WORK INTEGRATED LEARNING
Communiqué
The Communication Co-op
Newsletter | Summer 2008
MINDING THE GAPS WHILE
WORKING ABROAD 
Bridging the international differences
By Jeanette LeBlanc, Communication Co-op Alumnus
A
s a co-op alumnus, I continue to
utilize skills I learnt throughout co-op
while searching for work and in the
workplace. Most recently, my skills were tested
in London, England!
It all started with a friendly conversation, a yearning
to travel, a scrap napkin and a draft budget. In
small steps, anything is possible, and I knew I could
make the move happen. With a degree under my
belt and completion of the co-op program I felt
equipped to experience a job search in London and
see what working there would be like.
Transit riders in England are warned to “mind the gap” when boarding
the train. Jeanette found out that there were more gaps to mind in the
workplace as an international worker.
As a hub of internationalism, London is vast with
opportunity and adventure. I wanted to experience
can be an overwhelming one – even more so in a
it all and had a year to find it! But first, I needed
foreign city. I allowed myself ample time for arrival,
to find a job. My research skills were useful
but added an extra hour in London because the
for this because job search resources were all
transport system can be highly unpredictable!
new and different there. The opportunities were
Inside
Minding the Gaps While
Working Abroad
1/3
Climbing Mount
Kilimanjaro 2/3
overwhelming, so I searched for some networking
First impressions of my first London office
opportunities to find direction and narrow my
experience varied from bad coffee to large open
search. I attended a Network Canada event,
floor plans where employees worked in close
where many successful Canadian alumni meet
proximity to each, and the fortunate experience of
Meet the Faculty
in London throughout the year. From this, I met
meeting unforgettably entertaining characters.
Where Are They Now 7/8 agency to get some income while looking for
I was most grateful for my basic office skills gained
Statistics Corner
something more permanent.
through my co-op experience. My confidence in this
a few new friends and was referred to a temp
allowed me to focus on other business differences
Whether it’s a temporary assignment or the
beginning of a new permanent job, the first day
at hand such as a different paper sizing system and
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Building a “Job Search
Portfolio”
4/5
6/8
8
Communiqué is a
newsletter published
every semester by SFU
Communication Co-op.
Check us out online at
www.sfu.ca/communique
SFU COMMUNICATION CO-OP
STUDENT TAKES ON SUMMIT
The Last Stretch of Mount Kilimanjaro
By Kelsey Newsham, Communication Co-op student
T
hink exams are pretty tough? Tr y
Mount Kilimanjaro on for size! SFU
Communication Co-op student Kelsey
Newsham did just that. After completing a co-op
work term, Kelsey took the challenge of climbing
the world’s highest free-standing equatorial
mountain. What does that mean? That Mount
Kilimanjaro, located in Tanzania in East Africa,
is a total of 5895 meters (19340 feet) high, is
covered in snow and is only 330 kilometers east
of the equator.
Below is a journal entry from Kelsey while she
completed the last stretch to the top of the
mountain.
I’ll recap the experience of Mount Kilimanjaro as
it is one I shall never be able to forget. We’ll skip
to the last part, summit night.
We had hiked for seven and a half hours that day
in the heat and through valleys to a lunch spot
that gave us vertigo. We sat and looked only at the
clouds and blue sky that were below and could
not even see any land. We arrived into camp, but
it would not be a long rest; after dinner was served
and we headed off to bed for, with luck, four hours
of sleep.
It’s now 10:30 at night and we are awoken for
‘breakfast’ before departing to the summit. It is
Summer 2008
Communiqué
here that many (people climbing the mountain)
turn back before reaching Kili’s peak. It is complete
darkness except for our head lamps and fatigue
begins to take its toll on two people from my group.
Diarrhea begins again with three group members
and another group member is having a hard
time breathing (Note: due to Mount Kilimanjaro
air is thinner, which makes
it difficult to breathe). Amy
and Natalie, two members of
my group, are so cold their
hands have to be warmed up
by our guides. Pam, another
group member, throws-up and
weakens.
