submitted scripts or novels that my bosses are considering developing. I write notes on whatever I read and then give a brief synopsis to them orally. I’m also invited to tag along on any meetings that happen to fall on my internship days, which has been an excellent learning experience. I’ve watched my bosses pitch ideas to their bosses, and watched aspiring writers pitch scripts to my bosses. Likewise, I’ve also done a lot of running (e.g. run to the grocery and pick up pints of milk) and my fair share of coffee and tea making. No job goes unnoticed if you’re doing it right and you have to consider everything you’re assigned to do as positive experience. More often I am doing something creative and giving my input as an equal.
My favorite project has been developing an original series! Out of the list of story ideas that Lifetime is looking for, I couldn’t find one particular story in any novels or articles, so they asked me to make one up. My boss gave me a guideline of what exactly they were looking for and I am now currently developing a series bible for the idea. I’ve submitted some synopses and sample episodes and they’ve liked everything so far. I don’t know what will happen with my idea, but I am adding to my writing portfolio and getting legitimate feedback from experienced producers.
My confidence in my own writing abilities is growing and my excitement to get into the industry as soon as I can has grown tremendously. The international exposure has offered me a great learning experience about how things work over here and it’s always great to understand things from different angles. Working at Big Tree has basically just broadened my horizons, in that I now know it’s very possible to live and work abroad. I’ve made some great contacts and I’ve learned a lot in just two short months. It has been a great experience so far and I’ll be sad to leave them in December.
Heather Ennis Temple London Fall 2007; Major: Film & Media Arts
I wanted to see England ever since I was a child. All these years later, I not only fullfilled that dream, but also expanded my knowledge as a film student. After each day of creating more treasured memories, I came home to South Kensington with my awesome roommates. The internship was also a rare treat. My co-workers made me part of the team while they taught me about their side of the film business. I will be forever thankful for my family and Temple University for making this opportunity possible for me. This was a precious gift.
Brian McGovern Double-major in Economics and Political Science
Peter Chomko Double-major in Communications and Geography & Urban Studies
Price Campbell Double-major in Film & Media Arts and Psychology
From left to right: Brian McGovern, Ali Jabara, Peter Chomko, Price Campbell and Kaitlyn Kurosky, in the Epping Forest (at the northeastern terminus of the Central Line) just outside London.
There’s a lot to recommend London as a study abroad destination: marvelous public transport and urban park systems, a diverse selection of ethnic foods, the world’s greatest supermarket (Sainsbury’s, if you’re keeping track), and the endearing tendency of the English to use the word ‘whilst.’ Add to that a few far-less important factors such as its status as one of the world’s three major financial hubs and as an established Mecca for the fine arts for longer than America’s been an independent nation, and it’s pretty hard to say ‘no.’ We didn’t. Studying in the former seat of the world’s last great (in terms of size, purely; we withhold our commentary on the moral implications of European colonialism) empire is truly a multicultural experience. Sure, we drank a lot of tea, but we also ate a lot of naan; and for all the time we spent in pubs, we made just as many trips to the Bengali restaurants of East London’s Brick Lane. London isn’t just the UK’s biggest city: it’s a true world city, where different cultures clash, collide and peacefully coexist on a daily basis. And studying at Temple London has an edge on even that: there’s a Sainsbury’s Superstore just around the corner.
Kaitlyn Kurosky Temple London Fall 2007; Major: Communications
My decision to attend Temple University was based on the variety of study abroad options I would have my junior year. London had always been my top destination and knowing that I could continue my major courses while experiencing a whole new media perspective cemented my choice. London is a city unlike any other, it is incredibly multi-cultural and its energetic pulse never subsided for the three months I was there. Having the opportunity to travel abroad and constantly be exposed to new things was the experience of a lifetime.
Sarah Stackhouse Temple London Fall 2007; Double major in Communications and Political Science
London was always a city I wanted to live and study abroad in. Whether it was for the indescribable fascination with the British accent, or the desire to see many of the world’s most famous, and well advertised structures (Big Ben, Red Double Decker Bus), London has always been a ‘must see’ place . London is not only one of the biggest places for international communication, but also one of the best places to see cultures blending together. Living in America, you can sometimes take for granted that we all come from somewhere else. In London however, being a “melting pot” takes on an entirely different meaning. My time in London gave me both an education about the world, and an education about myself. Studying abroad allows you to truly discover your potential as a student, a person, and a traveler, and gives you memories you will never forget. My semester in London changed my outlook on not only my own country, and the world, but also myself. Studying abroad is the best thing any student can do for themselves, and I highly encourage everyone to go abroad!
Sarah Lisitski Temple London Fall 2005; Major: Communications; Intern at Drapers Record
I was a communications major at Temple and when I got to London I interned at a fashion business magazine “Drapers Record”. During my internship I called local boutiques and shops and surveyed them about business trends and I also wrote a weekly column about fashion trends. I was thrown into really working at the magazine, which is different from American internships in that they actually had me contributing on my first day instead of doing mundane clerical work. Overall I really enjoyed my internship experience in London and it added something special to my resume. It was also my first job in fashion, which has led to my current position as Accessories Assistant at Oprah magazine in NYC. Learning about fashion in London was such a special experience because the British have such a unique sense of style and I was able to learn from them and about new up and coming British designers and brands.
The city of London itself is still my favorite place in the whole world. I love the culture, the people and the landscape. I love that you can take a train to the whimsical town of Brighton or quick plane ride to Spain. I also loved London because it was not as big of a culture shock as the other countries we visited and it was easy to feel at home. I also loved that I was able to take a theater class as part of the curriculum and experience West End shows as well as Shakespeare at the Globe. The entire experience was unforgettable.