Newswise — Emily White is rubbing elbows with the blokes over in the Europe headquarters of MTV in London as she completes her second co-op as a production intern for the music television station. White previously co-oped with MTV in the summer of 2003 in the Times Square studio and decided to return to the same employer, in a different country, in order to learn more about the music industry from an international perspective. Majoring in music industry with a minor in business, White is finishing up her senior year at Northeastern University in Boston.
The 9 to 5 responsibilities at MTV Europe include helping with the production of various televisions spots, learning how to edit shows, and doing research for show content. While working in London, White has racked up an impressive list of contacts including Roger Daltry from The Who, Robert Smith from The Cure, and even some British royalty.
"I met Prince Charles at a concert event the other night. He walked right by me as he was going offstage and asked me if I had gone deaf from sitting so close to the speakers all night. It was surreal," said White. "Since I've started at MTV, I've learned a ton about filming, TV in general, producing, and editing. Through Northeastern I was allowed to explore many different angles of the music industry within a few semesters, instead of the years it takes bouncing from job to job. I wanted to work at as many different music companies as I could as an undergrad. Therefore, when I graduated I'd have that many more job options as well as that many more skills to offer potential employers."
By the looks of her resume, it is obvious that White is steering clear of becoming just another Carson Daly. White's production and managing experience proves that her reasons for working for MTV stem more from her fascination with the behind-the-scenes music industry rather than a fixation with pop culture. White's past work in the music community prior to MTV includes covering the Bonnaroo festival for Skope magazine, as well public relations and promotions work for Clear Channel Entertainment and Boston's alternative radio station, WBCN 104.1 FM. The most notable job, however, is White's gig as the tour manager for the Boston's "punk cabaret" band, The Dresden Dolls. White toured with the band this summer and landed shows all across the country.
White's co-op at MTV Europe has also taught her about the cultural differences one may encounter while working for the same company in a different country. "Compared to my experience in New York, I have found that the producers in London let me do more hands on work like interviewing bands. The people I work with here are more music-oriented—my boss used to be in a rock band," said White.
The music itself has also proven to be different in London.
"There are lots of weird '80s bands," White said. "The music scene is unbelievable, everyone always wants to know the next new thing."
After graduating from Northeastern in the spring of 2005, White plans to continue tour managing the Dresden Dolls. While the band is not on tour she will collaborate with the band's general manager in New York City. White's thoughts on her success—"I will be gradating with my dream job in the spring. It took a ton of work."
Northeastern University, located in the heart of Boston, Massachusetts, is a world leader in practice-oriented education and recognized for its expert faculty and first-rate academic and research facilities. Northeastern integrates challenging liberal arts and professional studies with the nation's largest cooperative education program. Through co-op, Northeastern undergraduates alternate semesters of full-time study with semesters of paid work in fields relevant to their professional interests and major, giving them nearly two years of professional experience upon graduation. The majority of Northeastern graduates receive a job offer from a co-op employer. Cited for excellence three years running by U.S. News & World Report, Northeastern has quickly moved up into the top half of the "Best National Universities" rankings—an impressive 30 spots in three years. In addition, Northeastern was named a top college in the northeast by the Princeton Review 2003/04. For more information, please visit http://www.northeastern.edu.
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