Working with Sheen Magazine as a student ambassador is so much fun. It has been about four months since I have been working with Sheen. The ambassador program is supported by Sheen Magazine’s, Chapman Foundation. Their ambassador program helps support Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’S). The program seeks students who have a passion to work in the field of beauty, hair, fashion and celebrity lifestyle.
Via www.chapmanfoundation.com, the ambassador program tab gives further details about the application process, areas of engagement and mentorship information. The webpage www.chapmanfoundation.com includes a quick synopsis of the student ambassador objectives as follows: “The objective for the Student Ambassador Program is to transform inductive theory into a real-life practicum. The program first seeks to mentor and secondly build brand leaders for Chapman Foundation and SHEEN Magazine.”
On Saint Augustine’s University campus, myself, Bercario Bodie, and Zariah Rudulph-Settles are representative ambassadors for our school. Each of us are gaining experience in different arenas of the communications field. We each have our own mentors as well. Speaking for myself, my mentorship focus is on publicity.
Being that I major in strategic communication — also known as public relations (PR) — publicity was my choice for engagement. For me, it is very important that I learn the value of relationships and networking in my field. So far, I have already learned a lot working with my two mentors: Kristyn Harris, Managing Editor, and Thao Vo, Web Staff Writer for Sheen Magazine. Everyone on the team is very supportive and proactive in working with me, from new ideas I have to promote the magazine on campus to supporting the experience needed that will help take me to the next level.
My first academic semester working with Sheen has not ended and I know there is much more in store for me during the spring semester. So far I have had the opportunity to view press releases for top name celebrities such as Fantasia Barrino. Most recently, I have been working on creating and maintaining contacts through writing contact letters to a variety of companies. This project also entails compiling a list of fashion boutiques for closet borrow and collaboration.
During SAU’S Homecoming I also worked on publicity with emphasis on promotion of Sheen Magazine’s social media and exposure of the magazine as “The Ultimate Beauty Guide for the modern day woman.” I also distributed magazines at both the parade and football game. Alumni and students were very excited to get their hands on a copy of the magazine. It was so much fun interacting with the SAU community and I look forward continuing to work hard as a Sheen Ambassador.
It is a great feeling to see how supportive the Sheen team is. The mentor team has been very proactive in helping support me along with fellow ambassadors Rudulph-Settles and Jonise Holmes, another SAU student and campus Poetry Club member as group leaders of SAU’S newest RSO, I Am Undefined. Mentees such as Regina Brooks-Gilmore, Editorial Assistant, have shared our club via social media and The Chapman Foundation website. I really appreciate their support!
-Jazmin Powell
