By ALISON LESTER
Managing Editor
Published August 30, 2011
While some college students spent the summer working various jobs, traveling, and/or taking summer classes, others had the opportunity to be interns. One Saint Rose senior who had this opportunity was Caitlin Mason, a Public Communications major concentrating in Broadcast Production and Marketing. Mason spent most of her summer interning at Fuse and living in Brooklyn.
Having enjoyed the music channel since the age of 14, Mason decided to apply to Fuse when she learned about the internship “because it is the only music television station out there now.” She believes Fuse is what MTV is supposed to be.
“When I was 16 and decided I wanted to work in television, I knew internships were going to be extremely important for professional connections that can lead to a job,” said Mason. “My career is extremely important to me because I have many goals set for myself and getting an internship in NYC was one of them.”
Mason said she was uncharacteristically pessimistic after her interview with Fuse. After two weeks of waiting for news and sending email inquiries, Mason called and was told that the internship was hers if she wanted it. “I just remember sitting up in my bed and saying ‘you don’t have to offer I’m taking it!’” said Mason.
The move to Brooklyn marked the first time in Mason’s life that she was living alone, having previously lived in Albany with her family only 15 minutes away from the Saint Rose campus. Mason settled in a 12th floor apartment in Brooklyn Heights, a neighborhood that she felt was both clean and safe. Her first day in Brooklyn was an emotional one: “I suddenly became so scared of my decision and didn’t know if I could last in the city without my family and friends by my side,” said Mason. “That night I decided to set goals for myself that entire week when it came to exploring the city and meeting people in my building. I was pretty successful with meeting those goals.”
Mason began her internship on a Thursday, the day after an orientation at The Madison Square Garden Company. She met Fuse’s Director of Multiplatform, Kristin Cook, whom she realized was the only other female in the department. “That didn’t make me too nervous because I grew up with three older brothers and no sisters,” said Mason. “Plus I get along with guys much better than girls so I was actually looking forward to working with this department.” Mason’s first day consisted of a meeting where she was told she’d be expected to speak at all future meetings because she was “part of the team now.” Mason said that hearing those words gave her confidence.
Some of Mason’s many jobs as an intern at Fuse included research and networking for Fuse on Demand’s social media, interview transcriptions, artist research, and being on set to observe shows such as Top 100 and Hoppus on Music. Mason pitched the idea to personally research more effective ways to find new followers that fit the demographic for Fuse on Demand’s social networking, and to add to the minimal updates on Fuse’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
“When I asked, my director looked so happy and my coworkers looked kind of surprised, probably because an intern had the initiative to speak up and ask for this responsibility,” said Mason. “The day after, a coworker of mine told me that it was really impressive that I did that and told me that when it came to getting a good recommendation and probably a job that I was ‘off to the races.’”
During her time at Fuse, Mason had the chance to meet celebrities such as Kaley Cuoco of The Big Bang Theory and 8 Simple Rules, Los Lonely Boys, and Blink 182’s Mark Hoppus. “When I met Mark Hoppus it was in an elevator on the way to our floor, and it was the first time I ever saw him there,” said Mason. “I never thought I would get star struck but I grew up listening to his music so I was definitely freaking out on the inside and probably made myself look like a noob.”
Fuse wasn’t the only place that Mason was spending her time while living in Brooklyn. She visited areas such as Manhattan, Little Italy, China Town, Soho/Greenwich Village, and 14th Street. Mason also had the chance to see 4 Broadway musicals: The Book of Mormon, where she met the actors, Hair, Catch Me If You Can, and Memphis. The second time she saw The Book of Mormon, Mason and a friend won front row tickets. Mason also saw the Off-Broadway play, Love, Loss and What I Wore.
“Since I’ve lived 3 hours away all my life I have already done all the touristy things, so I wanted to see the real heart of the city,” said Mason.
Mason moved back to Albany on August 21, reluctantly leaving behind Fuse and the new friends she made in New York City. “It was just so weird knowing you were going to say goodbye to the people you became so close with,” said Mason. “Even though I’m back into my old routines, I keep thinking I’m just visiting home and I’ll be back soon.”
After graduating this December, Mason’s long-term goal is to become a television producer. She has been offered a job at Fuse and plans to move back to New York City in January.
“A few people discouraged me from getting an internship in NYC,” said Mason. “They kept saying I would be the coffee girl and I wouldn’t learn anything. Thankfully, I was set on the goals I wanted to accomplish so I didn’t listen to them. I wanted to shoot for the moon and I did. If I let people get in the way, I wouldn’t have met the people who have helped me and I wouldn’t have had such an amazing experience with a job offer at the end of it.”
