Shelby Holliday's Blog
Shelby Holliday is a graduate reporter for Palestra.net.
Shelby studied business at the University of San Diego, but she discovered her passion for broadcast journalism when she took up reporting for Palestra.net her senior year.
Shelby's favorite part about working for Palestra.net is having the ability to explore and cover all types of subject matter, from business and politics to sports and fashion. Since she started working for Palestra.net, Shelby has covered the 2008 presidential primaries, the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, the 2008 presidential election, the Victoria's Secret fashion show, the Sundance Film Festival, the Kentucky Derby, and New York Fashion Week. Shelby continues to covered the economic downturn from campuses across the country, reporting about the economy's impact on financial aid, tuition, budget cuts, job and internship opportunities, holiday travel, and even Spring Break.
Follow Shelby on Twitter (twitter.com/shelbyholliday) or friend her on Facebook; she is constantly online and would love to hear from you!
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New Plan Helps Alleviate Burden Of Student Loans
Shelby Holliday reporting from USA (2009-07-02 11:21:11)
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/bigMoney/idUS278204461120090701
Burdened by student loans? Good news: there are new rules in place to help you pay off your debt.
The new "Income-Based Reypayment" plan (IBR) became effective on July 1st, and it aims to make monthly payments more affordable for borrowers repaying new and existing federal student loans.
So how does it work? Instead of facing a set monthly amount, payments can now be linked to income and family size. That means if you are starting your career in a field that doesn't pay entry-level positions the big bucks (like yours truly), you can adjust your payments to be more in touch with your paychecks.
The Department of Education Explains:
"For example, someone with student loan debt of $25,000 at 6.8 percent interest would have a monthly payment of $288 under the standard 10-year repayment plan. If the borrower were single with no dependents and had an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $30,000, the monthly payment would drop to $172 per month, a reduction of $116 per month, or 40 percent under the IBR Program."
While this plan buys recent graduates some time to get on their feet, there is a big downfall: Because the loan will take longer to repay, it could significantly increase interest costs.
There are a lot more details to the plan, including big perks for those who work in public service. (Check out the article linked up top to learn more.)
According to the Project on Student Debt, this plan may help as many as 1 million people.
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How Much Will Michael Jackson's Death Cost?
Shelby Holliday reporting from USA/London (2009-06-29 10:56:56)
Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124623105971566085.html
High risks can bring high rewards, but they can also lead to financial disaster.
When concert promoter AEG announced Michael Jackson's "This Is It" comeback tour, the company knew it was taking a gamble. There would be a huge return on investment if everything went as planned, but Jackson was never really known for following through.
Nevertheless, things looked promising in the spring when AEG sold out 50 London shows just minutes after announcing Jackson's comeback. Now that the King of Pop has unexpectedly passed away, the company has to figure out a way to refund 750,000 tickets that amount to $85 million in sales. (According to the Wall Street Journal article linked up top, this is one of the biggest ticket-refund efforts in history.)
AEG also took out an $18 million insurance policy meant to help recoup costs in the case of an accident, but it may not apply since the coverage was dependent on a physical that Jackson had yet to take.
On top of that mess, AEG also spent a reported $20 million promoting MJ's shows that were supposed to kick off on July 13th at the O2 arena in London. Add that to the $10 million spent on elaborate rehearsals and the $20 million paid in advance to the King of Pop himself and you've got one big million-dollar dilemma. (And with Jackson's obscene amount of debt, it is not exactly clear how much AEG will be able to recover...)
So how much will Jackson's untimely death cost AEG? It has yet to be determined, but the company's website says it is extending its "deepest condolences to Michael Jackson's family and friends during this tragic time" and will release more information about refunds in the coming days.
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Harvard Layoffs Cause Unrest
Shelby Holliday reporting from Boston (2009-06-24 12:33:54)
Source: http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/06/letter_from_har.html
Harvard might be the nation's wealthiest school in terms of endowment, but that doesn't mean the university is recession-proof.
Harvard's endowment has lost an estimated $12 billion dollars since last June, falling from $37 billion to about $25 billion over the course of the year. In response to economic turmoil, the school announced that it will cut 275 jobs and reduce hours for about 40 faculty members.
While these cutbacks affect only a fraction of the 16,000 employed by the university, the news signals the harsh reality for even the richest of schools: the economy is having a negative impact on education. (Harvard has already withheld raises for about 9,000 faculty and non-union staff members, and it shed more than 500 employees after offering a voluntary early retirement program.)
Harvard President Drew Faust addressed the layoffs in a letter send out yesterday:
"Such decisions, in their human dimensions, are among the hardest that an institution like ours can make. But difficult circumstances have called for difficult decisions across the University," wrote Faust.
