How A Hair Cut Helped Me Find My Self-Confidence

As I approach my thirties, I realize that self-confidence is constantly tested and redefined as we age.  Although I never had an issue with self-confidence, a recent trip to the hair salon proved otherwise.

After examining a long summer, which included working full-time, a part-time internship, and six credit hours in graduate school, I decided I needed to start summer with a fresh look. So without giving it a second thought, I cut off all of my long locks—twelve inches of them to be exact!  I also donated my hair to Locks of Love, a charity organization benefiting cancer patients.  However, I never imagined how I would feel afterwards.

I cried and spent hours talking to friends and family, begging for reassurance that I was still me.  I finally realized that their reassurances didn’t matter; I had to find confidence in myself again for the first time in years.  Finally, I realized that I am me, and I will always be me, regardless of how I look.

This experience made me realize how millions of women around the world suffer illnesses and losses every day. If I couldn’t get through this obstacle, then how do I compare to those fighting bigger issues?  While I chose to let go of my mane, many women don’t have the luxury of choice at all.

Since joining New York Women in Communications and networking with members at events, I have met many women who have inspired me with stories of personal hurdles and growth.  Through these networks, we have the ability help strengthen both the personal and professional self confidences of our fellow community of women.

Now I will always remember that self-confidence is about believing that you are presenting yourself in the best way possible. When you accept this self-affirmation, the rest of the world will follow your lead. And in my case, it was only hair. It grows back!

~Brooke Kelly Selby, Corporate Communication, City University of New York.

My Unexpected Dream Internship

We all yearn for that dream internship, the one that will land you one step closer to your dream job. Unfortunately, dreams don’t always come true. Like last spring when I landed at House Beautiful as an online intern, and I didn’t think it was the right fit for me at all. Turns out it was the best thing I could have done.

To start, I had my heart set on an internship at Teen Vogue. I even scored an interview. At the same time a Seventeen editor forwarded my resume to the Web editor at House Beautiful. I couldn’t help but think,“What is there for me there?” After all, I wanted to work at a fashion or teen magazine, and I didn’t think working at a home décor magazine would help that dream. But I took the interview and was secretly relieved when I was told they went with another candidate. But then the Teen Vogue internship didn’t come through, and I was left without a spring semester internship..

Then, I got an email from the Web editor at House Beautiful. She told me that the first candidate dropped out and the position was mine if I wanted it. After thinking it over, I decided to take the position. I realized that it wasn’t the name of the publication that mattered but the experience I would be getting. And it turned out to be better than I could have ever expected.

During my stint at House Beautiful, I perfected my skills with working in a Content Management System learned about Search Engine Optimization, picked up Web traffic tips, and broadened my knowledge of HTML.  Most importantly, I learned that a magazine’s Web site is just as important as the magazine itself.

And as a matter of fate working itself out, I currently intern in the Web department at Teen Vogue, an experience I knew I would have never gotten without my previous internship at House Beautiful. My familiarity with using a CMS and HTML made my first day at Teen Vogue a breeze!

So don’t write off an internship because it is not at your dream company. Pause to think about what you may gain from it. Things happen for a reason.

~Dara Adeeyo, Hofstra University ‘11

Six Fast and Easy Tips for Successful Networking

Summer is a great time to work on networking. Here are some moves to help you out!

1) Create an Action Plan
Write down how many networking events you want to attend each month and cross out each one you do. Keeping a detailed list will help you stay focused. Aim for two events a month.

2) Start a Virtual Group
Event planning through social networking like Facebook or Meetup.com is a great, easy way to get a group together. So start a group that lists events going on in your area, or locate a one related to an event and network online before the actual meeting.

3) Be Real
Networking is about connecting and meeting people who can help you with your career goals. And finding ways you can help other people. Achieve that by being open and willing to learn about others while being honest about yourself.

4) Volunteer
Find an organization you love to dedicate your time to by volunteering, whether it’s a professional organization such as NYWICI or your favorite non-profit. Find an organization connected to your interests, and your contacts will grow as you help others.

