GETTYSBURG, Pa. - From meeting CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric to seeing their names on a Times Square billboard, Gettysburg College students on a career-development trip in the Big Apple had an experience like no other.

More than 20 sophomores, juniors and seniors visited New York City in January to learn about careers in mass media and communications. A program of the college's Center for Career Development, "Bright Lights! Big City!," brought students face-to-face with Gettysburg College alumni, parents and friends who are involved in television, journalism, advertising and public relations. Students met with executives and editors throughout the city for a behind-the-scenes look at the media and communications field.

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"Talking to people who work in media and communications has helped me to pin point what I want to do when I graduate," said Andrew Arenge, a sophomore from Bordentown, N.J., who works for the college's television station, Gburg TV. "This trip has enabled me to make some key contacts and start to build my network of people in the industry that I will be relying on to get my foot in the door. I would recommend this trip to everyone because of the information and real-world application."

Students visited the CBS building on 57th Street for an up-close look at television production. They toured the sets of New York City's WCBS, "Guiding Light," "Inside Edition," "106 & Park," "CBS Sports" and "CBS Evening News," where Couric took time to answer questions and meet with students. A stop at Columbia Records gave students an insider's view of what's next for audio entertainment plus a dozen CDs by chart-topping artists. At Clear Channel Spectacolor and Lowe WorldWide advertising agencies, students learned about working with clients, creating ads and all that goes between. Tim Stauning, class of 1978, surprised students when he placed their names and a "Welcome Gettysburg College students" message on one of Clear Channel's Times Square video screens for the day. At The New York Times, students toured the paper's new building on 8th Avenue and at Yankee Entertainment and Sports Network, a regional cable channel that broadcasts baseball and basketball games, students saw how sports and media come together.

But one theme ran through all of the career visits and experiences: internships. Students heard it from everyone that internships are a crucial component to landing a job. And Kathleen Regentin, associate director of the Center for Career Development, couldn't agree more.

"Alumni, parents, and friends of the College all expressed the importance of internships and networking," Regentin said. "Students noted that this experience has jump-started their job and internship search, and they are ready for the challenge."

Gettysburg College is a highly selective four-year residential college of liberal arts and sciences with approximately 2,600 students. It is located on a 200-acre campus adjacent to Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania. The college was founded in 1832.

Issued: 1/18/08
By: Kendra Martin