The Beast

I wrote a letter to Brooks Boyer yesterday to set up an information interview with him, and I sent it out this morning. I want to see what kind of degree, internships and credentials I need to get a job in the sports industry. And if I don't end up in the sports industry but rather doing HR or something for a company, at least I tried pursuing what I enjoy, sports/writing/business material. St. Ambrose University is likely going to be the selection of my school because that has all of what I'm looking for. They'll let me write the material for the sports information department, I can get that business or PR degree and they have internships with sports organizations in the quad cities. Should work out pretty well.

QUOTE (CanOfCorn @ Sep 8, 2009 -> 03:45 PM) To all of you wondering what I was saying... I was talking about Argonne specifically, not going into PR generally... And Strange...she said that there was a lot of governmental red tape and as Hawk would say, Big Hat, no Cattle. They or she had a lot of great ideas, but like a lot of governmental organizations, by the time they get around to getting the money and then implementing any plans, 4 better ideas have come down the pike. Plus, you're dealing with scientists, too, while incredibly smart, aren't exactly the best when it comes to marketing/PR because for the most part, they aren't wired that way. But, if you are interested, please, don't let me sway you. You should find out for yourself. And Beast...after your first job, it really doesn't matter what your major is/was...as long as you are good at what you do. That's the thing - in journalism, I'm mediocre at best. My writing never really improved from high school and that kind of work is too stressful. When an editor expects a story by 4 in the afternoon, he means it, and I can't produce quality by then. Business on the other hand just throws a bunch of math, writing, economics and business courses into one degree. I can do that. As long as I have that business degree, I can always go back to school and get an associate's in health care, given the job market. There are a lot of things that I can do, it's just finding the skills that I do have and making use of them. I'm sure that I'll be better at something in 2 years when I'm set to graduate. Then I can experience the whiplash that I expect and go back for more school. Lastly, just because I don't come from a PR background doesn't mean I can't get a job in PR. I might intern in PR. We'll see.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 4, 2009 -> 02:03 PM) How can you really judge a field after one undergrad semester at EIU? I'm judging based off of the courses that are taught in their Comm Studies department. Their CS department is different than say, Bradley University or other departments. I find it hard to believe that all schools are going to make you stomach a heavy dose of Comm Theory, Organizational Communication or even of the more non-practical stuff before you can even get into things that make sense like press releases, writing or some of the business aspects taught at other schools. In the end, it didn't really matter as I needed to find a new school any way.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Sep 4, 2009 -> 11:16 AM) No. Just go Corporate Communications vs something stupid like Media Studies. I really appreciate the tone of your post. In fact, for a semester I was a Corporate Communication major and I found out how little you actually learned in the field of Communication. I would rather study Anthropology than be spoonfed something about how people talk and function within an organization. With that said, I believe there is a difference with regards to Communication Studies at EIU compared to Communication Studies at Bradley University or at other schools. I have found that I'm more into business but I do want my writing ability to be shown to my employers hence the PR writing. The basis of my research for schools is that I'll actually learn something rather than just be some idiot who goes and learns a bunch of bulls*** and isn't prepared for anything that "the real world" may throw at you. I'm not saying EIU is a bad school, but what I am saying is that some of the departments there are a joke, with the exception of Biology, Political Science, Journalism and the College of Education.

QUOTE (CanOfCorn @ Sep 3, 2009 -> 05:16 PM) I know someone who used to be Director of Communications and her response to any job relating to that would be...DON'T DO IT! Do employers view Comm degrees as a weak degree? I've thought about PR to try and get my way into the White Sox, but I'm currently just wanting a business degree from the private school I'm looking at before getting an associate's in a healthcare position. We'll see what happens, though the dream is to work with the Sox. If not, at least I tried.

I say Sean Lowe should be allowed into the pen.

Coming out of high school, I thought for sure my life would remain the same, I would date the same person, I would enjoy broadcasting and writing for the paper as well as becoming a high school teacher. I attended EIU for several reasons including the 2 year foreign language requirement, the education being superior (not to ISU, obviously) and because they had good media programs. (I only looked at NIU, UIC and EIU and I never really did much research on my decisions - completely idiotic, I know.) I started to take courses and became less sure of my decision to go for a job in broadcasting, journalism or education. Most recently I have transferred home to attend the College of DuPage for a semester before transferring out again. As I've voiced in this thread, I would love to work with a professional sports organization, most specifically with the White Sox or Bears. At ISU, they have a Public Relations program where there have been a few graduates who work for those teams (I've met a few, but the person that stands out most in my mind is Chris Rongey). I'm taking business courses at the moment and I'm trying to graduate within the next 2-3 years. I just hope a more urban environment that is closer to home is a better fit for me. Often times I have thought about obtaining a bachelor's degree in PR or Business and seeing how the market is for jobs when I graduate, so that I could go back to school to check out nursing, being an EMT or a dental hygenist. I'm all over the place with what to do, really. I guess the saving grace is that you don't need to graduate in 4 years.

