Student Emily Brak Awarded Women's Press Club Scholarship Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Meet Emily Brak
Major and expected graduation: Broadcast reporting and political science, 2018
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa.
High school: The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School
Dream job: A host on NBC's The Today Show
Hobbies/interests: Dancing (I used to dance at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre), shopping, traveling and working out.
College activities: The Globe, Point Park News Service, The Pioneer, Honors Program, Honors Student Organization, U-View, Broadcast Education Association. I'm also a sports stringer for The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Favorite quote: "The best way to predict the future is to create it." - Abraham Lincoln
What is the Women's Press Club Scholarship?
The Women's Press Club scholarship competition honors Gertrude Gordon, one of the first female reporters in Pittsburgh. She joined the Pittsburgh Press and reported on Pittsburgh women for 19 years, beginning in 1908. After she died, a scholarship fund was created in her memory in 1955. The scholarship is celebrating its 59th anniversary and has been given to more than 100 students for more than half of a century. To receive the scholarship, I competed in a feature writing competition and was lucky enough to win first place and receive a $1,000 scholarship.Receiving this award is such an honor. I admire so many people who work in news. It is amazing to think that I have received an award from an organization that has been around since 1891. I am so thankful that they have established the scholarship fund and chose me to be a recipient of the award. When I received the call from Helen Fallon telling me that I won, I was so surprised and excited.
What's it like going to school in Downtown Pittsburgh?
I absolutely love going to school in Downtown Pittsburgh. It's great to be in a city because you are in the middle of all the action and everything is so convenient. Having the ability to walk to most of Pittsburgh's main attractions is a major plus. There's always so much to do!
What advice do you have for a prospective student?
Get involved in clubs and activities related to your major outside of your classes. The extra effort you put into these things is what provides you with endless opportunities. Just going to class is not going to give you the same amount of experience as someone who does extracurricular activities. The knowledge and experience gained will help set you apart from people who just go to class when it comes time to apply for an internship or job.
Final thoughts?
I would like to thank the faculty at Point Park for their support. I know that they will continue to help me turn my dream into a reality!
Photo by Victoria A. Mikula, sophomore photojournalism major