Star Mccown Email & Phone Number

Remote

During my last semester at USC, I became a blogger for USC's official student run blog, Trojans360. As a blogger, I pitched and developed article ideas centered around student life and wellness. In the short time I was there, I produced and submitted many different types of blog posts and accumulated over 1000 views on our website. My fellow bloggers and I collaborated on a vlog post for YouTube that highlighted what a day in the life for a Trojans 360 blogger looked like. This project was the first time I had participated in and created a vlog post. My favorite blog post to write was "A Graduating Senior's Advice to Incoming Students" because I was glad that I could share the wisdom that I had with the next generation of Trojans.

Greater Los Angeles Area

In my role as intern coordinator, I planned semester-long curriculum for a team of 40 interns that were hired by my fellow staff members and I. The curriculum included technical training, on-air review sessions, and DJ shadowing to prepare the interns to pass a DJ evaluation before hosting their own show. With the interns, I oversaw the development of each individual intern project, matching interns with departments based on their interests. After completing my first semester as intern coordinator, I reached out to my first intern cohort asking for feedback on how they would improve the program. The most frequent comment I received was a need for community. With my next intern cohort, I made community building a priority and planned bi-weekly wellness meetings for interns to engage in mindful creativity. After their intern program was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic, I set up a pen pal program so DJs, interns and alumni of the station could connect safely.

Greater Los Angeles Area

Every week, I produced and hosted an hour-long radio show that centered on a theme I chose at the beginning of each semester. My radio show has taken on many forms: curating playlists for literary characters, highlighting underrepresented artists, dedicating playlists to friends and family, and interviewing amateur chefs while teaching them origami. For every new show I kick-off, I design a wacky show graphic using Illustrator and Photoshop. I have also published music reviews and articles covering live shows for the radio’s blog.

Remote

As a News Assistant for NPR's radio news magazine program "Weekend Edition", I brainstormed, researched, and pitched segment ideas and potential guests at twice weekly pitch meetings. After receiving my assignments for the week, I coordinated interview logistics with our guests across time zones and facilitated remote tapings through Zoom. I wrote scripts and interview guides that prepared our hosts with relevant information regarding each segment. I produced interviews, leveling audio and cutting it down to time. For each segment that I produced, I collaborated with an editor to ensure that the segment conveyed information in a concise, clear, and effective way. My job also included shepherding and mixing segments and providing quick audio fixes on live show days (Saturday and Sunday).

Remote

Before my role with "It's Been A Minute With Sam Sanders", I had never worked in a newsroom or used audio editing tools. During my time there, I learned how to produce and edit audio for two- and three-way conversations, and game segments of podcast episodes using editing software. I also learned SEM Rush, a SEO tool, so I could create episode headlines and descriptions that would expand the podcast's listenership. I learned how to navigate a Content Management System, writing and publishing episode web pages for the NPR website. They trusted me to manage the IBAM Twitter account and the NPR Intern Twitter account, and I met with my manager, Jordana, every week to discuss social media strategies. I also collaborated with art directors to design promotional content that was published on NPR social media accounts, and I was even commissioned to design content for NPR's "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!" social media accounts. The producers taught me how to write scripts, how to pre-interview guests, and how to reach out to publicists to set-up and conduct remote interviews with high-end talent. In my short time there, I learned so much and realized how capable I am.

Huntington Beach, California, United States

As the writing team intern, I prioritized multiple RFP and RFIs with short deadlines and fast turnaround times. My first assignment was to co-author a bid proposal for a government contract valued at $120 million in spend. I was entrusted with completing RFx questionnaires and developing materials highlighting the talent acquisition capabilities of their STEM recruitment company in Word. Each week, I contributed to weekly knowledge sharing sessions and roundtable workshops with the writing team. I also submitted online sourcing and vendor applications as required by clients and used MS Teams to conduct strategy meetings with subject matter experts, leading teams through the process of developing a work plan. Another one of my tasks as the writing intern was updating and maintaining Qvidian, our proposal content database.

Greater Los Angeles Area

For three years, I worked as an administrative assistant to the dean’s office of USC’s engineering college, Viterbi. Although my main duties were to coordinate meeting room reservations through Microsoft Outlook, I supported other departments within Viterbi: conducting research for faculty affairs, drafting letters and copyediting the awards website for the awards’ office, and populating a vendor management system. Meeting distant coworkers and learning new skills made me feel like I was making an impact in my role.

Greater Los Angeles Area

Bloom Boutique is a student run non profit organization at the University of Southern California that promotes fashion sustainability by collecting clothing donations from students, curating the clothing, hosting pop-up sales, and donating all of the proceeds to the Downtown Women’s Center. As the director of community outreach and operations, I coordinated donation drop offs and worked with a team to curate the donations. Working directly with the Downtown Women’s Center, I organized cooking club and snack pack volunteer events, serving hundreds of homeless women in downtown Los Angeles.

Greater Los Angeles Area

As USC Nikkei Student Union’s culture night director, I produced “Danketsu,” a variety show that promoted visibility of Japanese-American culture through cultural performances and short films. For the show, I wrote and produced a short film focusing on the parallels between border detention centers and the history of Japanese-American internment. After recruiting a team of peers to assist with costume design, acting, filming, and fundraising, we were able to secure over $3000 in donations and host the show in Bovard Auditorium, the largest auditorium on campus with an +850 person capacity. With my team, we developed a year long schedule to prepare for the show and were successful in our efforts.

Greater Los Angeles Area

Being an orientation advisor gave me the opportunity to serve over 7000 students and guests at 15 orientation events, advising hundreds of incoming students from various academic disciplines. I joined a team of four of my peers to lead the first off site orientation program in San Mateo, CA, providing support to out-of-town students and their families. Before leading online orientation programs, I composed a resource guide for my orientees for them to refer to while preparing to join students on campus for the semester. Planning and leading off campus Explore LA trips to University Citywalk and Olvera Street for new students to learn about public transportation and culturally significant locations in Los Angeles was the highlight of my experience.

Greater Los Angeles Area

I found my place in the late night entertainment space as an MC and a show lead for a concert company, Sofar Sounds, that hosts secret gigs every day. The first show I served as MC was hosted in a yoga studio, and I closed my final show inside a shed behind a law firm. With every show I ran, I had the opportunity to explore a new part of Los Angeles and interview rising artists in LA, crossing genres and backgrounds. I made sure to educate every audience on all safety protocols and guidelines, and lead ice breakers and meditation between sets. By posting content to the Sofar Sounds social media platforms, I engaged audiences and increased brand awareness.