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Scholar Q and A: Daniel Haack '10
Laurie Ward, 12/2/2008
Carly Willsie (a class of 2010 journalism major from East Berne, New York) chats with fellow Park scholar Daniel Haack (a class of 2010 integrated marketing communications major from Mount Horeb, Wisconsin) about the wonderful opportunities he has had as a Park scholar.
CARLY: What are some things you’ve done in college that you wouldn’t have been able to do without the Park Scholar Award?
DANIEL: One of my favorite recent experiences as a Park scholar has been the junior shadowing trip in New York City when I shadowed IC alum Jay Linden ’72, the executive vice president of the NBC Universal Strategic Partnership Group. Between meetings, conference calls, and trips to the sets of Saturday Night Live and NBC Nightly News, it really gave me a sense of business-to-business marketing in the television industry and how exciting that can be. I also loved the first-year Park scholar seminar, Globalization and the Media, and all of the different group service projects have been really fun as well.
CARLY: How would you describe the scholarship’s role in your everyday college life?
DANIEL: The Park Scholar Award is more than just a scholarship. Between the great programming and the supportive community, it’s really influenced every aspect of my college career. The Park Scholar Program challenges me to reach my potential every day, but it also creates this incredible support system. To have an instant network of students when you enter college makes the transition ten times easier. Several of my best friends are also Park scholars. It’s just really cool sharing the same kind of drive and passion for media and communications with all your buddies. Plus, it’s a pretty unique experience to be able to attend college without your family ever having to think or worry about finances.
CARLY: What are some of your favorite things that you’ve done during your time as a “Parkie”?
DANIEL: The faculty at the Park School have been really great at matching theoretical exploration with professional application. I’m able to take classes—often taught by industry professionals—that are structured around giving us students the relevant know-how and experience to prepare us for post-graduate careers. The student media is world-class, and the whole atmosphere at the Park School is about encouragement: we are encouraged to take risks, to explore our different interests, and to reach our potential. I’ve produced advertising plans, marketing plans, media plans, PR plans. I was able to study abroad in London for a semester. I’ve been able to present my own research and papers at conferences and symposia. And I’ve interned with all kinds of media outlets.
CARLY: What internships have you had?
DANIEL: The summer before my first year at the Park School, I interned in the membership and development offices of Wisconsin Public Television in Madison, Wisconsin. The next summer, I was lucky enough to be asked back in a paid position. Last November, I was one of three IC students who interned with Three Ball Productions, casting professionals who conducted a casting call in Ithaca for the hit CW reality series Beauty and the Geek. When I studied in London, I interned in the strategy department of the Channel Four Television Corporation, one of the largest television broadcasters in the United Kingdom. This past summer, I interned at the Center for Media and Democracy, and I continue to work with them as a paid consultant.
CARLY: Can you talk about your independent media internship a little bit?
DANIEL: This summer, I received an internship award from the Park Center for Independent Media to intern at the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD). During my time at CMD, I was able to attend the National Conference for Media Reform in Minneapolis, where I met people like Dan Rather, Phil Donahue, Amy Goodman, and Bill Moyers. Besides working on programming for SourceWatch.org and PRWatch.org, I wrote a piece on the Pentagon’s covert military analyst program. My article was picked up by a bunch of different progressive and independent news outlets, including Common Dreams and CounterPunch. As I said before, I’m still working with the Center for Media and Democracy as a consultant on their climate-change portal.
CARLY: What service activities have you participated in?
DANIEL: For the past two years, I’ve been coordinating and moderating the weekly Friday night literary circle at the Longview Assisted Living Center. I’m also chairing the Park scholar group service partnership with the Finger Lakes Independence Center, and we’re working on planning and marketing a film screening to increase disability rights awareness. As you know personally, you and I also help lead a weekly service samplers club at the local alternative school. I also volunteer at the Ithaca Youth Bureau through the IC Bigs program, and I’ve been a team leader of the Community Plunge Program for first-year students for the past two years. At home, I’ve recently been involved with the AIDS Network of Madison and Wisconsin Public Television.
CARLY: How have these service commitments added to your college experience?
DANIEL: My volunteer activities are usually the highlights of my week. It’s really awesome because they act as such an escape from all the stresses of school, but you’re also building these different relationships and gaining so much while also giving back to the community.
CARLY: So what would you say is the best thing about the Park Scholar Award and the Park School of Communications?
DANIEL: By far, the best thing about the Park Scholar Award is always having a foundation of support: support from the Park School, the Park Foundation, the program, and other scholars. And I think one of the key results of having so much support is gaining the confidence to challenge yourself and capitalize on your strengths to make a positive impact on the world.
Originally published in Life of a Park Scholar: Scholar Q and A: Daniel Haack '10.