5) Know What You Do and What You Want
You want (and need) to impress. Don’t let your 15 Second Pitch be full of “um’s” or confusing statements.  Invest some time before a networking event to articulate what you want. Then you’re more apt to actually finding what you’re looking for.

6) Collect Business Cards
When someone hands you a business card, do not throw it in your bag so quickly! Take a moment to look at the card so you can make a comment or two; You may then be able to spark a lasting conversation.

~Zanade Mann, Hunter College ‘11

Relaxing ‘In Her Shoes’

Sydney (right), with her fellow 2009 NYWICI Scholarship recipient, Kaitlin Tabuscio (left), and with her new friend, Josephine Cusumano (center)

Never in my life have I walked so quickly through a shoe department as I did when I rushed through Saks Fifth Avenue’s eighth floor to get to Café Saks for New York Women in Communication’s Relax, Relate, and Recharge with author Jennifer Weiner event on June 2. Sure it was torture sprinting past the Louboutins and the Louis Vuittons without so much as a second glance. But the location was also an oddly appropriate setting for an event with In Her Shoes author Jennifer Weiner.

My shoe separation anxiety quickly faded as I received my complimentary copy of Weiner’s new novel Certain Girls and was greeted by friendly NYWICI faces already taking advantage of the Saks hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. While it was fantastic meeting up with everyone again (particularly my fellow NYWICI Foundation 2009 scholarship winners), one of the best parts of the evening was introducing myself to new people. I immediately bonded with a fellow NYWICI member who shared my love for J.Crew and hobby of creating fashion binders.

With my new and old friends in tow, we listened to the hilariously witty Jennifer Weiner tell stories of her family, got our books signed, and pampered ourselves at the complimentary Dior Makeup stations. The “recharging” part of the evening really began when we scooped up a Dior Makeup bag and a 15 percent off Saks discount, Then we were finally able to revisit the glorious shoe department! And while we didn’t exactly want to peek at the price tags, one thing remained certain: More NYWICI events should include shoes!

~Sydney Lowe, Colgate University ‘13

Turn Your Classwork into a Connection

Chelsea at the 2009 Matrix Awards

As a New York Women in Communications Foundation scholarship winner, I scored some great opportunities, like appearing on the Today Show and attending the annual Matrix Awards. But that’s not even the best part. NYWICI also helped me with my homework! I was so inspired by the core values of NYWICI, that I decided to focus my senior high school journalism class capstone project on women in communications.

It quickly became much more than just another school project. I started by making a (very long) list of women I wanted to research. And with the help of my journalism teacher, we contacted a few potential sources. I was thrilled when all of the women actually responded and were willing to speak with me.

I set up four phone interviews: Jenna Tyre, the director of brand strategy and promotion for NBC Entertainment; Dana Marciniak, the corporate communications manager for New Era Cap Co.; Michelle Cumbo, a senior producer for CNN’s American Morning; and Susan Linney, the research chief at Lucky magazine. But the networking didn’t end when I hung up the phone. Because I was going to be in New York City for the Matrix Awards, I arranged to meet the Susan Linney and Michelle Cumbo in person!

This project taught me an important lesson: A little creative thinking can go a long way. If you’re a student, try thinking about your class projects as opportunities, not burdens. Make your schoolwork work for you. You never know when you’ll make a valuable connection.

~Chelsea Orcutt, Syracuse University ‘13

Why You Should “Toe the Line” – And Other Lessons Learned at the NYWICI Annual Meeting

We met a lot of new faces at the 2009 NYWICI Annual Meeting, which was held at the Paley Center for Media. And while the meeting is generally held to address the organization’s financial state—which is doing quite well thanks to the Matrix Awards!—we also saw the passing of the torch to the new incoming president Denise Warren. Other people who were honored included the following:

1. 2008-09 President Nancy Rabstejnek Nichols, who welcomed the attendees.

