"Can I graduate"

Steven Jenkins of Third Eye Blind

Hardly anyone thought I would make it this far, but will I graduate? It is

April 2002 and I am finishing up my last semester of news journalism classes

at Kent State University. I have my 2.5 GPA requirement and as of May 8 I

will be finished with all my class requirements. I have gotten this far

despite a learning disability because of a cardiac arrest during a surgery

when I was an infant. I have had my dream internship with MTV, which lead me

to working for the school newspaper as an entertainment reporter and music

critic. I also created a music and review station on mp3.com.

So, why am I not graduating in May? Why is there a possibility I will not

graduate at all? It's all about a newspaper internship. That is the only

thing keeping me from graduating. In the next few paragraphs I will catch

you up on what has lead me to my dilemma.

On September 13, 1998 I received a miracle kidney transplant. I say a

miracle because the previous December, three days before Christmas, I was

told I would never get a fourth transplant because I had to many antibodies.

I had attended high school and started college at Kent State University

Trumbull Campus while on dialysis three days a week. I even went back to

college two months before the doctors recommend it because another semester

was starting and I did not want to get farther behind than I was already. I

was determined to go forth with my education what ever it took. I am very

ambitious.

Because of the transplant I was able to start Kent State University Main

Campus in August 1999. I have to say, I over extended myself just a little

bit that semester. But I refused to drop any classes even when a professor

suggested I drop her class and even drop out of journalism. Like most head

strong people with disabilities, her saying that just made me want to prove

her wrong. I did have to retake the class because I got a 'D,' but with a

great professor the second time I got a 'B'. I have received a 'C' or above

in the rest of my classes.

I was a sophomore that first semester at the main campus, so I admit I did

not go to any interviews on campus or send any resumes or work out. The

following semester I went to every interview on campus sent out cover

letters, resumes and work samples and called local newspapers to try and set

up interviews. It's almost funny how people can compliment your work and

tell you that you are the type of reporter they are looking for, then you

never hear from them again.

The end of my junior year I started to really fear I was not going to get

an internship to graduate. I was told I shouldn't worry about it. All I had

to do is talk to the representatives that came on campus and I was bound to

get something. I was also told to send out at least 35 resumes to a variety

of newspapers and that would increase my chances a great deal. I did all of

it. Then I waited to hear back. The waiting is the hardest part.

When I did not hear anything, I decided to take a different route. I asked

my BVR (bureau of rehabilitation services) counselor for some advice. She

set me up with a career counselor. The career counselor looked over my

portfolio and set me up with an interview at The Review, a newspaper out of

Boardman, Ohio. They offered me an internship. Next I had to get the

internship approved by the journalism department internship coordinator. The

coordinator, also a professor I liked, thought I could get something better.

Also The Review is small and I would not be getting the learning experience

the school likes students to get out of an internship. At least I think

that's the reason. I never quite understood the reason completely. I was

also told I did not have to go outside the school for help since they

offered so may internship interview possibilities. If I had a disability and

needed extra help, I should talk to Student Disability Services on campus.

But no rules could be changed for me.

I never asked and never would ask for rules to be changed for me. I know I

have to work and study ten times harder than others for the grades I need. I

have always been more than willing to do that or I would not have made it

this far.

I did talk to a Student Disability Services counselor and she suggested we

all meet to discuss what qualifications a newspaper had to have to qualify

fore the internship program. The journalism coordinator did not think it was

necessary. She was sure I would get an internship before summer 2001.

Now I am being told all newspapers have cut back. The state of the

newspaper industry is unstable. There are not as many internships being

offered as there was in previous years. My academic journalism advisor has

looked over my cover letter and resume and given me some pointers. He said

that my best bet now is to just get a job at a newspaper. The first few

weeks will count as my internship credit. Then I can finally graduate.

I sent out more cover letters, resumes and work samples. I would sure like

to work at a paper for summer 2002, but at this late date I am not holding

my breath. I did apply for graduate in August, so hey if anyone knows of a

newspaper searching for a highly self-motivated, creative reporter I'm still