Category Archives: Business

CommNEXT 2017

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On Saturday, October 21st, Mass Communication Majors from our campus had an opportunity to attend the CommNEXT Conference in Shreveport. With Innovative Communications on the rise, it is important that young professionals stay up to date with the latest trends in the Communications Field. Successful individuals with skills in Public Relations, Social Media, Journalism, and film attended to speak and share their stories. This included Key Note Speaker Tracey Altman, one of the founders of “Holy Guacamole.”

The conference started out with lunch and “Guacamole Taught Me Everything I Know About Marketing.” Attendees were given Tracey Altman’s top ten list of tips and lessons she learned while building her brand “Holy Guacamole,” and how to apply them to their future careers. These included:

  1. Agencies are Partners, Not Vendors
  2. Think Outside the Box
  3. Consumer Counts – If you target everyone, you target no one.
  4. Social Media is About Quality, Not Quantity
  5. Business Marketing v.s. Marketing Business
  6. Know Your Brand Voice – Mandates Consistency
  7. Read
  8. MISTAKES ARE GOOD
  9. Be an Intentional Consumer – Shop like you target.
  10. Love What You Do – Intrigue=Love=Energy=Passion

She emphasized that mistakes are inevitable and everyone in these fields will make them. Attendees were left not only with yummy samples, but with the question, “What is a mistake you have made and how have you learned from it?”

After the Key Note Speaker, there were 3 different breakout session times for students to attend, and learn about topics and fields they were interested in. The sessions A&M Students attended were “Tear Down that Wall,” “How Social Media Has Changed Journalism/The Impact of Social Media on P.R.,” and “Break the Creative Bank.”

“Tear Down That Wall” was led by Scott Anderson, Executive Editor of the Bossier Press Tribune. Due to social media, the job market for journalism in the news room has dropped significantly. He emphasized that the industry now sees everyone as storytellers, and that  Journalists need P.R. Professionals just as badly as P.R. Professionals need the journalists. A worker from “The Times” was in the room and she said “We used to have 35 on staff, and now we have 10. Where we used to have 7 photographers, we now have one.” This shows how much of a need there is for the bridge between P.R. and Journalism.

“How Social Media Has Changed Journalism” and “The Impact of Social Media on P.R.” was a session split with two speakers. Dr. Pickens, the Chair of Communications and General Studies for SUSLA was the first speaker. She focused on Citizen Journalism and how we now live in a “see it, snap it, send it world.” With social media becoming more and more popular, everyone has the opportunity to be their own journalist at the touch of a button. She encouraged the idea that not all information is necessarily news and you need to fact check the sources you view. Dr. Joa, Assistant Professor of Mass Communication at LSUS talked about social media and P.R. She talked about why it is important for business professionals to know the importance of what is trending on social media, and the particular important of hashtags. She also talked about how use network analysis and ethnography to build campaign effectiveness.

“Breaking the Creative Bank” was the personal favorite breakout session of our students. It was hosted by Jazmin Jernigan, a former communications student who is now a successful freelancer and owns Aesthetic Innovations, LLC. She spoke about the pros and cons of not only starting out as a freelancer, but what it takes to be successful with your career. Her 6 Successful habits included:

  1. Creative Value
  2. Honor Your Time and Talent
  3. Educate Your Clients
  4. Find Balance
  5. Partner and Collaborate with Competition on Bigger Projects
  6. Break the Starving Stereotype

She stressed that as a freelancer, more often than not, your home becomes you workspace, and the biggest challenge is learning how to be productive but also find balance. Aspiring freelancers should “Find their niche.” What is it about your services that will make you stand out? She said “You want to bring a unique presence in a saturated market.” Jazmin also warned that starting out is hard, but in the long run, it can be worth it if you stay committed to what you are pursuing.

The conference closed with speaker Gregory Kallemburg, founder of the Film Prize Foundation. He talked about how important it is to invest in and build your local community.

The day was long, but very productive. With opportunity  to meet professionals from all over the country, it is something all Mass Communication students should consider attending on a yearly basis.

 

How to Keep Your Cash

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I have had a love/hate relationship with my bank account for a very long time. I used to wonder where my money was going and why I could not save as much as I needed. There were times when I did not work as often and would receive smaller paychecks, but I still spent money the way I did when I was paid two or three times as much. After finally admitting to myself that I had a problem, I found some methods that helped keep my bank account from hitting $0. 

