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Corn, baseball, consolidating schools and an unexpected hook: <em>The Final Season</em> was filmed in Iowa. Instead of being the underdog, the 19-time state champion Norway, Iowa, baseball team enters their final season as the favorite. Will they win their 20th championship in their last season prior to their school’s consolidation? <em>The Final Season</em> depicts several aspects of Iowa life. The film uses the 1990 baseball season of Norway High School as a vehicle to tell the story of Iowa school consolidation. Not even 20 consecutive baseball championships will prevent this consolidation from happening. Norway baseball represents a symbol and pride for the town. Town members fill the stands to watch practice and later fill the town hall to try and stop the merger of two schools into one. J. R. Jones from the <em>Chicago Reader</em> writes, “Remarkably, the movie rights itself once the actual season begins, focusing on game strategy more than the usual heart-stopping pep talks.” Released Oct. 12, 2007, <em>The Final Season</em> was directed by David M. Evans and written by Art D'Alessandro and James Grayford. The film as a whole fell short of rave reviews from most critics — especially critics virgin to the Midwestern ways. <em>The Final Season</em> also fell short compared to Evans’ film titled <em>The Sandlot</em> (1993). So, why spend the ticket admission price? <em>The Final Season</em> is unique. “For once, here’s a sports movie that doesn’t feature players who are expected to lose,” wrote Colin Covert from the <em>Minneapolis Star Tribune</em>. I found entertainment from the familiar Iowa scenery displayed in near-slideshow fashion. Farm equipment, blue skies, cotton clouds, corn, beans, gravel roads and other subtle landmarks resulted in “I’ve been there” whispers echoing through the theater. Other familiarities came from the names of secondary schools in Iowa like Kirkwood, Luther and William Penn. <em>The Final Season</em> plays on the clichés of all baseball movies: a homerun, a great catch and a bruising hit by pitch. “It's funny how almost every sports film based on a true story is based on the same story,” wrote Phil Villarreal of <em>Arizona Daily Star</em>. I saw the film for free through connections with MUSCO Lighting located in Oskaloosa and Muscatine, Iowa. Do you remember <em>Field of Dreams</em>? Just as the field cut into corn, <em>The Final Season</em> also used MUSCO lights while filming. Unfortunately, the comparison between the two falls short of the famous quote like: “If you build it, they will come.” <em>The Final Season</em> warrants a view, especially if you’re from or live in Iowa, and runs deeper than a baseball game.

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select Jason Zylstra Joela Kemp Reid Jansonius Benton Hendrix Ashley Lewis Fred Smith Kenzie Stroud Kathryn Curell Nicole Hinton Garvice Brannon Emily Wilgenbusch Elizabeth Saunders JoAnna Springsteen Chris Kimojino Sara Gatchel Chris Flynn Linda Yang Rachel DeSchepper Chris Williams Shelby Hayes Rebecca Hay Amy Best Guest Columnist Jon Hoffmann Chelsea Petersen Sakinah Haque Maria Schwamman Danielle Russell

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I am 20 years old and have spent 18 of those years growing up in Chicago. You’d think, having lived in the third-largest city in the United States, that I would have been exposed to multitudes of opportunities with big-name companies and institutions. However, my first experience with a prominent network, MTV, didn’t occur until I had spent some time in the small city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa — which, by the way, ranks as the 190th-largest city in the United States. There is a common misperception that opportunity lays predominantly in the big cities. Though this may be true, the actual <em>availability</em> to participate in such opportunities is not so promising. Growing up, I had about the same exposure as everyone else did to jobs and internships. I believe my lack of “big experiences” in Chicago was due to the competitiveness and attitude of such city-folk. There were thousands of candidates for every opening, so people had to take the most qualified individual at the expense of providing others a chance of a lifetime. Iowa is certainly the land of opportunity. Since my arrival in June 2005, I have been exposed to more learning experiences than I had in my 18 years in Chicago. Among these Iowa experiences is sound management. At the end of my freshman year, the college was searching for a new sound technician to arrange and manage sounds and light for campus events such as concerts, speakers and shows. As I had always wanted to learn sound techniques, I volunteered. I was managing shows within a month. This skill came in handy when a very important leader came to town — Senator Barack Obama. A wonderful aspect of Iowa is that Iowans’ opinions matter <em>first</em>. The first-in-the-nation caucuses take place in this state, and as such, presidential candidates flood the area. This past October, MTV teamed up with many of the Democratic candidates to work with college students to communicate their ideas to young voters. As such, Obama was scheduled to present his forum in the Dows Theater at Coe College. Because of my experience with sound, I was asked to be a production assistant during those four days for MTV. By chance, I was offered to shadow MTV News and assist them with interviewing students and finding people who cared about specific issues. Though the work itself was fascinating, I found my conversations with the MTV producers regarding media influence and election issues to be even more intriguing. On the day Senator Obama arrived, I was among the crew to greet him at the door and was awed by the presence of one of our country’s most influential leaders at one of the smallest campuses in our country. What struck me most was that despite his fame, his interactions with everyone around him exuded a sense of equality. He didn’t act above anyone, despite his power. It sent a message to those who interacted with him, and I believe as such, Iowa welcomed him to their community. “Be the big fish in the small pond” — this is what I have learned from my experiences in Iowa. Though there may not be millions of people congregated in one area and big name corporations are located in the bigger cities, the availability of experience is here in Iowa, and that is what matters. Iowa provides numerous opportunities for every person with any interest. It is a stepping stone to one’s fulfillment of life goals.

