A former HSJI counselor, Rebecca Salerno, is now Director of Creative Services for Indiana University. Rebecca's office produces more than 650 communications projects annually. If you've visited the IU website, seen an IU billboard or advertisement, visited the IU Facebook page, you've seen their work.

Our third professional is Robert "Bob" Scheer. Bob is originally from California and has been with The Indianapolis Star since 1998.  In his 15+ years as a photojournalist, he's worked on diverse assignments from the war in Iraq, the Summer Olympics in Greece, and coverage of numerous high profile domestic sporting events.  He works in both still and video formats, has a B.S. in biology and attended the Platypus Video Workshop in 2007. To see samples of his work (especially sports photography), visit his website.

Lunch with a Pro, which takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., is a casual event. Simply bring your lunch over to the pros' table and join in the conversation. Look for table by the windows in Wright cafeteria. It's the one with the red and white balloons.

2. Please stay alert to the weather today. Besides being warm and muggy, there's a good chance of thunderstorms all day. Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and carry an umbrella.

3. Today’s recreational and social activities include a scavenger hunt at 5 p.m. with Michele and Ultimate Frisbee with Kellen and Sean at 7 p.m. Meet outside the counselors' office 15 minutes before starting times if you wish to participate in any of these activities.

4. If you'll be a senior this fall and interested in attending IU for college, you should apply for an HSJI scholarship. Applications are online or available in the Counselors’ Office. Apps are due Tuesday by 7:45 a.m.

5. Please remember to wear your name tag at all times! If you have lost yours, come to the Counselors' Office and make a new one.

6. If you have not received a T-shirt, you may place and order for one by writing your name, room number and size on your T-shirt coupon found in your binder and bringing your coupon to the counselors' office.

7. Lights out update: Wissler 1, Wissler 2 and Elkin 1 are still in the running for a super-secret lights-out prize of a delicious pizza party.  Keep up the good work, but remember that lights out means you need to go to sleep.

Please be courteous and refrain from talking loudly and/or playing loud music.  Also, remember that just because your floor has been eliminated from the competition does not mean that you don't have to have your lights out.  Remember that lights-out is at 11:30, or else you might get a visit from some very unhappy head counselors.

First, I sat down with my bowl of pasta and breadsticks next to Rebecca Salerno, who is director of creative services at the Indiana University. She told me that not only was she a student at HSJI, but she also was a previous counselor, too.

"You have to be like a cheerleader," Salerno said after someone at the table questions the hardest part of the job.

She admits that it’s sometimes hard to get people motivated and excited for their work.

Secondly, I met with Leigh Hedger, who is the custom publications manager for my local paper, the Indianpolis Star. It was interesting to meet someone who works for something that I read frequently.

"What’s the best part of your job?" someone at my table asked Hedger.

"I love seeing my name in print," she said.

Hedger didn’t let up on her secret love either; she enthusiastically told us a few more times that she enjoyed seeing her name in print.

All in all, my lunch was a lot more exciting than normally. 

(Samantha Coppedge is a sophomore at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers, Ind.) 

The moment Salerno took a sip of her soda and I bravely asked my first question, the nerves drifted away with the summer breeze. She told me stories about the successes of current college students she knew, jokes and her past journalism job experiences.

"Being editor is similar to being a cheerleader. You sort of have to light up the mood of the staff and create an enthusiastic and active surrounding," Salerno said.
 

As the years went on my response transformed, and by second grade I thought I was destined to be a singer. I hoped to become the next Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera touring the world and gracing fans with my voice.

It’s probably not surprising that my plans changed once again, or more like hundreds of times, except now I’m pretty sure I know what I want to do (for the time being).

I hope to go into the field of fashion public relations, so today’s “Lunch With A Pro” was extremely beneficial.

This afternoon I had the opportunity to meet with Rebecca Salerno, the director of Creative Services for Indiana University.

She informed me that “having a degree in journalism would prepare me for a job in marketing/public relations,” so I’ll have to keep that in mind.

After telling her about the career path I wanted to take, she advised me to look up "The Sartorialist," a fashion blog by Scott Schuman, an IU grad. I advise you to check it out. The photography is awesome.

Meeting with Salerno was a great experience, and she convinced me even more to go into the public relations field.

When I start college in two years, it’s possible that I might want to major in something else, but there’s one thing I’m sure of.

I’ll still be asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

A former HSJI counselor, Rebecca Salerno, is now Director of Creative Services for Indiana University. Rebecca’s office produces more than 650 communications projects annually. If you’ve visited the IU website, seen an IU billboard or advertisement, visited the IU Facebook page, you’ve seen their work.

Interestingly, our second guest is one of Rebecca’s
college friends  (and HSJI director Teresa White’s former high school students). Leigh Hedger is Custom Publications Manger for the Indianapolis Star. She oversees the design, editing and marketing of special projects, such as Experience Indy, Gaming Guide and Countdown to College,  not the newspaper itself.

Also joining us today will be Kate Lee, director of experiential education and recruitment for the School of Journalism. Prior to working for the School of Journalism, Kate worked in public relations and marketing, plus she has degrees in journalism and international affairs and law.

The pros welcome your questions about journalism careers and/or college. Just look for the red and white mylar balloons to locate their table.

2. Please stay alert to the weather today. Besides being warm and muggy, there’s a good chance of thunderstorms all day. Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and carry an umbrella.

3. Today’s recreational and social activities include a scavenger hunt at 5 p.m. with Michele and Ultimate Frisbee with Kellen and Sean at 7 p.m. Meet outside the counselors’ office 15 minutes before starting times if you wish to participate in any of these activities.

4. If you’ll be a senior this fall and interested in attending IU for college, you should apply for an HSJI scholarship. Applications are online or available in the Counselors’ Apps are due Wednesday by 7:45 a.m.

5. Please remember to sign back in when you return from your extra-curricular travels. You need to be very specific when you write your location, and you need to mark what time you return. This is very important.

6. If you have not received a T-shirt, you may place and order for one by writing your name, room number and size on your T-shirt coupon found in your binder and bringing your coupon to the counselors’ office.

7. Lights out update: Wissler 5 and Elkin 1 are the only floors still in the running for a super-secret lights-out prize of a delicious pizza party.  Keep up the good work, but remember that lights out means you need to go to sleep.

Please be courteous and refrain from talking loudly and/or playing loud music.  Also, remember that just because your floor has been eliminated from the competition does not mean that you don’t have to have your lights out.  Remember that lights-out is at 11:30, or else you might get a visit from some very unhappy head counselors.