1.       Track your spending habits

Use apps like Clarity and Mint to track your spending.

I began keeping receipts at the beginning of the year. I put the receipts in a small file folder and organized them by month. I keep receipts for all purchases no matter how small because too many little purchases can add up to a large amount. When I went back and looked at the receipts, I paid attention to where I was going and how much I was spending. I also looked at what I was buying and realized that I was buying multiples of items I already had and spending too much money on meals and snacks. I was also buying small and unnecessary items that I would only use a few times just because I had the money.

A great way to also track you spending if you don’t want to keep receipts is to write them down. I bought a small book at Michael’s for $4-$5 with monthly budget sheets and sheets to document the date, item, and amount spent per purchase. I put these sheets in my planner and write down what I spend for the week. This gives me a visual reminder of how much I am spending because it is easy to forget when you are constantly swiping a card.

2.       Look at your income and expenditures

Next, I looked at my monthly income and calculated how much of that income was going into certain categories. I looked at how much of my money was automatically being taken out for bills each month and how much was spent on gas and food. When I went through my bank statements, I saw that I was paying almost $40 a month for services I did not even use. There were multiple video streaming subscriptions, Kindle Unlimited, Audible, and Apple Music. I was not even aware that I was paying for some of these services because I did not get any emails about the monthly payments. I made a list of my monthly payments and subtracted them from my expected income each month to decide on a budget. 

3.       Prioritize

It is never wise to overspend to the point where you are unsure of how you are going to pay for the things you really need. I had to prioritize my spending to make sure I had money to save and spend on the things I could not go without. This meant that I needed to cut back on the areas that were taking too much of my money like snacks and cosmetics.

4.       Find alternatives where needed

To cut back on snacks, I decided to drink more water because I was spending almost $20 a week on drinks alone. I would buy sodas or juice every day when it really wasn’t necessary. Now, I take a refillable water bottle to school and work to cut back on buying drinks. I also stopped buying fast food as often and began cooking more of my own meals and setting budgets for food each week. When I give myself a food budget, it forces me to be less impulsive. 

I have a habit of buying multiple bottles of soap and lotion. I run out of a bottle and purchase another without realizing I have 3 bottles at home that were barely used. This might be okay if you like to have different scents, but I always gravitate toward lightly scented or unscented soaps and end up with multiple bottle of the same brand and scent. This also happens with my hair products. I buy replacements without finishing a container and have two or three jars of conditioner that can be combined o make a full jar.

Sometimes, the alternative to spending too much money is to get organized and use what you have before buying something else. I have wasted money on replacing items because I was not organized enough to keep track of what I already had. 

5.       Coupons and discounts

When I was younger, I used to look at the PennySaver and try to find coupons for products I saw in the house. I was much younger and did not actually need to use these coupons because I was only an elementary school student. However, I did not realize how helpful coupons could be. Each coupon may only save you a dollar off on an item, but they can save you even more on a basket full. Students also get discounts at multiple restaurants and can get them online. A UniDays subscription is free and has coupons for apparel, technology, and more. You can also get a $5 per month Apple Music subscription by verifying that you are a student. An Amazon Prime subscription is $49.99 a year for students and can be helpful when you are buying textbooks or other items you might need for school because you get free 2-day shipping. There are also student discount cards at the front desk. 

6.       Set a Goal

Set a goal for how much you are trying to save for a certain amount of time. Goals work better when they start off small or have multiple steps. If you are trying to save an extra $200 a month, divide it into a certain amount per week. Figure out what your budget can be for that week and try to stick with it. It can be difficult at first, but it will become easier with time.

One of the most common financial mistakes people make is not having a budget. I learned the hard way that there is a difference between having the money to buy something and being able to afford it. It may be tedious to track your spending and give yourself only a portion of your money to spend, but being disciplined now can save you financial trouble in the future. 

Why Journalism?

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In life, the billion-dollar question asked the most is, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” When the response is, “I don’t know” the look given isn’t always a pleasant one. The truth is for some it takes changing your major a few times before figuring it out. Then there are those that have known since birth what their life would one day be. Fortunately, I am not that person. I say fortunately because, it’s okay that you don’t know exactly what it is that you want to do. It’s okay that you may not have your entire life figured out. For the ones that do have their entire life planned out isn’t always the happiest, those people probably have never really experienced life and the things that the world has to offer.