Just over half-way there the
mountain takes its toll on me
as well. My body rages with
dry heaving due to the altitude.
I heave and continue walking
knowing the top is less than
three hours away, but I cannot
see it. I fall to one side aware
that my body is exhausted.
Just 15 minutes from the top
Kelsey’s hiking group
at the summit of Mount
Kilimanjaro
I throw-up and am held by our
guide as the group moves on.
The group has a rhythm now
and must continue on to make
it. I know I’ll be right behind
once I stop vomiting.
Then, as one foot goes in front
of the other methodically I am there, standing
at the first peak of Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest
mountain. It is one hour of sheer will to the
actual top and we walk in silence. I am too tired
and stunned to cry but everyone else in my
group does.
LIVING & WORKING ABROAD
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
their differences in spelling to Canadian English.
I quickly learned to “mind the gap”, both in
We have all made it. A feat our guide tells us is
felt extremely independent as a result of the
rare. First we all know each other, and second we
experience. I later found a company that hired me
all made it together. With that we took pictures
on permanently for the remainder of my visa, which
and hiked the three hours down, only to rest for
was gratifying.
Communiqué
the underground railway and in the office, and
Summer 2008
two hours, then hike down another four hours
It was a life altering experience – about more
down the mountain.
than just working abroad but also learning about
No one can truly understand the joy and
yourself out of your comfort zone. Co-op helped
exhilaration of being almost beyond yourself but
prepare me for some of those challenges.
refusing to go back.
WORK INTEGRATED LEARNING
WORK INTEGRATED LEARNING
P
T
being at higher altitude, the
BUILDING A “JOB SEARCH PORTFOLIO”
Getting ready for your post-graduation job hunt now
By Jennifer Liu, Communication co-op student & Career Peer Educator
I
picked up an interesting tip last summer from
education and background experience each job
someone wise - build a ‘job search portfolio’
would require before I graduate.
to help you gather information about careers
and companies you are interested in or want to
Job postings can be found on popular websites
learn more about.
such as Workopolis, or most companies’ Human
Resources web portal. Online resources such
While I was in Victoria doing a Federal Student
as Bridges (https://access.bridges.com) or
Work Experience Program (FSWEP) Internship for
CareerBuilder (careerbuilder.ca) can provide
Service Canada, one of my supervisors provided an
more comprehensive information about specific
important piece of advice for which I am thankful.
career paths (visit Career Services in MBC 0300
From one of our discussions about job market
or www.sfu.ca/careerservices for access to these
trends and opportunities available for students, he
resources). I also find it helpful to sign up for email
suggested that I build a personal career folder by
notifications from companies that I have an interest
collecting different job descriptions for positions
in. Through this, I get to receive email notifications
I am interested in, regardless of whether I have
when they have new press releases, as well as
the skills or experience for them right now. He
when job openings are posted.
c
w
explained the purpose of this folder would be to
give me an idea of various opportunities available
Although I have only started my collection a few
jo
post graduation. This way I can start preparing for
months ago, I am already surprised by ````````
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the impending job hunt and gain insight into the
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op
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Summer 2008
Communiqué
righ
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variety of
jobs availa
someone
ble for
with my b
ackground
. Public re
brand ma
lations,
rketing, an
d internal
communic
are some o
ations
f the fields
that I can ju
mp into wit
skills I ha
h the
ve acquire
d after my
co-op work
experience
term
. I can use
these diffe
rent postin
compare w
gs to
hich field I
would like
to move to
w it h m y c
wards
a re e r p la
n n in g a n d
a llo w ro o
different ch
m fo r
allenges. A
dditional in
formation
as job req
such
uirements
, benefits
, and wag
sometime
e s ca n
s be found
on these jo
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can be very
– this
helpful wh
en negotia
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and benefi
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.