Nancy Rabstejnek Nichols welcomed members to the NYWICI Annual Meeting

2. Joan Cear, the new president of the NYWICI Foundation, which awards thousands of dollars in scholarships annually.

3. Amy  Conaboy, winner of the Young Communicator Award. She is also NYWICI’s own Gossip Girl, as the source behind NYWICI’s Twitter (the secret’s out!).

4. Jeanne Byington, who won the Liz Hoover Award for her involvement in the organization. She volunteered on many committees, including the scholarship committee.

5. Catherine Carlozzi, a freelance business writer, won the Distinguished Service Award. “Membership is its own reward,” she said during her acceptance speech, quoting one of her clients, American Express. “But it is directly proportional to the sweat equity you put into it.”

To finish off the meeting, Nancy Ravstejnek Nichols took the stage to hand the floor over to Lauren Zalaznick, president of NBC Universal’s Women and Lifestyle Networks (like Bravo, Oxygen, etc.), and Pat Mitchell, President and CEO of the Paley Center for Media, who engaged in a brief question and answer session.

NYWICI members filled the Paley Center for Media auditorium

What did we learn from these leading women in communications? Well, if you never thought you should “toe the line” before, Zalaznick thinks you should. For your career, that means making sure you’re in between total immersion and standing at a distance, she told the crowd. Her advice fit nicely into the theme of NYWICI in general – the idea that your career and your life should balance each other out, never leaning too much in one direction. Instead, always “toeing the line.”

Zalaznick drew on her own background in much of her advice, which focused on having the courage to believe in and challenge yourself.  After majoring in semiotics at Brown, she did production work on big-budget movies before switching to making Indies.  She eventually moved on to television, where she championed for the highly successful “Pop up Videos” at her first television job at VH1.  Later, at Bravo, she trusted her intuition about Project Runway, which wasn’t working at first but eventually became a major hit for the network.

After discussing successes and mistakes within her company, Zalaznick’s final remarks regarded a more personal approach to success. “I don’t run marathons or grow heirloom tomatoes, but I still can balance my work life with my home life.”  Looks like she really knows how to “toe the line.” Now if only we all could.

~Emily Freisher, Temple University c/o 2010

How My (Un)Successful Undergrad Years Will Still Equal a Bright Future

I graduated number one in my high school class in Hershey, Pennsylvania. But when I arrived on the University of Pittsburgh campus, it was a different story. My National Honor Society pin somehow didn’t matter here. Neither did my Kodak Young Leader award or Salutatorian titles. I assumed the passion I had in high school would trickle into my undergraduate career, but it didn’t.

One of my first mistakes was not knowing what I wanted to major in, so I chose to follow my mother’s desire for me to be a doctor and loaded up on biology and chemistry classes. I barely survived the first semester, let alone with my customary high GPA. I kept falling into a deeper black hole, and I couldn’t find a way out.

As I struggled to improve my GPA, I tried interesting extracurricular activities. But nothing caught my interest longer than a few weeks. For three semesters I took under 15 credits, taking four courses instead of five, and drifted by, taking random classes, sleeping and partying. My once-lit fuse had gone out, and I was completely apathetic.

I finally snapped out of my funk the summer before junior year. There was no trigger, no blinding light and no epiphany. I simply decided to stop wasting my time and get focused about my future. My change was so drastic, I decided to become a triple-major. I had previously decided to major in communications and journalism and was one year away from finishing up those degree requirements when I applied to the business school and started working toward a Bachelors of Science in business administration.

Since I began on my path to reclaiming my academic sanity, I have been working overtime to get internship experience and piling on the classes to finish my three degree programs. I am currently taking 21 credits this summer while working fulltime as an online merchandising intern. It’s been a challenge to balance this work load, but I can finally see the finish line. I plan to graduate in April 2010 – my fifth year in undergrad!

It’s not easy to make up for past mistakes. But it’s possible. I joined New York Women in Communications in January and have been completely inspired by the women in the program. Last month, I worked on the programming committee to host the Diva Jazz music group at Matrix. It was an amazing experience and has added more fuel to my fire.

