Coming Back As A Super IA
I have now spent 13 months as a Newhouse graduate and wow, I cannot believe I have made it this far. When I initially got accepted into the program I didn’t know how I was going to pay for it. The next day, I received my financial aid decision, learning that I wouldn’t have to pay for anything except rent for housing and personal items. I also learned that I would be the Super IA for my cohort of 32 in the BDJ program. During my time in class I was tasked to be the best of the best in my class, help my classmates and also help the undergraduate classes with whatever the professors needed of me. I was told to go above and beyond, maintain good grades and network for my own benefit. Yes, I get paid for this position, but little did I know how much it would actually help me, personally. The only stipulation for all of this – After my 13-month long program for my Master’s, I must come back for an extra semester to teach the new IAs and complete whatever is left of my matriculation at Newhouse.
I have been all throughout Syracuse and surrounding areas, Washington D.C. for my capstone, back and forth to Atlanta (my hometown), and to New York City for various media events. I have learned so much about myself and others throughout the whole Super IA process and I’ve even been able to help select the new Super IA for 2018-2019. To have been in the same position as the new Master’s class just one year ago, is truly crazy. I remember hearing some things and thinking to myself, “Will I really be able to do this?” and “This can’t be real life.” But it was… I survived countless hours and days without sleep, a proper meal, and learning to be efficient and swift in my camera work, editing, and creating a story in under 24 hours. To be able to teach what I’ve learned to a new class and for them to know it’s authentic, means a lot.
To now be considered a part of the #NewhouseMafia means a lot to me, my peers, my professors and now the Newhouse school with their new academic year classes. The new Master’s class now looks up to me for those answers I was so desperately looking for and those questions I was too afraid to ask my professors for. As an IA, I was looked at as someone anyone could come to for help and I’m thankful to be just that for the 2018-2019 class. I hope I can continue to be someone in their corner, until my departure come December of this year. I’ll miss my new family but if I can see their progress through for as long as I’m here, knowing that I contributed to their success, is enough for me.
