By Angelita Faller

When Michelle Duke mentors young professionals in the media industry, the most important piece of advice she gives them is to stay on top of the game in the media industry.

“When I say stay on top of your game, you have got to put in the work. There is no substitute for focus and smart work. All the connections and advice in the world won’t mean a thing if you can’t back it up. Stay up to date on what is going on in your industry, and look for experiences that will put you ahead,” said Duke, vice president of the National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF).

Duke is one of three industry professionals who spoke to Grambling State University students about how to launch a successful career in the media industry at a mass communications workshop held March 3 in Washington Johnson complex.

She advised students to get ahead while in college by joining professional organizations, working in student media, securing internships, finding mentors and building a network of professional contacts.

“You should build your network and then use it. The easiest way to do this is to sincerely give back. Share your best practices. Volunteer your time. Do this cheerfully and with the right intent. As you give back, you will be building your network,” she said.

NABEF has two entry-level programs for media professionals, the Media Sales Institute and the Technology Apprenticeship Program.

The Media Sales Institute is an intensive 10-day workshop where students are immersed in learning electronic media advertising sales and sales techniques, while the Technology Apprenticeship Program is a six-month program designed to expose high-tech graduates and professionals to the broadcast industry. For more information about these programs, visit http://www.nabef.org/.

Duke was joined by Mignon Clyburn, a commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, and Stephen Robinson, operations manager of Sirius XM HBCU Network.

Lanita Hughes, a sophomore mass communications major, said she was inspired by the panelists to become more active in her major.

“Everything they said today was very beneficial. I plan on getting more involved in stuff inside my major, being more flexible and I’m really going to build my network,” Hughes said.

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