For all those students who feel that the pressure of success is more than they are capable of handling, remember that you only truly fail if you don’t try. That’s what I have learned in my experiences and from NYWICI. Get involved and find your passion, even if it takes you years.

~Katherine Oyegun, University of Pittsburgh ‘10

My Day as a Matrix Volunteer

As a NYWICI Foundation scholarship winner in 2008, I was invited to volunteer with other scholarship alums at the Matrix Awards this year.  When we arrived at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City that morning, we stuffed goody bags and then walked into the ballroom to find that it had successfully been transformed for a Matrix luncheon.  The tables, covered with pink and purple tablecloths, had beautiful flower centerpieces on top of them.  The awards programs, placed on the nearly 1,000 soon-to-be filled chairs, looked like a special NYWICI edition magazine.  And we could all feel the wonderful presence of Seventeen, Matrix’s corporate sponsor, in the room.

Shortly after, we were asked to direct honorees/presenters entering through the Park Avenue entrance of the Waldorf to the Towers Entrance.  As we were waiting, we spotted Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman filming The Baster across the street.  Then, Linda Wells, Matrix 2009 honoree and editor-in-chief of Allure magazine came walking through the Park Avenue entrance in a cream Chanel suit.  We directed her towards the Towers entrance—job done.

Katerina (left) at the Matrix Awards, with Tammy Tibbetts (2005 & 2006 scholarship recipient), Kaitlin Tambuscio (2009 recipient), Kelli Plasket (2008 & 2009 recipient)

Then, we sat at the registration table as all the stellar Matrix Awards attendees started to arrive, decked in colorful suits, spring-time jewelry and dynamite shoes.  As an aspiring magazine editor, when Kate White, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, Rosemary Ellis, editor-in-chief of Good Housekeeping and Joanna Coles, editor-in-chief of Marie Claire asked for their respective tables, I was thrilled that NYWICI connects with so many influential women.

I was also hoping to see Cindi Leive, editor-in-chief of Glamour.  After she heard that “I want to be the next Cindi Leive” at the awards last year, she invited me to meet with her in her office!

To our luck, there was a vacant table in the main ballroom and all the volunteers were able to sit there, right behind Mediabistro founder Laurel Touby.  We watched Elmo make his surprise appearance, laughed heartily when Brian Williams said he would like to be “the next Wolf Blitzer” and enjoyed hearing Tom Hanks speak so warmly about Matrix honoree Leslee Dart.

I was able to find Cindi Leive after the awards.  I told her that I had sent her my Weight Watchers Magazine issues and she said, “Right! You write the column for them.”  I was so excited that she had remembered even though she is so busy running one of the top women’s magazines.

As I rode in a taxi to Penn Station, I thought about how far I have come since last year.  The scholarship opened so many doors for me and I cannot wait for even more memorable moments to come from New York Women in Communications.

~Katerina Gkionis, The College of New Jersey ‘09

A GLAMOURous Matrix Monday

Since receiving that epic phone call from Susan Schulz naming me (really, me? I’m still in shock!) the 2009 Ruth G. Whitney Glamour Magazine scholarship winner, my life – and pending career – has been forever changed. I have been checking off my dreams one by one.  And the culmination of all this change for this small town Pennsylvania girl came at the glittery, star-studded 2009 Matrix Awards!

Waking up to the beeping horns of taxis and the smell of boiling hot dog water was, actually, something like paradise for me (check!). I dressed myself in my all white power suit with the legacy of Ruth Whitney ringing in my ears.  I fluffed my hair – only to have it fluffed later at the Waldorf (!) – repeating “style and substance” over and over, wondering if my words would someday serve as a mantra for young women.

