Mentorship program available for UCO Mass Communication students

The Association of Black Journalists is offering a mentorship opportunity for University of Central Oklahoma Mass Communication majors.

The purpose of ABJ Mentorships Program is to pair UCO Mass Communication majors with professionals in their ideal job and or field. The concept is to get students connected with those in their industry as well as additional guidance and critiques from experts.

“The idea came from myself wanting to have someone help me navigate the world of broadcast journalism as an outspoken Black man,” stated Micah Wilson, president of ABJ. 

“How do I remain true to myself and community and still be desirable in the eyes of employers? How do I balance my personal life, which is often associated with negative stereotypes of Black males, and my life as a broadcast journalist? I felt many other students may have struggled or are struggling with this as well, so we decided to start this program.”

The deadline to apply is at 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 30. Click here to apply.

ABJ wants students to be successful after they leave UCO. Wilson stated that they recognized many students have an idea of what they want to do when they graduate, but they have no clue how or what to do.

“We have amazing professors here, however, the majority of them are not of color. It will be more beneficial for students to get real life stories about how to navigate through their desired field and industry as a person of color. How can they fight stereotypes, what microaggressions will they face and how will they handle those microaggressions,” Wilson stated.

This mentorship could be a great chance to make industry contacts, ABJ Vice President Paige Wilson stated.

“We believe that it will provide network opportunities for students who desire to work in the media field, and that it will allow them to receive guidance within the different careers of the industry.”

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