“Life is an adventure, not a packaged tour.” –Eckhart Tolle

As hard as it may be to live life the way you want, it is also the most rewarding. Living for other people and their opinions is the quickest way to failure. Trust me when I say not everyone is going to understand your career choice, that’s okay. It’s your life. Follow your passion and ignore the naysayers. There’s so many things I thought about pursuing before finally deciding that being a mass communication major was the best fit for me. I’m that person that can sit around old people and listen to what life was like when they were young. I’m not shy, but naturally I have always been one to listen more than I talked. I stayed curious about everything and was that person that enjoyed being in other people’s business and was called nosey. Now, my nosiness will one day pay off.

“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dream.” –Oprah Winfrey

If you’re reading this because you’re uncertain of what you want to do with your life, I’m here to tell you how I came across what I feel I was meant to do. As I’ve stated before, I’m not that person that have always known that this is what I would one day do. As I like to say, “I didn’t choose journalism, journalism chose me.” Ever since I was a young girl I thought I would one day grow up to be a dentist, why, I have no idea it just seems like an exciting job. That dream stuck with me until I was a freshman in high school in 2008. That same year Former President Barack Obama was elected as President of the United States of America, for so many it was a time of celebration and most importantly history was made. The first black president, how many people thought that would one day happen? I remember being so inspired that I just knew I would one-day go to college to study political science. So, from the time Mr. Obama was elected until about sophomore year of college I was a political science major. Clearly, that changed for me simply because politics were tougher than I thought. Although I didn’t choose politics for a career choice Obama inspired me in so many other ways.

“The future rewards those who press on. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to complain, I’m going to press on.” –Barack Obama

Then there was a period of time when I had no clue what to do with my life. I revisited the idea of becoming a dentist, I thought about being a nurse because that is what my mother wanted me to do. I thought about being an interior designer, a teacher, even some type of surgeon. Nothing was really jumping out at me, of what could really be my future career. Every now and again I remember watching these exclusive television specials on everyday people. Those stories would cover kids with a parent that was incarcerated, people living pay check to pay check, or young people abusing drugs. Things that are going on everyday but us as a society may not care too much about, because most can’t personally relate.

All the journalists that I admire all tell stories that means something. Journalist gives a voice to the voiceless and bring light to subjects that are meant to be swept under the rug. I once reached out to Lisa Ling, (journalist) on Instagram, not expecting her to respond. I asked her, “what advice would you give to future journalists,” she responded, “travel and keep writing.” I think traveling exposes a person to new cultures and the social norms in other places. To be able to write about it is telling a story that means something. My inspiration is people, because I’m constantly learning from them whether it’s my peers or strangers. It’s amazing how much you can learn about a person if you take the time out to have a simple conversation. With that being said, if any of you are unsure about what you want to do, don’t panic! It’ll come to you when you least expect it!

“There’s so much grey to every story-nothing is so black and white.” –Lisa Ling

Power Hours

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“I call this meeting of the Texas A&M University at Texarkana’s Student Government Association to order at 8:40 pm on March 2, 2016.”

SGA “serves as the official voice of the student body; act as a liaison between the student body and faculty, staff, administration, and community members; protect and preserve students’ rights and responsibilities; and promote student leadership (tamut.edu).” Every year the student body elects representatives they feel best represents their class. The elected body then makes decisions they feel will benefit our university. For example, SGA is responsible for the sidewalk on the Bringle Lake Village side of the University Center, as well as the picnic tables that are soon to be put out.

On the first Tuesday night of March, the Student Government Association of Texas A&M University at Texarkana gathered in Eagle Hall for a three-hour meeting. They discussed ways to better the organization in and of itself, and the campus. Fuzzy’s was provided accompanied by an icebreaker, the group participated in a S.W.O.T. Analysis, and committee meetings were held.

After the group enjoyed tacos and queso, they got down to business. Keith Beason started off the meeting with a S.W.O.T analysis; Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats. Students were asked to list different things that pertained to these categories. They discussed how to use strengths to better weaknesses, used presented opportunities to generate new ideas, and tried to figure out how to fix possible threats. One of the major points brought was that the student government body was going to try to be more active and make the organization known on campus. SGA Communications Specialist Erin Beach said “After an in-depth SWOT activity, Student Government has grown together to be a better voice for the student body of TAMUT.”

