Member of the Week: Alison Ives

CAFME's full of some pretty amazing people, and we want you to get to know them. This week? Meet Alison Ives, a journalism student interning at ZTrend and CHAOS Magazine this summer.


Tell us a bit about yourself.
I'm a senior journalism major specializing in reporting with a minor in creative writing and art history hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina. I have an unruly sweet tooth and an unending love for contemporary dance, magazines and vintage shopping.

How did you get involved with CAFME?
I believed I found out about CAFME my sophomore year at Fall Fest. I was shocked to find a club that focuses on one of my favorite things in life: magazines! I signed up immediately and I've been on board ever since!

What do you like the most about the club?
When it comes to advice and lessons that I can apply to my professional life, I think I've definitely gained more from CAFME than I have from any class I've taken. There's so much to learn from any given meeting or CAFME event, and the members who run the club are experienced in all fields of journalism and are always happy to share their stories and any helpful tips. It has been great getting to know students that share common interests and career goals.

What else are you involved with on campus?
Outside of my time studying and with CAFME, I dance with UNC's Blank Canvas Dance Company; I am one of the PR chairs for the annual COUTURevolution Sustainable Fashion Show and I contribute stories for a number of campus-centered publications, like Reese News and Scope Fashion Magazine.

Tell us about your internship.
This summer, I have two editorial internships. The one that brought me to New York is with ZTrend, an online guide of invitation-only listing featuring small and independent boutiques located in New York. I get to visit New York's finest boutiques, interview owners and write profiles on each store to be included in the online directory. My second editorial internship is with CHAOS Magazine, and that entails bogging twice a week for he fashion and model news sections.

How did you hear about the opportunities?
Ed2010 was my go-to site for internship listings; I found both of the internships that way.

What has been the most challenging/rewarding aspect of the internships?
I feel as though I have an absolute dream job. I spend my days exploring the beautiful neighborhoods, coffee shops and boutiques that New York has to offer, and then I get to sit down and write about it all. It seems extremely rewarding to have new pieces published almost everyday, as well as getting the opportunity to refine my writing skills. But because my boss has given me so much responsibility and doesn't want to watch over my every move, it is important that I stay focused and motivated on my own. I set my own schedule and am accountable for any lost time, so that has definitely been the biggest challenge.

What tips would you offer to others trying to follow in your footsteps?
I know I spent the better half of my junior year applying and interviewing for internships, and I hear a lot of no's, or even worse, no response at all. I think it really just comes down to being persistent, staying motivated and realizing that your efforts will pay off. I'm having one of the best summers of my life, and if I would have given up on the internship search after a month or so of negative feedback, non of this would have been possible! So just keep applying until the right door opens up for you.

What would you like to do after you graduate?
An editorial position at a magazine in New York would be the dream!

What's your one Carolina must-do before you graduate?
I MUST see Duke and UNC battle it out in the Dean Dome next season. I haven't had any luck in past ticket lotteries so I'm crossing my fingers that senior status changes that!