Keaundria Milloy, a Spring 2020 Magna Cum Laude graduate of Alcorn State University (ASU) is a native of Mount Olive, Mississippi. While attending Alcorn she majored in Mass Communications where she served as a writer for The Campus Chronicle (Alcorn’s online newspaper), a member of Girl’s Coalition, Impact Community Service Organization, Power of Women Expecting Results (POWER), the ASU TV-13 Newscast team, a member of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Alcorn Chapter, and a radio host of her show entitled The Fresh Swiss Mix on WPRL 91.7 FM (Alcorn’s radio station). Milloy stated, “I chose this path because I’ve always enjoyed writing and television. As a child, I always kept a journal and I constantly wrote small stories which I hope one day one of them can be published.”
Upon graduation, Milloy continued her passion. Posting her media reel ( a 3 to 5 minute video that displays your broadcast experience) in February before her graduation to YouTube paid major dividends. Group Director of News and Content, Shawn Reynolds of Waypoint Media offered her a multimedia journalist/reporter position at Twin States News in Meridian, Mississippi. Since then she has continuously worked her way to the top while also maintaining a part-time job as a camera operator at Sweetwater Penacostal Tanernacal Church located in Moselle, Mississippi.
As a multimedia journalist Milloy’s daily routine can be quite vigorous as she pitches story ideas, schedules interviews, prepares questions, shoots video, and writes and edits stories three times a day to meet deadlines for the news program. She admits that in the beginning the task of maintaining such a rigorous schedule was somewhat overwhelming but due to her networking with veteran colleagues and developing a schedule for herself her days became easier and she began to enjoy the process. “My favorite memory since beginning work is the day I covered 5 stories in one day. I completed a package, 2 VOSOTS (Voice-over Sound on Tape) and 2 VOS (Voice-over Sound). When I was finally done my eyes were exhausted and my brain was fried. At the end of the day, my boss texted me and complimented me on my work ethic and hustle for the day.”
As an undergraduate Milloy interned at WDAM 7 News in Moselle, Mississippi from May 2019 to July 2019. She advises all pursuing Mass Communications majors to take up as many internships as they can grasp as it could possibly set them many steps ahead and open up numerous opportunities. “Internships are the keys to getting your foot in the door and landing that first job. The more experience you have the better. Also, it’s not always what you know but who you know. Networking is important when it comes to job searching,” she stated.
Milloy has plans to receive her Masters degree in Mass Communications while hoping to obtain yet another job as a reporter or producer at the news station she pursued her internship with. She also would like to voice an animated movie, become a successful news anchor and an award-winning journalist. She states, “My list of long-term goals are still in the making.”
To see Milloy’s work check out on her webpage at https://kmilloyO.wixsite.com/kmilloytv.