After the S.W.O.T. Analysis, SGA split up into their separate committees: Environmental, Public Relations, Policy, Budget, CSAC, Campus Life, Events and Fundraising, Administration, and Apparel. They set up regular meeting times to enhance progress. Just a reminder, even if you aren’t an SGA Representative, any student is welcome to be on a committee. If you are interested, contact President Heath Coston.

Travis Garvin said “I had stayed up past my bedtime…” However, everyone agreed that staying up past their bed time was well worth the progress that was made.

Your Own Photography Business

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Hope Hawley

As a college student I know it can be hard to work and go to school full-time. Let me tell you about an option that you can do on your own time that works around your school schedule 100%. This option will also help you by building your skill level and introduce you to something that for most becomes more than just a hobby. Now how do I know all of this you may ask? Well, I’ve been doing it for a long time — about 6 years now.

Now you may be wondering what this working option is, the answer to that is photography. I recently lost my job and I started doing my own photography again and it has been amazing. I have been able to focus on school and still bring home the bacon. Photography is always in high demand because there will always be holidays, birthdays, and events — and people who want their pictures taken. Now if you’ve never done photography, don’t jump the gun — let me give you a few pointers to help you get started.

The first thing you need and really the only thing that will cost a little money is a camera. There are numerous brands of cameras, but I prefer Canon. The T3i and T5i are two of the best cameras in my opinion. Yes, these are expensive, but there are ways around paying full price, plus you can make the money you spend right back once you start taking pictures. My best advice is to go to your local pawn shops and look, because chances are they have some for sale cheap or negotiable. Before you jump straight into taking pictures I advise you to take a few tutorials about your camera and get to know it, and really become familiar with all of the buttons and features.

The next most important thing is backgrounds or locations. Some people do the whole paper backdrop thing but I think it’s a 1,000 % better if you take pictures outside with natural backgrounds. So what I suggest is picking a day that’s nice outside and just driving around your town and finding places that you think serve as good scenery and backgrounds. You could even take your camera and take pictures of them to see your lighting with the different times of day and locations.

Finally, you really just need to get your work out there. I would offer a few free sessions and then advertise, advertise, advertise. A good way to do this is social media. When you post some of your work on Facebook you get your name out there and more people will start booking you. Now you do have to come up with a price scale. There are many ways to set your price points so I’ll leave that to you.

Photography is something that will always be around whether it be used digitally or through print. This is something that you can do and you are your own boss, you set your schedule, and you determine your pay. It takes some time to get good at it if you want it to be your life long career but it’s worth it.

Chick-Fil-AYE

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Kelsea Kregel

As a college student, eating in the school cafe can get old quickly. On days where the only food available is mysterious meat and unseasoned vegetables, I treat myself to a meal off campus. More often than not, I find myself at Chick-Fil-A (unless I’m having a typical late night study session and the only chain open is Taco Bell). Not only does Chick-Fil-A satisfy my desire for tasty food, but it is also relatively inexpensive, saving me a text from an angry mother complaining I’m spending too much money.

As college students, most are on a tight budget and try to find a quick fix to aid their hunger. Between juggling classes, work, athletics, and studying, it is difficult to find the time to cook a meal. Not to mention the limited resources if you live on campus. What’s the next best thing to do when you aren’t able to cook yourself a meal? You go buy one. As a college student on a budget, it can be difficult to find quality food for a low price. Chick-Fil-A makes a point to appeal to their customers. Not only is food reasonably priced, but they also have excellent customer service. They go out of their way to ensure the customer has an enjoyable experience and based on personal experience, the employees have always ensured I have everything I need refills, extra sauce, the whole 9 yards. They also make the experience more enjoyable with their friendly, well-known phrase “my pleasure”. There are several options to choose from on the menu (all chicken, of course) and an average meal costs $7. For the quality of food you are paying for, $7 is a steal. A meal includes a chicken entrée, a classic side, and a medium drink.

The company also prides itself in the quality of its products. This appeals to customers because no one wants to pay for low quality food. The chicken itself is 100% breast meat with no fillers or additives and is cooked with 100% refined peanut oil which is a healthier choice to use for their chicken. The chicken is hand breaded in their kitchens and salads are fresh and hand chopped. Lemonade is freshly squeezed and tea is freshly brewed. The company also draws in customers by annually participating in Cow Appreciation Day. Every July, Chick-Fil-A franchises across the nation gives customers a free meal if they come dressed as a cow. This is a costly event and the company loses thousands of dollars on this day alone.

