The faculty and students of Virginia State University had the opportunity to partake in the Mass Communications Alumni Forum held on Friday, Oct. 13 in the Multi-Purpose Center during Homecoming Week 2023.
Alumni Christopher Waddy, Caryn Wright, Don Napoleon and Trevor Patterson were the four panelists who spoke to the audience on what it’s like to be in the mass communications field once you leave the walls of university.
They went into detail about the dedication it takes to be in the competitive field of mass communications and how important it is to push through adversity, even if that means during a pandemic or having to start anew.
“So right before the pandemic, we reached our ceiling… and I got let go,” said Wright, A&R Manager for Love Renaissance Records. “And I was okay with it because I wasn’t happy at the time. I’m gonna be straight. I’m gonna be great regardless.”
This minor setback would in turn lead her into future career endeavors. Soon after, Wright applied as an intern for Love Renaissance Records and this would open up more opportunities and adventure ahead.
“I got a call at three o’clock in the morning,” Wright said. “And they were like, ‘What are you doing for the next 30 days? Come to Atlanta ASAP.’ So I was like okay cool, like, all right, I’m not gonna ask no questions. So I go down to Atlanta.”
Wright and the other panelists agreed that just because someone’s first option may not have worked out, it shouldn’t discourage someone from trying again. In this type of field, having a range of experiences will allow an individual to gain perspective.
“Pay attention to what folks up here are saying about keeping your feet wet, being in different areas to have different skill sets. So pay attention to whatever that you can learn,” said Napoleon, a VSU alumnus and Emmy-Award winner.
