Sometimes, one might wonder what type of opportunities will be offered after being a Campus Correspondent at Her Campus. Let’s not wonder too much. Let Avani Kapur tell us instead!
Kapur, a recent graduate from Kean University, was a Campus Correspondent for the Her Campus Kean chapter for two consecutive semesters. She managed the site, wrote articles, and updated both Twitter and Facebook statuses from September 2011 to May 2012.
An English writing graduate with a minor in communications, Kapur is passionate about writing.
“I first decided to major in English because I love writing, but I did not expect that to turn into an interest in journalism until I began taking communication classes as electives,” Kapur said. “I enjoyed the classes I was taking and wanted to work with The Tower, so I chose to do a minor in my senior year.”
In 2011, Kapur studied abroad in Florence, Italy. After she graduated from Kean in May 2012, she returned to Florence. That August, Kapur began working as a contributor and as an editor for The Florence Newspaper, an English-speaking newspaper that publishes monthly.
At The Florence Newspaper, Kapur is responsible for editing articles and advertorials, helping develop and elaborate story ideas, assigning articles to interns and working with the rest of the team.
Kapur returned to Florence because after studying abroad, she realized that she wanted a change in her life.
“Being that I had already spent some time there, it seemed like the best place,” Kapur said. “I was somewhat familiar with Florence already, so I knew I would be comfortable returning.”
Kapur describes residing in Italy as a life changing experience. She learned a great deal from the Italian culture.
“Observing a different culture and trying to make myself feel comfortable in different settings made me a lot more open-minded,” Kapur said. “I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to go there and also to do some traveling within the country and the rest of Europe.”
Although Kapur is currently in the United States, she is still working for The Florence Newspaper remotely.
“In October, I came back to New Jersey due to a family emergency,” Kapur said. “I have been working from home, but in January, I plan to return to Florence.”
As a Campus Correspondent for Her Campus Kean, Kapur learned valuable skills, which she applies when working at The Florence Newspaper. These skills include setting and meeting deadlines, and targeting a specific audience.
“Being a Campus Correspondent taught me how to set my own deadlines and how to meet them. At first, making a schedule for the branch was challenging, but it became easier with time,” Kapur said. “I also learned a lot about targeting the website’s content to readers. I was always thinking of what would be interesting to a very specific group: Kean’s female students.”
Kapur feels that she still has much to learn when it comes to her career as a writer and as an editor. She hopes to remain in the communication field, particularly involved with journalism and editing. However, she said that she is not limiting herself from exploring other areas.
Any opportunity can be offered after one or two semesters as a Campus Correspondent at Her Campus. The opportunity that Kapur received—to study abroad and to reside in a foreign country—and the experience that she gained from that opportunity could reach any Campus Correspondent.
“Take full advantage of your time as a Campus Correspondent. Post as many articles as possible and encourage other students to write and get involved,” Kapur said. “It’s likely that the opportunity to have this amount of editorial freedom will not come again until after some time into your career. Her Campus gives you the chance to have fun while learning, and being involved in something other than school-work looks great to future employers.”