April 15, 2008
Two top magazine editors from the sports and entertainment field
visited St. John's University this week to discuss their industry
and internship opportunities with journalism and communications
students at the Queens campus.
David Cummings, senior deputy editor at ESPN The Magazine and
DeLora Jones, chief of reporters at InStyle magazine participated
in the College of Professional Studies' Dean's Lecture Series that
was held at Marillac Hall on Monday, April 14. The event was
moderated by Professor Claire Serant of the College of
Professional Studies' Mass Communication division.
Cummings advised the co-eds to use their college experience to
discover if they really want a journalism career by writing for
their school or local newspaper. Besides ESPN, Cummings has worked
as a sports writer for The New York Daily News, The Atlanta
Constitution Journal, The Dispatch (Lexington, NC), The
Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, MS), The New York Times, and Miami Herald.
The Morehouse College graduate also worked at The Source
Magazine.
Jones, who also serves as InStyle's internship coordinator, is
an Iowa native who interned for The Des Moines Register newspaper
in high school. She was hired by the Register full time after she
graduated from Iowa State University. Prior to InStyle, Jones was a
fashion and beauty writer for Essence magazine and a corporate
writer for Avon Products Inc. She has also written for The Journal
News in Westchester.
Jones told students to dress appropriately for their internships
and come to work with story ideas that can get them noticed by
editors.
“The two editors gave me valuable insight--the one thing I
understand better is the importance of having a mentor to help
guide you along in the business,” said Lynecia Burgess, a junior
journalism major adding, “They also talked about the importance of
knowing the product--they stressed that in order to be successful
at the magazine, you have to really KNOW it--read it and do your
homework on it. And if you do not read it, then don't waste your
time trying to work there."