While Harvard blames the down economy for these 'difficult decisions,' some employees are up in arms. According to the Boston Globe, staffers are staging a protest to oppose the layoffs:
"The fact that this is happening at Harvard, who is still sitting on a chest of billions and remains the richest university in the world, shows it is pursuing this incredibly narrow path of naked self interest,’’ said Geoff Carens, a library assistant and union representative who is organizing a rally tomorrow to protest the cuts. “They’re using this drop in the endowment as an excuse to justify really terrible cuts that will have a disastrous impact on the surrounding communities."
What do you think? Does Carens have a point? If Harvard is still working with a $25 billion dollar endowment, are these layoffs justified?
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The Kentucky Derby- Mine That Bird
Shelby Holliday reporting from Louisville, KY (2009-05-03 08:19:53)
I am convinced that NOTHING can stop the Kentucky Derby crowd from having a good time. Not the recession, not the weather, not a scratched favorite... not even swine flu! (I saw one mask at Churchill Downs, and the guy wearing it was completely mocking H1N1.)
While the economy may have affected ticket sales and gambling, you wouldn't know it with all of the big hats, delicious juleps, and seersucker suits. As a matter of fact, some people told me that the recession gave them even more reason to dress up, let loose, and have a good time.
Perhaps one of my favorite conversations of the day was with a young lady who bet on Mine That Bird to win the Derby. The horse was facing 50:1 odds and was hardly spoken of until he sprinted ahead on the last leg of the race and absolutely CREAMED his competition. (Some people were saying it was one of the quietest finishes they have ever heard at the Derby.)
While everyone else sighed in disbelief, this girl Dara was going nuts. She picked Mine That Bird because earlier that morning, a bird pooped on her and she thought it was a sign... how is that for a nice little twist!? Talk about turning a frown upside-down- I bet that 50:1 bet is feeling pretty good in her wallet right about now.
I wasn't as lucky; I lost all of my bets but had an amaaazing time at my first Derby. I brought my camera along (obviously) and will upload a story later today when I get back from Louisville.
Til then, Mine That Bird!
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GUILTY: Voter Fraud In Ohio
Shelby Holliday reporting from Columbus, OH (2009-04-28 16:39:20)
Source: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/04/28/three_voters.html
Three members of VOTE TODAY OHIO pleaded guilty to VOTER FRAUD in Ohio.
If you were watching our coverage of voter fraud prior to the election, the names Daniel Hausman, Amy Little, and Yolanda Hippensteele may ring a bell. (I am proud to say that Palestra.net broke this story!)
These three adults came to Ohio from New York and California as part of a grassroots "get out the vote" organization. Although they never intended to reside in Ohio, they registered and voted from an address in Columbus. Nevertheless, these three claim they had good intentions when registering and voting during "Golden Week" in Ohio. (Golden Week was a period of time in which people could register and vote here in Ohio. Because they were casting absentee ballots, voters did not have to show ID or prove their residency status. Furthermore, Republicans were denied the ability to poll-watch during this period. As you can imagine, "Golden Week" was highly controversial.)
From the Columbus Dispatch:
"The three came to Ohio from states where Obama was likely to win in an effort to swing Ohio's electoral college vote toward their candidate, Judge Charles A. Schneider said. The judge gave all three 60 days in jail but suspended it if they paid a $1,000 fine. He also ordered a year's probation."
You can read more in the article linked up top. A big shout out to my former coworker Tiffany Wilson, who spent countless nights researching and covering these cases with me!
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Obama vs. Alumni: Controversy At Notre Dame
Shelby Holliday reporting from Columbus, OH (2009-04-28 10:16:03)
Source: http://www.lifenews.com/state4083.html
We have been hearing about the Obama commencement controversy at Notre Dame for a few weeks, and now it looks like alumni have decided to hit the school where it hurts:
$8.2 million in alumni donations have been withheld from Notre Dame in light of the school's support of pro-choice President Barack Obama as the commencement speaker.
According to the article linked up top, David DiFranco started this effort to withhold donations to his alma mater. He also started a webste urging alumni to call on the replacement of Notre Dame president John Jenkins- ReplaceJenkins.com.
“We knew many donors and alums were unhappy with the decision to honor a pro-abortion president, but we never expected this large of a response," DiFranco told LifeNews.com. "We can hardly keep up, and this is only the beginning. We can only imagine what fundraisers at the University are experiencing, but understandably not reporting.”
Check out the link up top to read more.
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Condé Nast Portfolio Folds
Shelby Holliday reporting from Columbus, OH (2009-04-27 12:27:08)
Source: http://www.portfolio.com/views/blogs/mixed-media/2009/04/27/conde-nast-closing-portfolio
Sad day... one of my favorite business magazines is folding. Condé Nast Portfolio just announced that it has fallen victim to the very thing it has been covering- the economy.
Business news seems to have a love-hate relationship with the recession. The tough times have driven ratings up and advertising dollars down, increased consumers and decreased profits.
I loved Portfolio because it made business news interesting and fun. The glossy pages and catchy articles made it easy to actually ENJOY financial reports. Crazy, right!?
