Exploration Paper

My education is my best and only way to make my life work right. I am now currently going to Valencia College working towards my Associate Degree in communications. My current major is Communication, although Broadcast Journalism is what I will most likely pursue for my Bachelor Degree. Communication/Broadcast Journalism is one of the most important careers today. Today, broadcasters are used in almost every aspect of our lives: radios, television, telephones, and the newspaper. The college that I plan to attend after I obtain my A.A. Degree at Valencia is the University Of South Florida (USF). Continuing my education is important and absolutely necessary to my personal as well as life-long career goals.

The university that I plan on attending after graduating from Valencia will be USF. When I transfer to the University of South Florida I will continue my degree and maintain working. Valencia is a great place to begin, but I feel to become successful in my career I need to graduate with a degree from a university. The University of South Florida has approximately 58,000 students and a total of 2,123 faculties which makes the ratio of student/faculty 19:1. As one of the nation's best universities, USF is a much diversify college. USF offers strong factors in drama/theater group, student-run newspaper, radio and television station, choral group, marching band, student government, campus activities board, USF ambassadors, student admissions representatives, national fraternities, national sororities. The university also offers many graduate programs leading to masters and doctoral degrees. USF is about 72 miles from my location in Kissimmee. USF provides on campus housing with a capacity of 1,948 students therefore I will be either living on campus or apartments close by. There are students that live in traditional-style halls, suite-style halls, apartment communities, and unique communities. The five aspects of this university that interest me are: late-night transport/escort service, multicultural student body, easy access to and from home, many programs to participate in, and of course intramural sports.

As with all colleges, transferring students have a great chance of getting accepted, rather than freshmen students who directly applying. The reason for this is that most core classes or prerequisites can be taken at another university and then those applicable credits may be transferred. The prerequisites that I must take before entering to USF to pursue my B.A. Degree in Broadcast Journalism are: 9 hours of Communications (ENC1101, ENC1102, and SPC1608); 9 hours of Humanities; 6 hours of Mathematics; 6 hours of Science; and 6 hours of Social Science for my basic classes. Three of these prerequisite courses are: Communication, Math and Humanities. I will need to have a minimum of a 2.5 GPA as well as any other basic transfer requirements to be accepted into this program. I have a restricted access major which means I must meet the requirements for entrance to my major. It’s not open to all students but only those who qualify. The steps that I will need to take to help myself transfer from a 2-year college to a 4-year university. Before completing my A.A. Degree I will meet with a counselor or advisor for graduation check and complete an application for graduation. Second I’ll complete an application for admission to USF and submit my application and promptly follow up on my application status. Third ensure all transcripts are sent from all current and prior colleges and ensure final transcript is sent after term completed. Then I’ll complete and finalize all financial aid information to be sent to USF and if required submit all scholarship information on applications. Last but not least finalize my acceptance to USF, fulfill any other requirements to my program, and then be sure to make it on time for orientation to my 4-year university. The total amount of my educational expenses at the conclusion of my bachelor's degree including expenses from my 2-year university roughly totals $25,000. At USF financial aid is applied for just as when I applied to Valencia. All financial aid forms are processed online, and you may even seek advising by a financial counselor. Once all papers processed and finalized then you will receive your grant or scholarship determined by the school. Other ways to pay for your expenses are taking out private loans, using school subsidized loans. Most students usually work and pay their way through school another way is applying for scholarships. USF offers all types of scholarship that is eligible for me the top five that I’ll apply for are: The USF Endowed Scholarship, John and Grace Allen Endowed Scholarship, Johnson Scholarship Foundation Endowment, Sweetbay Endowed Scholarship Fund of Excellence, and USF Transfer Student Achievement Scholarship.

Once I have graduated with my Bachelors of Arts in Broadcast Journalism from USF two careers I would like to pursue are broadcasting sports, or a professional basketball player. The career I would most likely pursue after graduation would be as a Broadcast Journalism. The reason I would pursue a Broadcast Journalism in sports to be honest my dream is to make to the NBA, but I’m thinking reality even if I play college basketball doesn’t mean I’m going to get drafted so all that am left with is me pursing to become a sports analyst. Broadcast news analysts inform the public about news and events happening internationally, nationally, and locally. They report the news for newspapers, magazines, websites, television, and radio. A couple of their duties are to research topics and stories that an editor or news director has assigned to them, interview people who have information, analysis, or opinions relating to a story or article, and review articles to ensure their accuracy and their use of proper style and grammar. The expected job outlook with this career according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook is: Employment of broadcast news analysts is expected to grow by 10 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Growth is expected as news agencies prefer news analysts over traditional reporters to provide insight and commentary about the news. Employers generally prefer workers who have a bachelor’s degree in journalism or communications and have experience from an internship or from working on a college newspaper. The expected annual salary for a Broadcasting News Analysts as projected by The Occupational Outlook Handbook is $54,140.

The person I interviewed was Professor Holmes Dubois, who is a speech teacher at Valencia College and I made contact with her through person. Ricardo Villiers 1. What experience or knowledge is required to do your job? Professor Holmes Dubois: Currently I have a master degree in English and Communication. To be a speech teacher you must have a Master Degree and 18hours credited to you. Ricardo Villiers 2. How do Valencia’s Competencies (think, value, communicate, act) apply to your career? Professor Holmes Dubois: Communicate and Act is the most important because I teach my students orally and in Public Speaking class they have to act to deliver the speeches so it’s not all about writing. Ricardo Villiers 3. What types of projects, assignments or deadlines must you meet each day (A typical day on the job)? Professor Holmes Dubois: I have to answer to a lot of student’s emails, grade a lot of papers, service of committees, plan class activity’s, and mentor and give advice to adjunct faculty. Ricardo Villiers 4. Does your job require overtime and what is your work schedule? Professor Holmes Dubois: Well there’s salary pay here at Valencia so there’s not overtime you work until the work gets done. I have to be here for class, office hours, and meetings if anything I can work at home so it’s very flexible. Ricardo Villiers 5. What preparation or courses did you find necessary or helpful upon entering the job? Professor Holmes Dubois: NONE!!! Ricardo Villiers 6. What is the biggest challenge you encounter? Professor Holmes Dubois: The biggest challenge I have encounter is student’s that are not motivated!!! Ricardo Villiers 7. What piece of advice would you give someone considering entering this occupation? Professor Holmes Dubois: Don’t think you’re going to change the WORLD!!! 8. Describe a minimum of 5 characteristics about this person’s job or work environment that interest/or doesn't interest you? The work environment is private, don’t like grading papers, the hours are very flexible; don’t want to work around students, not interested in teaching speech.

To sum it all up writing this paper open my eyes and made me realize what I have to get done if I really want to be successful. I have been given the opportunity to choose my direction in life. If I really want this really bad I have go get it because it’s not going to be given to me, all I have to do is stay focus on the prize. Problems are going to be in my way that I will have to overcome through my lifetime. I’m going to take responsibility for my actions, to become a real winner in life. This paper guides me to make a successful turning point to a four-year university and then onto my career. If I decide to think about changing my major I know that I will not stray far from anything related to Sports. I want to be a part of sports so I’m going make it a part of me.