December at Northwestern!

Volume 16, Issue 4 | December 2021

Workshop News

Christmas is just around the corner now! Our students are getting into the spirit by fundraising for Feed My Starving Children through our student radio station on 98.5 HD4. Students from our other workshops will also be helping out in 98.5 hours of Christmas. So make sure to tune in to 98.5 HD4 or go to themel.media to listen for all your favorite Christmas music and to support our students!

Students in our Public Relations workshop worked on their PSAs in the Mel radio studios.

The student leaders of our radio workshop had the opportunity to go to Nashville for a two-day event on November 12 with CMB University.

Alumni News

Public Relations alumna, Amanda Gattorna '20, is working at WNWC Life 102.5 Madison and got a promotion from Morning Show Producer to Listener Engagement Director!

After interning this summer with a software company called Calabrio, Payton Loewenstein '20 (Public Relations and Spanish) accepted a full-time position with them

God truly had a hand in the whole process and Payton is so thankful. By working at Calabrio, she has met so many wonderful people from around the world, learned more about the world of events, and even has a great taco place just down the street!

Upcoming Dates

December 13-16
Finals Week

December 17
Commencement

December 18-January 9
Christmas Break

Featured Student

Hannah Martin ('23)
Media Production- Film Track

What are your plans for the future?

My plan for the future, in terms of my senior year next year is to study fall semester out of state, hopefully in New York City. While I'm there I hope to take some classes and find an internship. As for my plans after graduating next school year, I hope to be a production designer in New York City.

What opportunities have you had at UNW?

The two greatest opportunities that I think of right away is being the equipment room manager for the film program and being an executive staff leader for Northwestern Productions film workshop. I've been the equipment room manager for almost three years, and I hope to continue my time there until I graduate. Being on executive staff is an absolute blast because I get the opportunity to work with some of my close friends within the film program, as well as work on film projects with other film students.

What is your favorite thing about UNW?

Some of my favorite things about UNW would have to be the delicious muffins and iced chai tea from the campus café! I also really like spending time on the island during the fall- such a relaxing and beautiful place to be!

Featured Alumni

Antoine LaFramboise ('06)
Communication Studies with a focus in Public Relations

Interview by Elena Nowlin

Where has life taken you after UNW?

"After graduating, LaFromboise worked with Padilla Public Relations for four years before transferring to Target Corporation for four and a half years, working for crisis communication, brand communication and sports communication.

Around that time LaFromboise went back to school to get his MBA in Marketing Communication at the U of M Carlson School of Management. After finishing school and working for a local law firm in their business department, LaFromboise transferred to U.S. Bank working with their digital team. Currently, LaFromboise works as the Vice President of Communications at U.S. Bank, working with their app and online banking, striving to make the experience user friendly."

What skills that you learned at UNW did you draw from at your workplace?

"LaFromboise shared how his time at Northwestern started to shape his journey through the work world. Group assignments, something that he admitted could feel like a special form of torture cooked up by teachers, helped frame his entry to the work environment. Instead of looking at others and degrading them for working in different ways, he feels it is important to view them as individuals with unique strengths and different areas to grow. While titles reach a new level of importance in a work environment, LaFromboise reminded that a leadership title is not needed in order to drive a project.

LaFromboise also stressed the importance of trust in a corporate position. Success is dependent on proving to your leaders that you can complete what you have promised when you have said you would deliver. If you are able to prove that you are willing to work hard you can be trusted with more responsibility."

What advice would you give current students at UNW?

"LaFromboise listed quite a few lessons he has learned throughout the years:

Build trust

Don’t repeat the same mistakes

Internalize feedback

Be a person people want to be around

Strive to be focused and positive

Don’t get pulled into gossip

As you enter your first job on campus, continue at a job that you have had since high school, or start pursing internships, strive to listen to the advice of professors, mentors and alumni. Make connections and form relationships and learn from the valuable insights of those who have already made mistakes or experienced successes."