It is no secret the company operates under strong political beliefs. The franchise is closed on Sundays to offer employees a day of worship. This is a tradition that has been around since the franchise was founded in 1967. Chick-Fil-A is one of a few American businesses that is closed on Sundays due to religious beliefs. The CEO of Chick-Fil-A has also vocalized his religious beliefs. Dan Cathy, son of the original founder, made comments that turned the company’s several franchises into a temporary battleground between those supporting the comments made by Cathy and those opposing the comments. Several LGBTQ supporters held “kiss-ins” in front of Chick-Fil-A restaurants across the country to protest the fast food chain. Others supported Cathy by supporting former governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee’s declaration of August 1st as Chick-Fil-A appreciation day in light of the recent turmoil.

However, Chick-Fil-A has recently supported a LGBTQ film festival recently. This wasn’t a corporate sponsorship, but a franchisee sponsorship, and the film festival “Level Ground” is a faith-based film festival whose mission statement reads “Our mission is to create safe space for dialogue. We create the best and brightest minds to help us think through what’s happening in the world of faith, gender, and sexuality, and more importantly, how to talk about it.” Chick-Fil-A’s Christian values sets them apart from other fast food chains.

Chick-Fil-A is a successful fast food chain and is admirable due to its strong business model. According to the Journal of Law and Politics, the average individual Chick-Fil-A franchisee annually brings in roughly 2.7 million a year while it’s closest competitors McDonald’s and Panera annually brings in 2.4 and 2.2 million. Remember, Chick-Fil-A is closed on Sundays. This is a religious practice, but the reason this proves Chick-Fil-A has an excellent business model is because the company loses 1/7 of all potential sales by closing once a week. Yet, they still manage to bring in millions of dollars and keep up with top competitors.

Chick-Fil-A is one of the most successful fast food chains in the United States and there is no doubt they are a top competitor for many businesses. Their strong business model and their emphasis on customer satisfaction makes them an admirable and successful company. Chick-Fil-A offers customers more than just a meal, they offer customers an enjoyable experience leaving college students very satisfied.

Investment Plans

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Christopher Hart

Basketball, is a creative and brilliant invention by the infamous physical education teacher by the name of James Naismith. The game is simply the greatest sport ever next to football but you know we all have opinions. To me basketball is everything in the world, growing up day by day practicing and working on my craft has all gone to waste. Moving to Texarkana kind of limited my resources to the game of basketball due to not having available gyms and or AAU basketball teams closer. Coming from Houston we had it all. We had coaches coming to the games, where here it was more centered towards football and baseball which I feel is unfair. So my question is why isn’t basketball more promoted here and why don’t we have gyms available to the public or even college students? Not like the basketball courts and gyms we already have, I mean something new with hardwood and or should Texas A&M Texarkana bring on a basketball team to bring more students to the campus.

Having a team here would really bring a lot more attention to the school I feel. Having more people attend the school from different places in the world and having their families support would be crazy.  I honestly think by starting a a team here, there would be better vibes to the school. Don’t get me wrong, its great right now, but no excitement. Basketball brings excitement and electricity to the crowd whether it’s the home team or away team they’re both going to give their all. Somebody is going to put on a show. With having basketball games the school would generate more money in the school funds having a nice gym would be a small investment leading to something great. There would be local kids moving to the school, trying out for the team but main focus is going to be school. Hmm, give some thought it seems to belike a great idea.

Even with the rec I believe that everyone loves to play basketball and we should bring one to the rec and see how many people end up playing basketball in a daily. School of course is the main focus, but having a family and unity amongst a basketball team is like no other. It would bring some swagger to the school. Not only bringing swagger, but it would make the school more diverse amongst their peers causing even more people to come. Generating more funds for the school once again with a small investment and all the land we have I believe the idea would be gold. It would also open up the field to possibly bring more majors to the school if it had growth in population.

If a team formed here I would definitely tryout for the team because all I know is basketball and that’s what I love. My major is mass communications because I want to make it to the NBA Not only using my skills but by having a brain and knowing the knowledge of the game off the court hopefully becoming an assistant or sports analyst. I will always pursue my dreams one way or another because basketball has been really good to me and I owe it that much. Now what we have right now is a very nice state of the art, and yes I love it, but man basketball brings character in so many ways. The excitement will keep more kids in schools and less kids out of these Texarkana streets due to the high crime rate that we do have due to the population of Texarkana.

