As many seniors are making final choices of where to go to college next fall, two Scottsburg High School students will be heading to Indiana University Bloomington through direct admission programs.
Seniors Isabella Myszak and Savannah Watts received letters of direct admission to IU in media and business programs, respectively.
Direct admissions programs offer students academic advising from the first semester with an advisor in their major. Students receive consideration for additional scholarships, which can include stipends to study abroad. Students enrolled in direct admission programs also have opportunities to participate in special mentoring or community service programs among other benefits.
Myszak received direct admission to The Media School at IU, where she will concentrate studies in interactive and digital media and specialize in web and graphic communication and persuasion. She will learn more about user interface design, app development, web, and branding.
In addition to the direct admissions program, Myszak received acceptance into the IU Honors Program, where IU only chooses 16 students from The Media School to participate. As an Honors Program student, Myszak will have additional opportunities to work within her desired field and study abroad. She said the Honors Program would provide her with a chance to work on the university’s student publication, internship possibilities in Bloomington, and study abroad experiences in Los Angeles and London. The Honors Program also gives its students help with job placement and other internships, she said.
“It’s given me a bigger insight into IU,” Myszak said. “I am extremely excited. I loved the campus; it is a really nice environment. It offered me what I wanted.”
Her love for media started in Susan Jerrell’s publications classes at SHS. Quickly, Myszak discovered her passion for taking photos and designing yearbook pages. To further enrich her education, Jerrell encouraged Myszak to create a web campaign for website Myszak designed as a personal project.
“The web design combined everything for me,” Myszak said.
In her senior year, Myszak started an internship with the Scott County Chamber of Commerce through Jerrell’s career exploration and internship class. Through her internship, Myszak is helping to update the Chamber’s website.
“It is giving me more of a business side experience,” Myszak said.
To help update the website for the Chamber, Myszak will have to present her designs to the Chamber Board of Directors to gain their approval and make changes as they see fit. She will learn how to listen to clients versus working on her own project. She will also learn how to take constructive criticism and learn how to pitch a project through her internship before heading to college.
“I feel because of the classes I chose to take at SHS, I am a better critical thinker. I fell in love with design here,” Myszak said.
Since Watts was a child, she dreamed of owning her own business. She would go with her father on his heating and cooling repair and installation jobs. His work ethic and drive propelled her to dream about being a business owner one day. Through a direct admissions program at the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Watts’ dream is closer to becoming a reality.
“Ever since I was little, I wanted to do a T-shirt store. Then, I wanted to own my own business,” Watt said.
Owning her own business goes deeper than merely having the opportunity to be in charge — it means Watts can help others.
“I like the idea of supporting yourself, but you can help other people,” Watts said.
At IU, Watts will major in management, where she will learn about marketing, behind-the-scenes of management, laws, finance, and more. As a direct admission student, she will have opportunities to receive special scholarships and have a chance to live at IU’s Civic Leaders Center.
“IU Bloomington is a prestigious school and well-known. They have the Kelley School of Business, and it’s a really good business school,” Watts said.
Watts was encouraged to pursue a business management path through her classes at SHS. Through the business path, Watts has taken entrepreneurship, marketing, accounting, management, French, economics, and a hands-on practicum by helping operate the SHS coffee shop, Brewed Awakenings.
“The accounting class gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how money goes in and out,” Watts said.
The accounting classes are taught by Tamah DePriest, who has personal, professional experience in the business world through owning her own business and working for others. She has helped educate thousands online through her instructional YouTube videos on accounting, which she uploads for her SHS students to review.
“It helps to know her business was successful,” Watts said about DePriest. “She had hands-on experience.”
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