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udent who
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as an asso
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other
from volu
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jobs, my ch
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oices for fu
ll-time em
ployment a
limited to
re not
basic entr
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itions. With
search port
my job
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greater con
fidence abo
opportunit
ut my
ies after gra
duation sin
ce I am act
engaged w
iv
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ith my pre
paration fo
r future po
right now.
sitions
co-op work
term and h
WORK I
NTEGR
ATED L
EARNI
1. G
ather info
rmation on
jobs you wa
nt
2. Learn abo
ut lesser
and
firms in yo known companies
ur industry
3. Build kn
owledge a
bout skills
ex p e r ie n ce
and
re q u ire d fo
r d e s ire d
positions
4 . G a in in
s ig h t o n c
o m p e n s a ti
packages fo
on
r future neg
otiation
5. Create a re
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and cover le
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tter buildin
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the proper
g
usage of ke
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skills comm
d
on in the fie
ld
NG
Communiqué
As a comm
BENEFITS
OF
A JOB SE
ARCH
PORTFOL
IO:
Summer 2008
`````````
`````````
MEET THE FACULT Y:
PETER CHOW-WHITE
The story of a well-respected Communication faculty member
By Janelle Kidd, Communication Co-op student
E
very Thursday, armed with a coffee and a head
As an undergraduate student at UBC majoring
full of weekly readings ranging from Stuart Hall
in History and Sociology, he contemplated a
essays to Jeff Chang’s “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop”,
diverse assortment of careers from high school
I participate in a discussion of the structural racism
teacher to lawyer. Upon graduation, he accepted
of society in CMNS 486 “Race and Media”. Perhaps
a spot as a Sociology graduate student at SFU
an intense topic for 9:30 in the morning but Dr. Peter
and embarked down a road that would eventually
Chow-White’s personable teaching approach creates a
bring him back to SFU as an assistant professor
in the School of Communication.
As he began to consider schools for his PhD, his wife
- a SFU Communication grad, currently finishing
her PhD at University of Southern California (USC)
- encouraged him to consider Communication.
He eventually chose the Annenberg School of
Communication at USC, the only Communication
school he had applied to among all of the Sociology
choices. He went on to complete his Master’s and
PhD in Communication at USC.
This struggle to choose a complementary degree and
career-path is something that many communication
students can relate to. At the time, Dr. Chow-White
was unsure he had made the right decision, but he
comfortable and dynamic atmosphere that encourages
sincerely believes that communication is the place to
students to engage in racialized discourse – challenging
be as society and information technology evolve and
themselves to recognize and deconstruct the systematic
continue to influence each other at a rapid pace.
racism that affects our everyday activities.
Summer 2008
Communiqué
Dr. Chow-White’s interdisciplinary academic career
“Race and Media” is a course that Dr. Chow-White
reflects a definitively communication way of thinking
developed in Los Angeles and brought to SFU’s School
and defines his approach to his work. His research
of Communication. Any student who has taken a class
examines how racial identity is changing in the
with him will likely attest to the fact that his interest
face of advancing technologies in the Information
in the content professes his passion for his work.
Age. Specifically, he is interested in genomics and
Although these interests seem to be a perfect fit in the
biotechnology – the topic of his dissertation.
communication discipline, Dr. Chow-White’s academic
path was not always obvious to him.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
WHERE ARE THEY NOW:
MASON WRIGHT
How an alumnus got to The National Post
By Mason Wright, Communication co-op alumnus
I
f you scanned the front page of the National
Post today, chances are you’ve seen my work.
Ten years ago, I was in the midst of my co-op
experience at SFU, having just wrapped up an
eight-month term in the communications branch of
“So how did a humble
Communication
co-op student land
such a sweet gig...”
BC’s Ministry for Multiculturalism. Today I work as
a copy editor for the A section of the National Post,
and more than half the time I handle page A1. I copy
cutlines and teasers to stories inside the paper).
It’s an enviable job, I admit, even if the hours suck
and I’m sometimes uncomfortable with the paper’s
editorial perspective. I’ve been able to gain a ton of
experience in just three-and-a-half years with the
Post, including a major role in implementing an
InDesign-based pagination system and the chance
to fill in as production editor when my boss is away.