Growing up, I didn’t try hard enough when I moved to Texarkana. It was like I lost my love. Like my heart was taken. Being used to having multiple access to many different basketball gyms at any time of the night was unbelievable. I truly miss the golden days. Basketball also brings more expansion maybe causing growth making A&M Texarkana Similar in size to A&M Commerce in a couple of years. This should be brought to the dean’s attention that having a team here would bring more funds and excitement to even his life because the whole school would be a little different. Just throwing my two cents in there on how it would be great.

Majority of the students at the school would workout more If a new rec was brought to display. A basketball court weight area and eventually a basketball team man that would be absolutely great. Sooner or later it will happen and the school will gain a huge benefit and a new cultural spirit around the school.  Hopefully bringing this to the attention of my professor and my fellow classmates will help spread the word around about having a state of the art gym in the school. So with all the knowledge we have on basketball don’t you think it would be a huge success. Shouldn’t the love of something be brought to life. Basketball is not just a sport it is a dream to many many people all around the world.

With basketball being so important around the world and in so many peoples, lives we should give the town of Texarkana just a little bit of excitement so that they can stay on their feet. Always anticipating some type of basketball game being able to see their children and or friends of the family and other team play would be nice. Having the community come out to support can only mean one thing good reputation having even adults enrolling in school because they’re seeing a change in the community, and its only going to go up from there. Giving that some time and thought we need to expand our mind and funds to help out with this cause. Hopefully we can bring aboard a basketball team and or even other sport teams as the school grows.

 

“To Infinity and Beyond”

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Have you ever dreamed of having a job at the “Happiest Place on Earth?” Where going to work means putting smiles on faces young and old? Then after a long day, lying back and watching some of the most extravagant firework shows in the world? As Cinderella famously put it, “A dream is a wish your heart makes.” If this sounds like a dream you’ve been having, your heart could be wishing for a spot as a cast member in the Disney College Program! By the way, this opportunity is open to you ladies AND gentlemen out there!

As magical as this program may be, getting in isn’t as easy as “Bippity Boppity Boo.” Each year there are a whopping 50,000 students that apply, and only 5-10,000 are accepted. However, this doesn’t mean to go into this process with an Eeyore attitude! In fact, two of us from A&M-Texarkana have had the opportunity to participate.

“What should I do before I apply?” is the most important part of the application process. Even though this is an awesome opportunity, be aware that you could be moving up to 1,600 miles away from your family for up to eight months. So if you are a daddy’s girl, like Belle, or a mama’s boy, like Tarzan, this might be something worth evaluating. Keep in mind that colleges have different requirements for the program, so talk to your academic advisor before beginning the process. Disney recommends only taking up to two classes at a time, preferably one online class through your college, and one class offered at Disney. The “Disney Look” is a big deal for many people. They require cast members to look clean, polished, and natural. This means no crazy hair colors, and wild makeup is NOT acceptable. You can review exact requirements at disneycollegeprogram.com. Also, take into consideration that there is a fee you have to pay within ten days of your acceptance. The Orlando fee is roughly $400, while the Anaheim fee is in the $900 range. More important than all of these, ask yourself if this program is right for you. Will you benefit within your major or your future career from participating? If the answer is yes, I cordially invite you to continue reading.

Congratulations! You have decided to be one of the many to take a shot at this chance of a lifetime. So when do you apply? Spring applications open in August and close in October, and Fall applications open in February and close in March. So be on the lookout, because Disney never gives the exact date! Let’s go over some of the job opportunities. Some of the most popular roles as a college program cast member are attractions, custodial, character attendant, lifeguard, and merchandise. Before applying, check out all positions offered!

Let’s move on to the application process. To begin, go to disneycollegeprogram.com and click the big green button that says APPLY NOW. It will have you create an account and then your application appears. It will ask you some pretty general stuff like your name, college, major, and etc. After this, you will be asked to select which jobs you are open to having on a scale of highly interested, moderately interested, and not interested. Some advice from Zoe Iscas, a former cast member is, “Even if you would prefer not to work a job, select it anyway. You can create magic with any role given at Disney. Recruiters like openness. By the way, custodial isn’t as bad as it sounds. You get to walk around the parks freely all day, and talk to guests as much as you want without a script.” Then comes the part that matters most. You will be asked to list all of your work experiences and how they benefitted you. Each application is reviewed thoroughly before they offer you an opportunity to move further in the process. So list every job you’ve ever had. From community service to working as a hostess at your local restaurant. Now it’s time to click submit! Usually within a few hours you will receive a response email. It will say either “Thank you for your interest (that’s the email you don’t want to get)” or “Immediate Action Required Web-Based Interview.”

