Yanni(Nina) Zou Graduate Student at UC Berkeley phone 510-701-8496 email [email protected] web site www.ninazouyanni.com linkedin www.linkedin.com/pub/yanni-zou/48/8aa/13a cover letter To Internship Selection Committee, It is with great enthusiasm that I submit my application for the position you've posted. I am seeking opportunities to develop and use my research expertise, strong writing and video production capabilties, data visualization and design skills. I have researched your organization, and believe that the opportunity, as it is described, first perfectly with my interests and career goals. My passions are media, technology and design. I am currently a graduate student at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, with a concentration in multimedia, and through my studies I have developed strong visual storytelling and reporting skills. As a reporter for Oakland North and the Berkeley Technology Review, I've covered a variety of topics, including technology news, entrepreneurship, and art, using video, photo essay, long-form narrative and data visualizations. Through this work, I’ve honed my ability to pitch story ideas, provide accurate information and work under tight deadlines. Before attending UC Berkeley, I acted as a social media and communications group leader for Microsoft ARD, working on the full spectrum of internal and external communication initiatives. Before that, I was a user experience researcher for Microsoft CityNext Big Data Platform for six months, conducting research on data visualization and multimedia display. Working closely with engineers and product managers to design Big Data Platform, I learned about the basics of how to transform paper-based reports into searchable, meaningful graphs and how to apply the existing technology through functional user interfaces that accommodate the specific needs of users. I hope to apply my findings in the future to explore the intersection between data and multimedia journalism. To gain full insights of the media community, I actively set a path to equip myself with an array of skills in distinct media outlets: The New York Times, NBC Bay Area, CCTV-Financial Channel, Phoenix Satellite Television and Blue Ocean Network. This unique TV experience has allowed me to know every single aspect of the media. For example, my interests in technology reporting did not truly blossom until I chanced upon an overseas internship in NBC Bay Area for a TV program titled International Innovators and a visit to the TechCrunch Disrupt Conference. It was there I realized that I had made a real and honest commitment to making their innovative stories heard by the rest of the world. I believe my skills, academic training and work experience, as well as my unique understanding of the intersection between technology, media and design, will enable me to excel in this position. Accompanying this letter is my resume, which provides additional details about my qualifications. I am eager to apply my energy, experience, and enthusiasm to the position and look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Storytelling