Raelyn Crager. Communication: Broadcast and Digital Journalism

My name is Raelyn Crager. I am a Senior Communication major concentrating in Broadcast and Digital Journalism. I have been at Mississippi State University since Freshman year. When I graduated high school, I knew I did not want to go to a community college, but I also did not want to go to a huge school like the University of Alabama. I toured Mississippi State and fell in love with how homey campus felt. One thing I was not sure of was what I wanted to do for a career.

My first thought was to make prosthetics. I came to MSU enrolled in Biomedical Engineering but quickly realized that was not where my interest aligned. I went home one weekend, sat with my mom and brainstormed another path I should follow. Growing up I have always enjoyed writing as well as asking questions and sports. We were looking at majors MSU offered and came across communication with BaDJ concentration. I then knew that is where my interest aligned.

Now that I have been in this major for three and a half years, I truly made the right decision. Within the Communication department, all professors feel like they want us to succeed. I have also met some of my best friends by switching majors. The thing I love most about my major is it does not feel like work. I have now been in three production-based classes, and they are by far my favorite.

Within this major there are classes designed to give you a feel of what work would be like in the outside world. On campus we have our own production room to give students insight of what it would be like in a real news control room. Although I do not want to do news, my professors have given us ways that would incorporate our future jobs.  

When thinking about a project I have previously done for class that I loved, I think about my final project for Advanced Tv Production. All semester the things we had done in class were to lead us up to the final. Our final project was to create a 30-minute show all by ourselves, and it aired live at a certain time. This was fun for me because all the stories within the show we made as well as we were in the back following along working in the control room to produce this cast.  

I love working with others on big projects like that one so you can get to know people’s personalities. Within this major we see the same twenty people in all our classes, so we have all gotten to know each other well. As I would like to meet other people, I enjoy being around the same people because we do not have to worry about knowing the type of person others are. It makes the Communication department feel like a family.

My favorite thing to do within my major would be writing with a mix of video interview. I enjoy writing scripts for cast on a package but since high school I have always been very interested in writing stories. My favorite were fiction stories, so you could create a world and try to bring others in that world with you when they read it. Apart from writing I love video interviews. I feel that when someone is being interviews, they are being put on the spot. You do not have time to think of a well scripted out answer, especially when you are on a camera. This to me makes it someone’s true personality come out.

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While I am taking this class, I am interested in learning about how different modes of media can affect journalism. I am also looking forward to working on projects with the groups that are picked out for us. I enjoy interactive classes to where the work does not feel like work. If we are working with groups especially since most of us in the class know each other it will be as if we are hanging out with our friends on the days we meet.

Lastly my career goals are that I want to work in the realm of sports. I have always enjoyed watching sports growing up as well as playing them. The end goal for me it to work for MLB Network as a sideline reporter. When players are happy after a win, I want to go feel that emotion with them and be able to show the world that players personality.

Another look into reporting is usually someone has certain things they are most interested in. Mine is the MLB draft. I have been following the draft closely for the past couple of years. I want to know the analytics on why they got chosen over someone else. Also, the draft is a night that can change someone’s life for the best. I want to be able to talk to people as they are finding out that they got chosen and how they feel in that moment.

Email me at rkc182@msstate.edu with any questions