“Hooray!” You have made it to the next step, a web-based interview. You are expected to complete this within three days of the email. It is suggested to complete it the day upon receiving. Allot at least an hour and a half for this section. The Web Based Interview is basically a way for Disney to figure out if your personality and work ethic would correspond well with the company, so answer honestly. The biggest advice from former applicants is to use strong answers. Disney likes you to be sure of yourself. For example, if you are asked “Are you generally a positive person?” Either put “Strongly Agree” or “Strongly Disagree.” Don’t settle with “Agree.” However, if your answer to that question is “Strongly Disagree,” Disney might not be the best fit for you. Also, don’t over think or freak out. Yes, this portion is timed, but, they give you an ample amount of time to complete it. Some say this is the most stressful part of the process, because you are immediately denied or accepted for continuation upon completion.

If you have made it to this point, you are probably doing a happy dance in front of your computer, or running through the house full of joy. Why? You have been asked to schedule a phone interview! This is the final step before you take your carpet ride to the Magic Kingdom. Recruiters can call 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after your scheduled time, and interviews last 15-20 minutes. This means you need to allot at least an hour for your interview. Schedule it for a time of day you have your best attitude, and when you will not be disturbed. When they call, answer with an upbeat voice. “It sounds silly, but make sure to smile during your interview. It gives off a good vibe, and your recruiter can tell,” this advice from a former cast member. Also, always remember to call your recruiter by name. Be open to suggestions, seem invested, and DO NOT sound scripted. It is okay to research possible questions, but don’t keep answers fully written out. You want responses to come from your heart, not paper. Last but not least, have a super fantastic answer for “Why do you want to be a participant in the Disney College Program?” This will define your entire interview. Once you hang up the phone, there is nothing more you can do. You could be waiting for a final decision for up to a month. Keep in mind that this process is one long waiting game.

If you are not accepted, don’t be discouraged. You can re-apply during the next recruiting season. Always remember, like Mulan, you will bring honor to your family no matter the outcome.

After all of this, if you are accepted, get ready to go “to infinity and beyond!” for an internship you will remember for a lifetime.

Netflix is the New Black

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Stephen Jones

In response to a RBC Capital Markets survey, over 51% of participants said they used Netflix watch television shows and/or movies. Just surpassing YouTube, the streaming service is now the most popular streaming site, beating out Hulu, Amazon, and HBO Go. This rise in consumer usage is possibly due to some of its critically-acclaimed original programming, including: “House of Cards,” “Daredevil,” and “Orange is the New Black.” Thanks to overwhelming reviews from fans and critics alike, Netflix’s original programming has amassed 78 Emmy nominations and 12 wins. Another aspect of Netflix’s appeal is its original comedy specials showcasing some of the world’s most popular comedians such as Louis C.K. and Kevin Hart. Looking at this diverse selection of content, Netflix’s mass appeal should be of no surprise.

qz.com

qz.com

Compared to cable and satellite subscription prices, Netflix’s most popular plan of $9.99/month is music to the consumers’ ears. Also, the ability to watch on multiple mobile devices at one time only adds to the accessibility this generation of instant-gratification desperately craves. Some cable networks, like Showtime, are trying to integrate the convenience Netflix boasts through mobile apps, but these on-the-go apps require an active subscription to its cable counterpart; thus, nullifying the inexpensive allure Netflix possesses. In contrast to other cable networks, HBO introduced a streaming service requiring no previous subscription to its satellite network. This new endeavor, named HBO Now, was launched in April of 2015 and garnering over 1 million subscribers in about three months. Hopefully, HBO’s success in adapting to the “cord-cutting” trend will influence other cable networks to follow suit.

Thanks to the streaming service’s overwhelming content variety, simple accessibility, and 69 million subscribers, Netflix is set to become an even bigger force of change in the media world.

