University students get hands-on experience at Television Centre this holiday season.

WestStar continues to support the community this Christmas by having three full-time interns over their winter break. Shanda Hunter, Debert Dawes, and Jade Webster are all working in various departments putting the skills they are learning in school to the test.

Jade Webster is WestStar TV’s current scholarship recipient, studying Telecommunications with a focus on Broadcast at the University of South Florida. She is working in the news department as a reporter.

This is her fifth stint in the newsroom and already News Director April Cummings has seen a great deal of growth, saying “her reporting skills are really developing and she has learned how to focus on the story that she
is telling.”

After graduating, Miss Webster plans to return to Cayman and work as a reporter or anchor before taking on the challenge of working in broadcast news in a larger jurisdiction. Her ultimate goal though is to travel
the world.

Debert Dawes started his WestStar career in the Customer Care department. His interest in television production led to working part-time as an audio technician for Cayman 27 shows such as Daybreak. He is now studying Film and Recording Arts full time at New York University’s Tisch School of Arts.

During his internship, Debert is working with Cayman 27’s Kevin Watler updating www.cayman27.com.ky and shooting video for news and web stories, as well as running audio. He has a natural talent for music and one day hopes to be a film
score composer.

Shanda Hunter also started out in WestStar’s Customer Care department after graduating from High School in 2009. She took that year to grow as an individual and prepare for college, while gaining experience in the work force.
In August 2010, Shanda began studying at Central Piedmont Community College with a focus on Graphic Design. She enjoys being creative, which is why she is currently working in the Marketing Department with Cayman 27’s Vanessa Hansen.

Miss Hunter plans to complete her Bachelors and Masters degrees at Miami International University.  Upon completion, she will return to the Cayman Islands to gain more hands-on experience, with hope of opening her own Marketing Company one day.

WestStar TV is pleased to have these interns a part of their team and wish them the best with their long term educational goals.