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ Aug 24, 2009 -> 10:30 AM) Steve Stone having a Cy Young has a lot more to do with him being in broadcasting then him having a BA in History. As far as your question Farmteam, it certainly helps, but it's more about being a great speaker than the actual voice. Guys like Mike Murphy and Harry Teinowitz have had long careers in the radio business, and don't exactly have "radio voices". As far as the question of the thread, right now I'm a student, getting a degree in Sports Management. I currently work for the media relations department with the Schaumburg Flyers, and also producer/engineer our radio broadcast. (I'm also going to be the color guy on Tuesday, so I expect all of you to listen! ) I also spent 7 great months with ESPN Radio, which allowed me how to learn how to be a producer/engineer Tony - I was just suggesting that Stone's degree didn't really matter in getting a job in the broadcasting industry. Where are you getting your sports management degree at and what courses do you take?

QUOTE (farmteam @ Aug 23, 2009 -> 08:58 PM) Where do you teach? Currently in school, getting a B.S. in business. Not entirely sure what I want to do with that -- thinking about something in the merchandishing/planning/buying area, though I'm strongly considering law school. I never considered broadcasting, but it's always in the back of my mind, because I'm always told I have a great deep radio voice. Silly question, to those who work in that field -- how much of a selling point is having a voice like that good for getting a job as on-air talent? I'm not even thinking about it seriously, just curious. I don't think it is so much the voice that you present as it is the talent that you have on-air. What makes Dan McNeil great is his quick wit and analysis he brings to the table. Steve Stone has a BA in History and just knows baseball - though he does have an excellent voice for the air waves.

QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ Aug 21, 2009 -> 04:23 PM) Attorney, trying to figure out how I can finance broadcasting school You could check out the Illinois Center for Broadcasting in Lombard. I'm not sure how expensive that is, but I know 670 the Score has an employee who graduated from there and immediately was in the Chicago market. Part of the problem that I have with the radio industry is that if you are in a school of lower tier, you might not be able to get into the position you want until you spend a lot of time in a small town, small market station. But, since I'm not really interested in the technical work or being on air talent (I don't have the energy that McNeil and Spiegel have), it isn't a good fit for me. Though I must say, if you are at Columbia in Chicago or anywhere remotely close in proximity to the city, you might get that job in the city and bypass a 5-10 year trip to a small town. I'm curious though, how some people at the Score seemed to get in the city upon graduation from SIU, ISU or U of I. As far as the newspaper industry goes, my issue with that is similar to the market for radio. Two things. Is there a market for radio to be in a major city or must people pay dues in small markets? Also, is the newspaper industry going downhill? My occupation is being a student. After working doing manual labor over the summer, I've decided that I do not want to go into the trades or do anything related to not having a degree. I don't want to drop out of college, but I must say, EIU did not suit my needs. Location (rural, a bit far from home for my taste), difficulty level of classes (too easy), the campus itself (too small), the school spirit (I'd rather be more spirited like ISU or NIU), the internship opportunities and my personal goals were not really there. I decided that radio was just an interest in high school, and that journalism could be something I'm still interested in, given the right opportunity - at ISU, NIU or a private school. I didn't like the daily deadlines and how I didn't really grow personally down there. When the economy started tanking, I started to get rather interested in business, but wanted to incorporate my writing ability into my major. I looked at my options at different schools - NIU has both business and journalism, ISU has business and public relations, and St. Ambrose has all of those areas of study. Public Relations is a lot of writing, but it also can incorporate my desire to study about business. I could be a business major, but it would require me to ask the academic advisors at the three schools when I visit them this fall about how many math courses I would need to take before I am able to get into Calculus for Business and Social Sciences. Unfortunately, when I tested at the community college, I hadn't taken a math course in over a year and got placed rather low. So, I'm asking NIU, ISU and other schools about what I'd need to take. And for the semester I'm taking business courses while applying for the spring semesters. If I got the business degree, I wouldn't mind opening up my own business. If I got a PR degree, I could work for a PR firm, be a PR manager or work as an editor in some capacity (probably would require a degree in journalism, which shouldn't be too difficult for me, since that subject area is easy). Ultimately though, I think my passion lies within sports. I'm in the process of emailing Brooks Boyer to see what I could do to intern with the White Sox, or to see what it takes to work with them or within the sports industry. I'm also considering contacting minor league baseball teams such as the Kane County Cougars to work with them in some capacity. QUOTE (Molto @ Aug 21, 2009 -> 08:48 PM) I'm a little of a lot of things: editor, print/web designer, an auditor of sorts (boring job, too complicated to explain), but the most fun is baseball coach/instructor (I get paid to teach baseball, which is sweet). My goal is to expand on the latter. Plus the whole www.soxnet.net thing. What did you major in and what kind of courses did you take for web development? I might be interested in taking a course like that.

