English/Creative Writing Student Working as a Copywriting Intern for the Post-Gazette Friday, July 6, 2012
Meet Jesse Padjune
Major: English/Creative Writing
Minor: Psychology
Internship: Copywriting intern for the advertising department at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Expected graduation: Spring 2014
Hobbies/interests: Writing fantasy stories, photography, hiking, and video games
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Why is English/creative writing the major for you?
I've always had the hobby of waking up in the morning and writing down my amazingly vivid dreams. A lot of my dreams have the same places and people, so once I had a decent compilation of them, I started creating little stories to tie them together. When I was little, writing stories was just for fun, but now I've realized that I'm actually pretty good at it. Back in grade school and even high school, the majority of the student body had to be forced to write an essay or a poem, but it always came easy to me. I've found that even though I was good at mathematics, English was the only true way for me to express myself. When I'm writing, I can let it all flow.
Why did you choose Point Park?
I've lived in Pittsburgh my entire life, and I was not ready to go too far. When I was looking into local schools, I was told by my English teachers in high school that Point Park had a good writing program. I knew that one of the major tie-breaker qualities in a university for me was the class size. I did not want to sit in a room with 100 other students. I wanted to get close to my mentors and let them really see who I am as a person and for them to see my writing grow. At Point Park, the professors know you by who you are, not just by a name on a paper.
What do you enjoy most about your internship with the Post-Gazette?
One thing that I enjoy about my internship is my ability to work from home. Even though I do not often see my boss face-to-face, he responds quickly to emails and helps with any questions that may come up. Some of the topics that I write about for my internship are not in my area of expertise so it gives me the opportunity to learn, broaden my horizons, and put my own perspective on it.
How would you describe the professors in the English/creative writing program?
I am a very shy person but my professors have a way of making me loosen up. I never feel like I'm being judged. They are interested in my writing and what I have to say, which has allowed me to really blossom. One professor in particular has helped me to get out of my shell — Dr. Sarah Perrier. She has shown me that everyone is unique and that if you try your hardest and give every task everything you've got, then you can truly excel. Another great professor is Dr. Robert Lewis. On top of being very friendly, he has so much knowledge to offer. I've found myself talking with my friends about little things that I've learned in his classes without even realizing how much I've retained. One of the most outstanding facts about a lot of the professors in the English/creative writing program is that they do not just drone through lectures and forget about the students once they've left the room. They care about their students as human beings and are great mentors.
In what ways do you think this summer internship will help you with your career goals?
Before this internship, I had never written blogs or professional articles so it has helped me to harness new styles of writing. I've only ever written for myself or for professors, but now I have to manage the right language level or tone for whichever audience I am trying to target. I write for a couple of different websites so the style of my writing must alternate. Not only am I writing in new styles, but also writing about new topics outside of my normal boundaries. These new skills could really come in handy depending on what I'll be writing about at future jobs.
More About: English, Department of Literary Arts, creative writing, internships