The secret sauce to MIE is knowing your strengths and weaknesses
By Nicki Kaplan, MIE ‘19
On the first day of class as part of the Medill School of Journalism’s Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship quarter in San Francisco, Karen Roter Davis, our Business of Innovation professor, asked us to share our superpower — any of our strengths or assets that would benefit the group.
We were preparing for a quarter full of team projects, from building websites and businesses to products and prototypes. The success of all these projects would rely on the combination of our superpowers.
Each student took his or her turn, sharing their own perceived strengths: Being a good listener, adapting to change, embracing realism. Mine is work ethic and time management. What surprised me most was that there were no repeats: Each of us brought a unique superpower to the table.
Our cohort is extremely diverse, with students ranging from recent college graduates to those who have been in the workforce for nearly a decade. We represent several different cultures and come from vastly different walks of life, so it made sense that each of us brought a different strength to the table.
This diversity is what sets Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MIE) apart from other programs. It’s not often that people from such a variety of backgrounds are brought together to learn with and from each other. After all, that’s how innovation is born.
One of the best ways to describe MIE is the intersection of media, business and technology. For one year, we are all parked at this intersection. Some of us came from Technology Road and will take a left toward Media Avenue. Others have come from Media Avenue and may take a U-turn and head back. And, some of us will be venturing down Business Boulevard or Marketing Lane.
One of the greatest lessons I learned while studying in San Francisco was how my past work and educational experiences connected to my understanding, success and growth in this program.
My previous internships at local TV news stations gave me an understanding of the state of broadcast media. This helped me at my internship at StudioToBe, where I worked on strategy for local news innovation.
A marketing internship last summer showed me the world of fast-growing startups and taught me skills I applied to class projects such as building a marketing and sales plan, while my courses in integrated marketing helped me appreciate why design thinking is so critical to delivering customer solutions.
Through my leadership experiences in undergraduate extracurricular activities, I learned my greatest strengths are in driving a vision through an organization. Lastly, my education in journalism and creative writing has provided me a strong foundation in writing, which is a wonderful and relevant asset for any career path after MIE.
All these puzzle pieces of my past fit together in a way that has helped me find success as an MIE student. My story is quite different from that of my classmates, and all our respective journeys have prepared us in unique ways for MIE.
MIE also stands out for its real-world exposure. I’ve never had such an opportunity to build so many products and draft so many business plans, and then receive valuable feedback from industry professionals.
By simulating these real-world experiences in a classroom setting, I have the privilege to learn, grow and make mistakes without risk. It’s an experience that will put me leaps ahead of other entry-level workers when I go out for my first job after graduation.
Above all, the secret sauce to thriving in MIE is knowing your strengths and weaknesses. In every class, you are building something, and it’s important to know how you fit within a team. Rather than working with people like you, you benefit from working with people who supplement your talents and challenge you to be better.
If you’re reading this as a prospective student, I challenge you to reflect on the experiences that may have brought you to consider Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship as the next step in your journey. Then, ask yourself: What is your superpower?
Follow our journeys on Medium and Instagram, and email us at mie.medill@gmail.com.
About the MSJ Media Innovation & Entrepreneurship Specialization
Medill website | Video | Sign up for Medill Media Innovation newsletter | Rich Gordon’s guest column (Entrepreneurial Journalism Educators Network)
