Millersville University Student Wins 2013 Communications Internship Award

MILLERSVILLE, PA (03/14/2013)(readMedia)-- Whether it's an army, a country or even a University Newspaper staff of 13, having the capacity to lead sometimes comes into fruition to those who feel the least qualified. To add the irony of life, even if you're not much of a people person, sometimes you are the people's choice. Michael Blackson, a senior English major and current editor-in-chief of Millersville University's newspaper, The Snapper, was recently named the recipient of The College and University Public Relations Association of Pennsylvania's (CUPRAP) 2013 Communications Internship Award for Students of Color. Blackson is the first student from Millersville University to receive this award, since its establishment 30 years ago.

According to CUPRAP's website, "recipients are chosen from various colleges or universities in the state of Pennsylvania based on their communication skills, academic ability and exhibition of their creativity." The winner receives a stipend of $1, 500 to help with an internship or course they may be taking to gain experience, or learn more about their chosen field of study. When asked how it felt being the recipient of this year's internship award, Blackson remarked that "it was an honor just to be nominated."

Blackson got acclimated to The Snapper as a news writer his freshman year at Millersville, not too long after, he became news editor as a sophomore, and took on his current role during his junior year of college. Blackson came to terms with his ability to lead Millersville's main news publication after recalling his past experiences with always shying away from leadership roles-even when people around him would encourage him to take them on. "I never had any experience, but I had to be confident and brave enough to do this," Blackson said.

The Snapper, as an organization, found itself with no organizational structure, and lacked a cohesive editorial and writing team, but with Blackson being a hands-on learner, helping The Snapper transform internally was something he noted as an accomplishment. It also helped him realize that he had found his niche at the University. During his time as editor-in chief, Blackson got the rare opportunity to meet with Dr. Francine McNairy, before her retirement, and now with acting President Dr. James McCollum once a month to discuss things happening on campus. McNairy loved to talk with students, but was always on the go. Not many students were granted interpersonal face time with her, and as a result of those monthly engagements, Blackson began to gain a more in depth understanding of how significant his role was to the Millersville University community. "I was never much of a people person and being in direct contact with someone of that stature who wanted to hear what I had to say, was motivating," Blackson said.

Many issues and events have been reported in The Snapper's columns, but none so close to home as the death of 21-year-old Kyle Walker, who was a sophomore at Millersville, and a writer on Blackson's staff. It was the first time that Blackson experienced the loss of someone so close to him. "Kyle was an integral part and The Snapper staff took the loss very hard, especially for the ones that knew him the most." The loss of Walker did not affect productivity level at The Snapper once the spring semester started, and Blackson expressed gratitude to his staff for that. "Kyle would have wanted us to concentrate on making the paper each and every week. I think my staff understood that very well," said Blackson.

Blackson credits The Snapper for preparing him for his professional post-graduate ambitions of entering the realm of investigative journalism or reporting hard news for a major news publication. Along with two journalism professors who have provided him with great insight during his college career, the one person who serves as a constant inspiration to Blackson is his mother. Coming from a single parent home as the eldest child, and also the first to go to college in his family, she constantly encouraged him to stay on track and motivated him to go further.

Blackson will be honored for receiving this award at the 2013 CUPRAP Leadership Development Conference during an awards luncheon on March 14, at Hershey Hotel in Hershey, Pa.