By Alita White

Videographer. Musician. Sweet tea addict.

alita@awemedia.live

Website

People typically seem surprised when I tell them I work for Neuse News. Until a few weeks ago, it was rarely publicized.

I prefer to operate behind the scenes on social media. Every day between the busyness of classes and homework I would create a collection of the top stories of the day for the Neuse News Instagram story.

How did I manage to get this job? Sometimes all you have to do is ask.

I had been watching Neuse News for a while and was impressed with the work the site was doing, especially after Hurricane Florence. I reached out in an email one day to see if there were any open internships, not even expecting a response.

To my surprise, B.J. Murphy reached out and asked me to come in for an interview.

I was absolutely and incredibly nervous. This was my first real interview for a big girl job. I put together a resume and went down to the office. B.J. asked me a few questions and quickly looked over my resume.

Then he offered me a position as an intern! I was shocked. He told me he was impressed by my boldness in reaching out and asking if I could work with them.

That was in October of 2018. Now here I am, seven months later, having the best summer of my life.

I happen to own a videography business called Awe Media and I get to improve my skills everyday by working at Neuse News. The atmosphere is exciting and creative. I get to learn from people who are way more experienced than I am.

It’s awesome. Along with that, I get to work at a place that holds the same passion I do for my hometown. Lots of people my age talk about how they can’t wait to get out of Kinston. Me? I can’t wait to stay here and continue improving the community we live in.

I love this place and the people here.

When I’m not at the office, I’m a student at ECU studying communication with a concentration in public relations. This fall I will be a junior and will start working with the ECU Alumni Association. I spend my time running a small business, leading worship at Tanglewood Church and playing board games with my three best friends.

I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities I have been presented and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

I’ll leave you with this quote I heard recently: “Never stop learning. The day you stop learning is the day you start dying.”

This summer at Neuse News I’m using my time to learn something new every day and to work toward my goals, one step at a time.