Melvin Backman

melvinbackman@gmail.com Current Address (until May 2010): 295 Ridge Road 305 Avery Chapel Hill, NC 27599 843-708-1939 (mobile) OBJECTIVE EDUCATION Permanent Address: 5579 Gallatin Lane North Charleston, SC 29420 843-767-9218 (home)

Entry level summer position or internship at The Post & Courier University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Major: Journalism and Mass Communication, Reporting Sequence. May 2013. Colonel Robinson Scholar (merit-based scholarship) Fort Dorchester High School Graduated with Honors May 2009 International Baccalaureate Diploma Recipient National Achievement Scholar GPA: 4.52

RELATED THE DAILY TAR HEEL, Chapel Hill, NC EXPERIENCE Staff Writer (September 2009-Present) Research and write stories for University desk, covering campus news Interview sources over the phone and in-person FRESH(MAN) EYES, Series for The Daily Tar Heels Pit Talk blog, Chapel Hill, NC Blog Writer (October 2009-Present) Write about freshman experiences Interview students on the street about freshman experiences ANATOMY MAGAZINE, Chapel Hill, NC Staff Writer (September 2009-Present) Research and write stories for fashion and culture sections Interview sources over the phone UNC-CHAPEL HILL, SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM and MASS COMMUNICATION Newswriting Course Special program for freshmen (JOMC classes are usually available only to juniors and seniors) Learned basic reporting skills OTHER Founder: Student Newspaper Club at Fort Dorchester High School EXPERIENCE Online Editor: Revolution Student Newspaper at Fort Dorchester High School Editor: Campus Life Section, Revolution Student Newspaper at Fort Dorchester High School ACTIVITIES Carolina Association of Black Journalists, UNC-Chapel Hill

REFERENCES Attached

Melvin Backman
melvinbackman@gmail.com Current Address (until May 2010): 295 Ridge Road 305 Avery Chapel Hill, NC 27599 843-708-1939 (mobile) Permanent Address: 5579 Gallatin Lane North Charleston, SC 29420 843-767-9218 (home)

References
Erica Perel, Newsroom Advisor The Daily Tar Heel P.O. Box 3257 Chapel Hill, NC 27515 919-962-1609 Ryan Thornburg, Assistant Professor School of Journalism and Mass Communication, UNC-Chapel Hill 219 Carroll Hall CB#3365 Chapel Hill, NC 27599 919-962-4080 Lisa Shaffer, International Baccalaureate Coordinator Fort Dorchester High School 8500 Patriot Blvd. North Charleston, SC 29420 843-760-4450

Melvin Backman
melvinbackman@gmail.com Current Address (until May 2010): 295 Ridge Road 305 Avery Chapel Hill, NC 27599 843-708-1939 (mobile) Permanent Address: 5579 Gallatin Lane North Charleston, SC 29420 843-767-9218 (home)

References
Erica Perel, Newsroom Advisor The Daily Tar Heel P.O. Box 3257 Chapel Hill, NC 27515 919-962-1609 Ryan Thornburg, Assistant Professor School of Journalism and Mass Communication, UNC-Chapel Hill 219 Carroll Hall CB#3365 Chapel Hill, NC 27599 919-962-4080 Lisa Shaffer, International Baccalaureate Coordinator Fort Dorchester High School 8500 Patriot Blvd. North Charleston, SC 29420 843-760-4450

Melvin Backman
melvinbackman@gmail.com Current Address (until May 2010): 295 Ridge Road 305 Avery Chapel Hill, NC 27599 843-708-1939 (mobile) OBJECTIVE EDUCATION Permanent Address: 5579 Gallatin Lane North Charleston, SC 29420 843-767-9218 (home)

Entry level summer position or internship at the Summerville Journal Scene University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Major: Journalism and Mass Communication, Reporting Sequence. May 2013. Colonel Robinson Scholar (merit-based scholarship) Fort Dorchester High School Graduated with Honors May 2009 International Baccalaureate Diploma Recipient National Achievement Scholar GPA: 4.52

