Professional Overview: Portfolio

My portfolio is made up of artifacts produced during my time studying mass media at

Angelo State University. The Mass Media course of study involved classes in news reporting and

writing, as well as many classes involving multimedia development and design. Although not

specific to my degree, I was also enrolled in courses focused on writing for the web and writing

for international and intercultural readers which is beneficial as the media landscape continues to

grow more international.

My portfolio emphasizes my writing skills and also my skills in Photoshop and InDesign.

With each writing assignment, I became more aware of the important facts and quotes I should

share with readers and the order that the information should be presented. Although not obvious

in the artifacts presented, developing stories and gathering quotes was a part of the learning

experience throughout my time at Angelo State University. Through my studies in multimedia

development and design, I have become efficient in Photoshop and InDesign, especially in the

techniques involving photo editing, newspaper construction, and overall document design. The

portfolio shows the color correcting, resizing, inserting, and design techniques of documents and

photos that I developed at Angelo State. These skills can be transferred easily into the workplace.

There has been significant improvement in my writing throughout my time at Angelo

State University. Learning to write concisely and conforming to the Associated Press writing

style was crucial to my success in various writing courses. My skills in copy-editing have also

significantly improved throughout my time studying mass media. With each assignment, I wrote

more efficiently, and I was able to recognize errors more quickly. By the end of my educational

career, I was able to complete assignments in less time, and with very minimal grammar or
mechanical errors. These skills have helped me to become a more well-rounded writer, both in

and out of the newsroom.

My goal upon graduation is to begin my career in journalism. I enjoy the environment of

a newspaper office, so I would like to begin my career as a news reporter immediately. Through

my job search, I have found that many companies are making a big effort to transition into social

media and the web as sources of news for their readers. Once I have gathered enough

experience, I would like to move on from print publications only, to writing for a bigger

audience, ideally for a Internet-based news company or magazine. When I began my studies, it

was my intention to be as well rounded in not only journalistic writing, but also writing for the

web, and writing for international or intercultural readers since news can be accessed from

basically anywhere with the availability of the Internet. Because of the immediacy and the

availability of the news, readers expect to receive news quickly. Learning how to maximize the

importance of the information given, and be able to deliver the news as quickly and efficiently as

possible is an important technique in writing and journalism that will be important to my career

in the future. Audiences have also become much larger, and much more international.

Differences in language, culture, and customs can be detrimental to a news story if there is a

misunderstanding, which is why I thought it important to have an introduction to some

precautions in writing and building documents and be able to recognize when my writing style

should change to reflect a different audience. News reporting and news consumption is shifting

from a print-based company with a supporting website, onto equally important print and web

publications with distinct personalities for the same company. It is my intention to be a part of

that shift as a versatile journalist.