David Shipler Reports on the Working Poor

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Garrett Griffin

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 10: A homeless man sleeps under an American Flag blanket on a park bench on September 10, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. As of June 2013, there were an all-time record of 50,900 homeless people, including 12,100 homeless families with 21,300 homeless children homeless in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX ***

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 10: A homeless man sleeps under an American Flag blanket on a park bench on September 10, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. As of June 2013, there were an all-time record of 50,900 homeless people, including 12,100 homeless families with 21,300 homeless children homeless in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX ***

What if a major issue in the world was almost entirely ignored because people just don’t see it? Such is the case with the poor in the United States. Poverty is an often understated and largely ignored issue in the United States. We tend to overlook it since we see the number of poor in the poorest countries and in comparison to them our problem doesn’t seem as pad. In truth many of the poor, as David Shipler stated are “invisible” because they are constantly “working.” We have more poor than we think, but since we do not often see them on the streets and elsewhere in our normal day-to-day activities, the problem is invisible to us.

Mr. Shipler, a Pulitzer-prize winning former foreign correspondent and bureau chill for The New York Times, says addressing poverty is similar to “connecting the dots.” Without the connecting lines it is nothing more than a scattered constellation with no tangible meaning or useful interpretation. Without a good understanding of the problem, how can one hope to address it? It can’t be, which brings us to Shipler’s explanation of some of the larger stars in the constellation of poverty. Crossing the poverty line is similar to a minefield. One misstep can send you back to square one. Because of this, according to Shipler, the ability for one to make the path out of poverty usually requires good luck and fortune, since pure determination will usually not get you out of the pit of poverty.

Dr. David Shipler having a discussion with students at the informal luncheon earlier that day.

Dr. David Shipler (far left) having a discussion with students at the informal luncheon earlier that day.

Shipler, who spent the day on the campus of Texas A&M Texarkana on November 10th, says “poverty” is the still picture and “debt” is the moving picture. Poverty is not static and results in accumulating debts for simple things such as food and water, items most Americans take for granted. Those who are in poverty are not aware of this. Shipler says this is because poverty is relative. If you are surrounded by poverty with it being all you see, your place in the visible community is not at the bottom, but equal to everyone else. This life of always living in poverty can lend itself to a sense of “learned ‘hopelessness’” whereby, people don’t want to try an advance themselves because they have an inherited sense of no hope for the future. Advancement within the affluent society, that they stand on the edge looking in on, is nearly impossible and rationally non-attainable.

Shipler says the poor often wear the “camouflage of work.” This lends itself to invisible to mainstream society. The reason no one sees the poor in America is because they are the waitress, the women at the drycleaners, the cashier at the restaurant where they are putting on their façade for work: the uniform. If seen in the context of their home, one could see the true state of the hardworking, unseen poor.

If a child remains poor through his middle and junior high years of schooling, a child’s dream for the future, a future where he or she is not poor, dies. This is why numerous children drop out of school once this dream is crushed and enter the workforce to continue the decades-old cycle of working to just survive.

Eagle Hall is a hive of activity as Dr. Nakashian prepare to make his introduction at Dr. Shipler's presentation.

Eagle Hall is a hive of activity as Dr. Nakashian prepare to make his introduction at Dr. Shipler’s presentation.

Shipler gives one reason for the difficulty of addressing the issue of poverty is in its very structure. Rather than existing as a culture in society Shipler says in reality it has more in common to an ecological system with all of its intricacies, lending to a simple fix not existing for the problem.

One of the key links in the cyclical nature of poverty, says Shipler, is the issue of housing. Research shows when the bill for rent comes due and money is tight as usual the food budget is the first to be cut back. The reduced amount of food in the early stages of childhood can lead to developmental issues with children particularly neurological maturity. This can lead to bad choices perhaps being made by these underdeveloped children, bad choices that strengthen the grip poverty has on the families that originate form poorer communities.

Another issue affecting the poor comes when they apply for a job. People can develop a fear of work when they have had numerous failures. Such fear can keep people from ever applying for jobs and keeping them form taking the first step out of poverty. In Shipler’s interviews with people to compile his book he often saw the issue of fear come up in conversation with the interviewees. Its prevalence leads Shipler to assert that the issue is real and haunting.

Shipler’s ideas bring up an important issue for discussion. The poor in America are a forgotten group. Pushed to the side, left out in the open with no visible safety net. Federal programs exist to help combat the issue but a majority of those are under-utilized as of a direct campaign by those in charge to keep expenditures down why still taking the credit for providing such programs. Texas A&M University- Texarkana is proud to have hosted such an important discussion on such an important issue. The University hopes to be a forum for numerous future discussions on equally important issues.