Ready to build your career, network with industry professionals, and get feedback on your portfolio or resume? SMAD Day brings together students, alumni and faculty for informative career sessions and networking opportunities. Sessions will cover careers, portfolios, resumes, interviewing, and more.
2019 Schedule
Student check-in / on-site registration will available near the ground floor breezeway of Harrison Hall
Alumni check-in / on-site registration will available in SMAD main office (Harrison 0276)
8:00-9:00 a.m. Continental breakfast is available for SMAD Alumni & Faculty
9:00-10:45 a.m. Resume & Portfolio Review (by appointment)
Creative Advertising – Harrison Hall 0118
Digital Video Cinema – Harrison Hall Studio
Interactive Design – Harrison Hall 0102
Journalism – Harrison Hall 2241
9:00-10:45 a.m. Resume Building Workshop (open to all)
Harrison Hall 101
11:00-12:00 p.m. Career Panel Discussions (open to all)
Creative Advertising – Harrison Hall 0118
Digital Video Cinema – Harrison Hall Studio
Interactive Design – Harrison Hall 0102
Journalism –Harrison Hall 2241
12:00-1:30 p.m. SMAD Dog Day on the Patio (open to all)
Join the Duke Dog at the lunch hour!
1:30-2:30 p.m. Keynote Speaker: Cheryl Carson(’88), news director at WJLA in Washington, D.C-Harrison Hall 1261 (open to all)
2:30-4:00 p.m. Career Fair (open to all)
Keynote Speaker
Keynote Speaker Cheryl Carson (’88), news director at WJLA in Washington, D.C.- 1:30-2:30 Harrison 1261
Cheryl Carson became News Director of Sinclair Broadcast Group’s ABC7 WJLA & 24/7 News in February of 2019. “I am impressed with her commitment and understanding of the importance of all platforms and embracing change by developing more strategic and innovative solutions,” said Sinclair’s Scott Livingston, Senior Vice President of News. Cheryl leads a team of anchors, reporters, directors, producers, editors, and photojournalists who create impactful “On Your Side” news coverage in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. The newsroom provides comprehensive coverage on television, the website, and social media. Cheryl is the first woman to hold this position.
Prior to Sinclair, Cheryl led one of the most respected newsrooms in the country, KING-TV in Seattle. When Tegna’s NBC affiliate in Seattle, Washington raised the curtain on its brand new, state of the art studio in February 2016, Cheryl was at the helm as News Director. Cheryl designed, organized and executed the monumental move of the newsroom which provided coverage on 3 channels: KING, KONG and Northwest Cable News. Cheryl was the station’s first female News Director. Under her leadership the KING news team won 3 National Murrow Awards, including “Overall News Excellence”. In Seattle, she forged a relationship with Microsoft to produce the first local news live interactive election coverage. That project led to Tegna’s “Data Driven Journalism” pilot project partnering with Microsoft.
Before Seattle, Cheryl served as Senior Executive Producer in Los Angeles at the Fox duopoly KTTV/KCOP for 12 years. She managed the day to day operation of the two stations covering breaking news, special projects, promos, and graphics on all platforms. During Cheryl’s leadership, KTTV won four newscast Emmys and a Golden Mike for Best Newscast Live Coverage.
Cheryl began her career as a reporter/anchor before jumping into producing and news management. She’s a graduate of James Madison University and an active member of Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) and National Academy Of Television Arts and Science (NATAS). Cheryl sits on the NATAS Board of Governors for the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter.
Expert Advice
SMAD day is a unique opportunity for you to get expert advice from professionals in the Media Arts field. Students can sign up on JMU’s Alumni website to reserve a time for a specific professional to review their resume or portfolio pieces.
Career Panels for Each Concentration
Every SMAD concentration will have a dedicated career panel. SMAD alum and Media Arts professionals will share their experience and insights of working in the media industry. The panels will also cover important, real-world information about today’s job market, entrepreneurship and self-employment.