RELATED THE DAILY TAR HEEL, Chapel Hill, NC EXPERIENCE Staff Writer (September 2009-Present) Research and write stories for University desk, covering campus news Interview sources over the phone and in-person FRESH(MAN) EYES, Series for The Daily Tar Heels Pit Talk blog, Chapel Hill, NC Blog Writer (October 2009-Present) Write about freshman experiences Interview students on the street about freshman experiences ANATOMY MAGAZINE, Chapel Hill, NC Staff Writer (September 2009-Present) Research and write stories for fashion and culture sections Interview sources over the phone UNC-CHAPEL HILL, SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM and MASS COMMUNICATION Newswriting Course Special program for freshmen (JOMC classes are usually available only to juniors and seniors) Learned basic reporting skills OTHER Founder: Student Newspaper Club at Fort Dorchester High School EXPERIENCE Online Editor: Revolution Student Newspaper at Fort Dorchester High School ACTIVITIES Carolina Association of Black Journalists, UNC-Chapel Hill

REFERENCES Attached

295 Ridge Road 305 Avery Chapel Hill, NC 27599 Date of Letter Jane Kleine Community News Editor The Post & Courier 134 Columbus St. Charleston, SC 29403 Dear Ms. Kleine: I am sending this enclosed resume in hopes of securing an internship for the summer of 2010. In May 2013, I will receive a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I believe my work experience and proven interest in the field qualify me for this position. As my resume shows, I am extremely interested in entering the world of journalism and have taken steps to involve myself with publications and organizations that will help forward my career in the field. The experience I have gained working at these publications has given the basic skills to research and/or cover stories as soon as I start. An internship at The Post & Courier would allow me to get an idea of how a professional paper operates and work with the paper I grew up reading. I would very much appreciate meeting with you to discuss my qualifications for the position. I will call you within a week to hopefully schedule an interview. Sincerely,

Melvin Backman Enclosures: Resume, references, writing samples, UNC credit hours letter

295 Ridge Road 305 Avery Chapel Hill, NC 27599 Date of Letter Judy Watts Executive Editor Summerville Journal Scene P.O. Box 715 Summerville, SC 29484 Dear Ms. Watts: I am sending this enclosed resume in hopes of securing an internship for the summer of 2010. In May 2013, I will receive a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I believe my work experience and proven interest in the field qualify me for this position. As my resume shows, I am extremely interested in entering the world of journalism and have taken steps to involve myself with publications and organizations that will help forward my career in the field. The experience I have gained working at these publications has given the basic skills to research and/or cover stories as soon as I start. I shadowed for a day at the Journal Scene in high school. I believe that an internship with the Journal Scene would allow me to work at a community-focused paper like the one at which I already work. I would very much appreciate meeting with you to discuss my qualifications for the position. I will call you within a week to hopefully schedule an interview. Sincerely,

Melvin Backman Enclosures: Resume, references, writing samples, UNC credit hours letter

The cover letter addressed to Judy Watts is for an internship at the Summerville Journal Scene in Summerville, SC. I contacted the executive editor about an internship and she said to simply send in a resume, clips and a letter saying that I would receive credit for UNC since it would be an unpaid internship. The Journal Scene is a small community paper. I shadowed Judy Watts there during high school and I liked the feel I got being in that environment. Im not sure what I may be doing there as an intern, but I am pretty sure that it will be minor stuff like getting coffee, making copies, checking files, etc. The cover letter addressed to Jane Kleine, the community news editor at The Post & Courier, serves pretty much the same purposes. When I contacted her about internships, she gave me the same instructions as Watts did. I am applying to The Post & Courier because it is the biggest paper in the Charleston area. I think that an internship there would involve the same responsibilities as one at the Summerville Journal Scene.