So how did a humble former Communication
co-op student land such a sweet gig in Canada’s
most competitive journalism market? It all
comes down to a combination of what I know
and who I know. In addition to my co-op terms
— three in all — I was an enthusiastic volunteer
number of elected editorial positions there
between 1996 and 2001, and ultimately earned
two positions with Canadian University Press,
the national co-operative of student newspapers.
The people I met during those years have
continued to be a part of my professional life, and
re-connecting with them once I got to Toronto
opened up a world of opportunities in publishing.
Meanwhile, The Peak allowed me to jump
in with both feet from both a technical and
journalistic standpoint, and I gained the relevant
computer skills and picked up the tools of the
trade that helped me get good co-op jobs and
learn the principles of journalism on the go.
If you’re interested in a career in journalism, I
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
Communiqué
page and write display copy (headlines, decks, photo
at The Peak throughout my studies. I held a
Summer 2008
accuracy, help choose and crop photos, lay out the
edit news stories for style, grammar, clarity and
Editors:
Erika Wah
Marcia Shimizu
Christy Kazulin
Aly-Khan Virani
Design & Layout:
Christy Kazulin
Contacts:
STATISTICS
CORNER
M E E T THE FACULTY
C O N T I NUED FROM PAGE 6
Apart from investigating new social issues
Who we are:
and collaborating in an increasingly relevant
New admits
Total Participating
Total placements
discipline, Dr. Chow-White values his job because
it enables him to work with interesting people and
interact with students – which is partially why
Sangita Mudaliar
Program Assistant
K 9665
778.782.5367
sangitam@sfu.ca
Marcia Shimizu
Co-op Coordinator
K 9669
778.782.3862
mshimizu@sfu.ca
a great place for students at this time as new
Erika Wah
Co-op Coordinator
K 9661
778.782.5542
ewah@sfu.ca
an abundance of opportunities that were not even
Khairunnisa Ali
Career Advisor
K9657
778.782.4089
fascoop_advisor@sfu.ca
you want to do – or sometimes, what you don’t
Communiqué
W H E R E ARE THEY NOW
Eight-month term
First co-op
Second co-op
Third co-op
Fourth co-op
Fifth co-op
Self-directed co-op
through a different perspective.
Dr. Chow-White believes that communication is
Greater Vancouver
Out-of-town
Overseas
society’s constructions of identity and culture.
This innovative and diverse field offers students
an option a decade ago. Co-operative Education,
Federal government
Provincial government Municipal government Government agencies
Not-for-profit
Private
he agrees, is a great way to complement your
degree, gain experience and figure out what it is
WORK INTEGRATED LEARNING
Arts
Business
Computing Science
Science Kinesiology
C O N T I NUED FROM PAGE 7
If you would like to
submit an article for
Communiqué contact
fasproj@sfu.ca.
I’m told a good copy editor will always have work
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in daily journalism; even as online news becomes
more important, the principles of editing and news
presentation remain the same. If the glamour of
JOIN THE CMNSU!
Communication Student Union
guru. News desks will always have time for you.
Get involved in student
events and gain valuable
experience for your resume
at the same time!
I was never accepted to big journalism schools
www.sfu.ca/cmnsu
become proficient with software such as InDesign
and turn yourself into a detail-oriented style
Summer 2008
Spring 07
Peak or CJSF as a great way to pick up skills.
reporting isn’t for you, do whatever you can to
Communiqué
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4
Where else we’re placed
would definitely suggest volunteering for The
Who we’re working for
Published by
Communication Co-op at
Simon Fraser University,
Burnaby, BC V5A 1SA
On the web:
sfu.ca/communique
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Where we’re working
technology continues to push the boundaries of
want to do.
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Who’s doing what
he pursued his PhD – helping them succeed and
providing them with the tools to see the world
Spring 08

WORK INTEGRATED LEARNING
such as Ryerson or Carleton, but in hindsight my
BA, co-op experience and time in the student press
have served me just as well, if not better.
WORK INTEGRATED LEARNING