My fondness for the mag grew even stronger after I had the opportunity to interview Portfolio's Editor-in-Chief Joanne Lipman at Ole Miss this past fall. She sat on a panel prior to the presidential debate, and college students were thankful that someone could finally explain the economic recession and bank failures in every-day language.
I don't know if you were ever a fan of Portfolio, but I will miss this magazine dearly. Let's hope another interesting business publication comes around soon!
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Students Trust Craigslist, Maybe Too Much
Shelby Holliday reporting from Columbus, OH (2009-04-24 12:34:58)
Students use Craigslist to find roommates, rent apartments, buy and sell products, and even advertise services. It can be a helpful tool when looking for campus housing, cheap electronics, concert tickets, or even used cars.
The more technology advances, the easier it becomes to share and exchange knowledge, music, pictures, information, products, and yes, even erotic services.
In light of the recent Craigslist killing, student reporter Emily Johnson and I spoke with students about their use of these websites. The video will be on the site shortly, but here are some points of emphasis:
-Our generation is INCREDIBLY trusting of websites like Craigslist and the people who use them.
-There is a general feeling that girls need to be more careful when meeting people/buyers/sellers/renters online
-This incident doesn't surprise many people; we constantly hear about these kinds of situations with sites like Craigslist, Myspace, and Facebook.
-Students feel that while advertising (and purchasing) "massage services" is "very sketchy", buying and selling video games is an entirely different story.
-Most students think that the victim of the Craigslist killing was partially at fault for this; they say she was inviting creeps and weirdos by advertising her services online. Others say that it is not her fault and that we should never blame the victim.
-For the most part, students said the Craigslist killing will not change or affect the way they use Craigslist.
My conclusion???
Our generation is way too trusting of the people we meet online.
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Pizza Hut Offers "TWINTERNSHIP"
Shelby Holliday reporting from Pizza Hut HQ (2009-04-22 15:09:14)
College kids, tweet your heart out:
Pizza Hut is hiring a "twintern" to Twitter and Facebook for 10-12 weeks during the summer. It is a PAID full-time internship, and the 'Hut is offering credit if applicable.
"The intern will act as a fully integrated member of the PR team and will focus on new and emerging social media, such as Twitter, Facebook, and others," says the job posting.
At first glance, the "twinternship" might sound like a Pizza Hut publicity stunt, but look a little closer and the offer sounds very legit.
The twintern will be given "unprecedented access to marketing meetings, brainstorming sessions, ad shoots, and special events." Furthermore, he/she will conduct media outreach and assist with execution of national PR programs.
(Sounds amazing... can I apply!?)
I asked Margie Bogenschutz, the Senior Director of Undergraduate Career Management and Recruitment at Ohio State's Fisher College of Business for her input. Here are some of her thoughts:
"First of all, it’s a paid internship – when companies pay their interns the experience is usually pretty valid. Companies are trying to reach the college generation – and they know social networking media is huge – so I’m sure P.H. is trying to learn more about this market and technology – and it seems like a logical thing to me to have an intern take this on as an assignment. The tasks listed on the job description appear to be sound."
If you are a junior or senior studying business, marketing, journalism, communications, or public relations, check out PIZZAHUT.COM for more info on how to apply.
Applications are due May 3 so get moving!
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Filed under Entertainment Some Thoughts About Miss CA vs. Perez Hilton
Shelby Holliday reporting from California (2009-04-21 21:48:32)
A beauty queen, a gossip blogger, and a politically charged question that may or may not have cost Miss California the Miss USA crown...
Sounds like a perfect recipe for media coverage!
One of the most beautiful things about our country is our freedom of speech, and everyone is entitled to voice his or her opinion. Miss CA and Perez Hilton have been making television appearances left and right, and this "he-said-she-said" thing continues to escalate. It seems to fuel the fire for some and bring back High School memories for others.
I don't want to get into the controversial issue of gay marriage, but here are some of my thoughts:
-Who in the world invited Perez Hilton, the self-proclaimed "Queen of all Media," to be the judge of anything involving poise, morality, and politics, not to mention WOMEN!?
-Regardless of her answer, I am impressed that Carrie Prejean stayed true to her beliefs. She knew what Perezers wanted to hear, and she knew how powerful his voice is in the entertainment world. (The guy has millions of people read his blog each day... while it's not exactly serious stuff, he is still a major player in the celebrity gossip scene.)
-I think it's time for Donald Trump to clean up his pageant. Tara Conner's cocaine scandal (2006), Miss South Carolina's embarrassing "maps" and "such as" answer, and now this ridiculous Perez Hilton catastrophe. Isn't it about beauty AND brains? Either make these pageants entirely aesthetic, or figure out a way to get intelligent contestants and competent judges.
-Miss Cali should be thanking "Perezers" for making her more famous than the what's-her-name? that actually WON Miss USA.
-This too shall pass, but let it be a reminder that free speech is a beautiful thing.
Oh yeah, and one more thing:
-Miss California is a college student in San Diego... I wonder if she would grant an interview with our student reporters in SD!? What do you say, Carrie!?
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