Are we all sitting together after the game? If not, I'm not sure that I'm going to go - I hated going to the game alone that one time. =P

-When the Sox beat the Cubs in the suck fest on Saturday this year at the Cell. -El Caballo's grand slam to beat the Cubs.

It would be awesome if we could somehow get seats together - is that possible even with how small our group is?

I'll be there. I assume we are playing at the field that is almost adjacent to the ball park and that I'll see you guys at the game about 3 hours before game time.

I happen to hate Beckham's song and I can't stand Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" either. 2005 is soooo four years ago.

For someone trying to be marketable in their chosen career path (business or public relations) I've been reading Career Wisdom For College Students by Peter Vogt. It's a good fast read that I'd recommend to anyone - especially Generation Y college students.

I see a DFA in Bartolo Colon's future.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ May 6, 2009 -> 10:48 AM) Finished Criminology at 8 today, bit difficult, but i think i did well. Was really worried about Comp Politics, but i handled that one on tuesday. Just have english tomorrow and then i can reflect on how bizzare this year was. I hear you on how bizzare the year was - at around 1:30 tomorrow, I will be done with my "sophomore year" of college. What a wild ride this year has been. An unforeseen breakup, a discovery of not liking what I thought I was passionate about, and an uncertain future. My grades are not the issue, it is the subject matter. I'm embarassed, but I think it is best for me to go to a community college for a semester, figure out what I want to do, and then proceed in school at the likes of NIU, St. Ambrose or Western Michigan University. This time, when I go visit colleges, I'm going to be looking for the right one for me. Hopefully my luck will improve.

Official Fart Thread Post: I ripped one.

Jenks45monster, From my experience, I would reccommend that you visit the program and get a lot of different opinions from different students. I looked at NIU, EIU and UIC. I wasn't pleased with a lot of them, but at the time, EIU had things to offer to me. WIU I hear is a party school and is out in the country. If that appeals to you, go for it! I know that any school will be considered a place for partying, but be sure there's other things to do if you aren't big into drinking. I'm in my second year of college, and I do not know what to study. I'm leaning heavily towards business and am actually going to go to the College of DuPage for a semester before I look into universities, such as Western Michigan University, Northern Illinois University, or St. Ambrose. I've considered Illinois State University, but we will have to see what I think before I make any decisions. I've had mixed reviews about WIU from someone who failed out and from someone who graduated and teaches business courses at my high school.

What time are we playing? I'm adding this to my calendar as we speak.

Crit fail for the loss! ZOMG.

Do you guys want to get tickets on the day of for the game? I'm all for playing softball, but I was curious if we were all going to the game afterwards in a specific section.

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Apr 6, 2009 -> 04:14 PM) I think you would succeed at business calculus, even if it's at EIU. I stunk at Calc and I was able to pass prettty easily. The best thing you could do is find a group of people in class that you talk to or that you could see talking to(basically people you think you would hang out with on a regular basis, even though you don't have to do this) and helping each other out. It's much easier in class when there's someone on the side of you in which you could ask a question and stuff. I guess it makes you feel like you're not in this alone. Other classes that you struggle in would be better if you did the same in those classes. You may develop a friendship or two. Just make sure you don't get people who are lazy or who always ditch class. By always, I mean 75%. I probably could succeed at business calculus, though it isn't going to be at EIU. I'm not coming back here next semester. I'm better made for a more urban environment and I just couldn't see that when I was looking for schools. I never visited ISU and I kind of would like to attend a school that is in the city and isn't ungodly expensive. One thing that I have to realize is that I'm a transfer student, and that I do not meet a lot of the pre-requisites for the Business Administration program at UIC. I do not have coursework in statistics or business calculus. In addition, I applied as a Liberal Arts major, and they responded by inserting into the department as undeclared, stating that "this is based off the coursework you have achieved thus far and depends on your future academic success." Well, I'm doing fine in my classes, so that isn't going to be an issue. I'm going to discuss my situation with the academic advisor when I go to the transfer orientation program and try to explain that I'm not sure if what I want is possible. At the moment, I need to hammer out some general education requirements that UIC has, and if I go into the Liberal Arts college, I'll need to begin on the foreign language requirement. I want my counselor to know that I'm thinking Communication with business coursework is probably what will benefit me the most, and that I'm either thinking of changing to Business Administration or I'm going to get my MBA in business administration. The way things are looking in the economy and where my skills are at, I think that I'll need to get a Liberal Arts degree or obtain a business degree. Hopefully the answers to my questions will come sooner than later. I'm just glad to be starting over at a different university that isn't College of DuPage. (Which isn't a bad start to your college education.) Edit: Alternatively, it's articles like these that make me have hope: http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi...,0,693487.story It allows me to see that there's no set path and that change can be good. So, I think transferring from EIU to UIC can be a good thing.

That works out perfectly for me. Now I won't miss any classes.