I arrived at the Today show set with my beaming parents, completely overwhelmed by how all the girls – a.k.a. my new best friends – had transformed from magazine-clipping, college bound queens to stylish young professionals promoting themselves with their best patent leather foot forward. As we sat nervously, tapping our peep toes in the green room, there were smiles and support for my fellow scholarship winners Maggie and Rachel, who were chosen to tell the whole country about how they’ve already changed the world.

Nina at the Matrix Awards, announcing to the ballroom that she is the next Cindi Leive

From there, we rushed past a Jennifer Aniston and Jason Batemen filming location to the Waldorf-Astoria, a place I never dreamed I would enter with any sort of purpose (check!). The rest of the morning was a complete whirlwind: hair and makeup, rehearsals, and then our big moment. I stood on that stage unable to breathe as the people I admire and aspire to become applauded for me! Cindi Leive heard me confess my ultimate dream to become her (check!), and although I didn’t get to meet her afterward, just knowing that she was there made my dreams that much closer to coming true. I even got to speak to Midge Richardson, the former editor-in-chief of Seventeen, who once worked under Ms. Whitney! As she spoke of Whitney as an editor and a woman, I felt Ruth Whitney’s mantra and spirit running through me.

As each Matrix Award recipient spoke that afternoon, I crammed all their advice and their personal vignettes into my head. It is from their stories, the inspiring speeches, the magical energy that swept through the pink and purple award ceremony, that I am changed. I’m more than changed – I’m charged to do something bigger than myself.  Post-Matrix, I’m picking something that is close to my heart and am determined to change the world with it! I know I can do it while interning at Glamour and Family Circle this summer in New York City! (check!)

~Nina Elias, Syracuse University ‘11

The Third Time’s a Charm!

Marie, announcing she is the next Meredith Viera (with her idol standing a few feet away), at Matrix 2009.

As I sit on the 6:50 p.m. Metro-North train from Grand Central Terminal to Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, I can’t help but think that 12 hours ago I was on the Staten Island Ferry from home, about to embark on the greatest day of my life in Midtown.

The people on that ferry didn’t know that I was headed to Rockefeller Plaza.  They didn’t know that April 27, 2009 was actually Matrix Monday.  The people on this train don’t know that when I got to Rockefeller Plaza, I lived my dream of hosting the Today show.  They don’t know that I just spent the day with the communications industry’s top movers and shakers – those that already made it and those looking to do so. They don’t know that the “17” tote bag I’m carrying not only stands for Seventeen magazine, but also for the number of NYWICI Foundation Scholarship winners this year – and what that means – nor that I am one of them.

If I were to go ahead and explain this, the general, natural reaction would be a big, fat “WOW.”  But then I would have something else to add: this is my third time living my dream, being supported by an organization of women who not only inspire me but support me.  So I’m sitting here and thinking to myself, “What the heck did I just do?!”

The girls who know this best of all are definitely my fellow scholarship winners, past and present.  But they too have a question to ask me: “What’s it like to be the first-ever three-time winner?”  Some assume that I’m jaded.  The truth is, it just keeps getting better!  While the first-timers had the obvious excitement of the highly anticipated unknown, I had the excitement of knowing exactly what we were in for and just how big the room for unexpected “Matrix Magic” truly is.  Sure, I knew Meredith Vieira’s script ended in “But first, this is Today on NBC” when she handed it to me, but I certainly didn’t know that by the end of the Matrix luncheon she would accuse me of spiking her drink so I could immediately become the next her!

Each Matrix Monday brings past memories and knowledge with it, but it also brings many unknown possibilities created by the fortuitous present moment.  If I’ve learned anything these past three years, it has to be this: bring experience with you, but always seize the present in order to create the most fantastic, unbelievable future…and if done right, the cycle of “WOW” will continue.

Click here to watch me and my fellow scholarship winners on the Today show!

~Marie Dugo, Vassar College ‘11
Editor, nywiciNEXT

Editor’s Note:  nextBLOGs 2009 Matrix Awards coverage isn’t done yet!  Check back next week for Matrix memories from a first time scholarship winner and a scholarship alum who returned to Matrix to volunteer.