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Internships are an intricate part of successful careers. In fact, many colleges include internships within their graduation curriculum. As the demand for internships has increased, businesses have adjusted. Today, internships are offered in a variety of ways. Two very distinct differences are — paid versus unpaid internships. Many college students may be leery of an unpaid internship. Often times, internships fall within the summer months, where students attempt to make money for the upcoming year. Though income is significant, try to think beyond your college years. The majority of businesses offer unpaid internships because they can. In this case, the position is prestigious and will lead to career growth. Often, these companies have ties with larger companies, leading to network development. Careers are about who you know and the ties that lead to advancement. Though you may have to endure three months without salary, the experience leads to more. Following graduation, you may be offered a position with the company you interned for or by a partner company. Again, individuals on staff know people, providing ties to others. Realize that unpaid internships, despite minor flaws, are often extremely competitive positions that frequently provide post-graduation job offers. Paid internships can also be positive. Some businesses have been around long enough to develop successful internship programs. Because their resources are established, the companies are able to pay. In some cases, companies direct a group of individuals to develop the intern program. These are also competitive positions. Remember, you should accept a position based on a number of factors. The most important is the rapport you feel with a company. Whether they pay or not should not be the most crucial question. Ask yourself what you hope to gain from the experience. What are your goals? What do you think you can bring to the company? Regardless of pay, make sure the business meets your needs as an individual, to ensure quality performance for both you and your employer.

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select Jason Zylstra Joela Kemp Reid Jansonius Benton Hendrix Ashley Lewis Fred Smith Kenzie Stroud Kathryn Curell Nicole Hinton Garvice Brannon Emily Wilgenbusch Elizabeth Saunders JoAnna Springsteen Chris Kimojino Sara Gatchel Chris Flynn Linda Yang Rachel DeSchepper Chris Williams Shelby Hayes Rebecca Hay Amy Best Guest Columnist Jon Hoffmann Chelsea Petersen Sakinah Haque Maria Schwamman Danielle Russell

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I have a secret and it may come as a shock to you. It’s embarrassing, shameful — maybe even a bit deceitful. In my last two monthly columns, I’ve preached to you, dear readers, about the importance of attending networking events. I’ve implied that they’re critical for career success, that they’re amazing opportunities, etc. OK, you’re probably sensing where this is going… I went to my first post-college career shindig two weeks ago. Call me a poser, call me a hypocrite. But before you do, ask yourself: “Have you been to one lately either?” Whether you’re new to networking or just socially awkward, it’s easy to talk yourself out of experiencing this career-building phenomenon for fear of what to do when you’re there. When I received an invitation from a mentor to attend the Just Us Chicks event by the Des Moines Alliance of the Association for Women in Communications, I decided now was the time to face my fear. Here are a few pointers I picked up when I attended. <strong>Friends.</strong> I’ve offered this advice before, but I stand by it. I invited a close friend (also a woman in communications) to attend the event with me. I knew it’d be a great opportunity for her, too. Plus, if it turned out to be a bust, I would have someone to grab a margarita with at the restaurant around the corner. Maybe one of the biggest surprises of the night was learning that even established professionals do this. One nice woman I met told me she wasn’t in communications, but a friend asked her to come. <strong>Fun. </strong> Remember those icebreaker activities you played the first day of camp — where you go around the room trying to find people who match your list of descriptions? The coordinators of the event I attended must know that most people struggle when initiating conversation with strangers because we played that game, too. Some of the items were even career-related: “Works in a cubicle,” “Owns her own business,” “Needs an assistant.” It was fun and we had an excuse to talk to each other without seeming weird. After all, there were serious prizes involved. And who doesn’t like prizes? <strong>Food. </strong> If you can’t skip and chew gum at the same time, definitely stay away from the hors d’oeuvres. I’m fairly coordinated, but I was having a hard time shaking hands, making my way through the crowd, exchanging business cards and holding on to the packet of info I was handed at the door — it would have been tragic if I added a plate to that mix. You may ask to pick up any information on your way out if it is not needed for an activity at the event so you can handle a plate. And for heaven’s sake, don’t chew while you’re talking. <strong>Footnotes. </strong> I don’t know if someone else has thought of this trick, but I’m really proud of it, and yes, I’m taking credit for it. I started jotting brief notes on the backs of business cards to remind me of the conversations I had with each person. One woman mentioned she hires freelance writers and would keep me in mind. You can bet I wrote that on the back of her card. Plus, it makes it easier for the follow-up.

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select Jason Zylstra Joela Kemp Reid Jansonius Benton Hendrix Ashley Lewis Fred Smith Kenzie Stroud Kathryn Curell Nicole Hinton Garvice Brannon Emily Wilgenbusch Elizabeth Saunders JoAnna Springsteen Chris Kimojino Sara Gatchel Chris Flynn Linda Yang Rachel DeSchepper Chris Williams Shelby Hayes Rebecca Hay Amy Best Guest Columnist Jon Hoffmann Chelsea Petersen Sakinah Haque Maria Schwamman Danielle Russell

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