Jordan Elder, an undergraduate student from Arizona State University, won the NPPF TV Scholarship.

Accomplishments
My accomplishments in journalism thus far include one regional Student Emmy for on-air talent and one national Student Emmy, a Student of the Year award from Student Television Network, and certifications in social media analytics from Google and Inbound Marketing. I have contributed to Electionland, which was a partnership between the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, Google and Pro Publica to fight voter suppression through social media analysis. I served as an assistant producer and head of social media for an on-campus entertainment news club for a year and now I host the show. This spring, I will intern with Arizona Midday, a program on the NBC affiliate in Phoenix.

My accomplishments in academics include never getting below a 4. 0 throughout all of my schooling. Within the Walter Cronkite School, my current GPA is a 4. 33. I like to go above and beyond in all of my classes, but especially in my journalism classes. I was on the Dean’s List last year in both the fall and the spring. I am also a student in Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State. This means that in addition to my regular coursework, I take more challenging versions of journalism classes and complete a thesis/creative project before I graduate. I will graduate in the spring of 2019, which is a year ahead of schedule, and then complete my masters degree in journalism by the spring of 2020.

Career Goals
The goals I’ve set for myself are high because I’ve always been a go-getter. They may sound lofty, but they will push me to my full potential as a storyteller as well as a person. I will achieve them by building a strong work ethic, creating a close network of resources and learning from my mistakes instead of letting them discourage me. I would like to graduate college with a job already lined up. I want to be able to utilize the skills that the Cronkite School gives me immediately after graduation so that I can begin learning more out in the field as a professional reporter or social media analyst. Through dedication and persistence, I hope to climb the ladder and eventually become a nightly anchor as well as reporter, all while maintaining an interactive social media presence. The audience is most important and I want to make sure that I do everything in my power to cover stories important to them, and staying connected on social media will help me do that. After building my resume and absorbing all the knowledge I can, I hope to become a network news reporter or anchor and start serving a national audience. My biggest goal, however, is not a certain position. I want to make an impact on the news industry by showing my audience that not only can I stick to the basic principles of journalism, I can be one of the changemakers who help shift journalism to a direction that is more sustainable and respected by the public as well as public officials.

Leadership Essay
I have served in many leadership positions over the last few years. In high school, I was the chair of Youth With Vision, a drug prevention organization made up of high school students from all over Missouri. I spearheaded campaigns raising awareness about electronic cigarettes, underage drinking, marijuana, and prescription drug abuse. I helped draft and lobby for legislation that aimed to keep harmful drugs out of the hands of children and met with Missouri State Senators and Representatives often. I learned how to speak to people in positions of power and how to get my message across to them in a memorable way. I also learned how to guide people my own age toward a common goal, synthesizing their ideas and getting them to think below the surface of an idea. I served as the assistant producer and head of social media for Cronkite Cut, an entertainment news show, and learned how to be a leader in a journalism setting. I learned how to delegate tasks, plan social media posting, and organize filming. I am currently a Community Assistant on a journalism floor, which means I am the go-to resource for 60 freshmen at Arizona State. I have learned how to lead in a way that doesn’t create a major imbalance of power. Communication is a two-way street with my residents, and they know just as much about me as I know about them. I’ve learned how to handle tough situations, like sexual assault, addiction, and homesickness, which may not seem as severe, but it can make a huge impact in the lives of the residents. I’ve learned how to be a liaison between the residence hall and the journalism school for them. I must be aware of all the events going on so I can make sure they get there. I help them learn their limits when it comes to balancing their activities with their education. I am a strong leader that enforces the rules but also creates a positive environment for the residents to live. I’m their biggest cheerleader and biggest support when they are away from their families. I’m about halfway done completing my undergraduate certificate in Leadership & Ethics, where I am learning what my strengths and weaknesses are as a leader. I’m honing my leadership skills so that as I graduate and start out in the journalism world, I will be able to start making positive change in the industry.

Portfolio

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