Charmaine McKissick-Melton Communications Fellows at FHI

The Charmaine McKissick‑Melton Communications Fellowship represents a decade-and-a-half of excellence, embedding North Carolina Central University Mass Communications students in Duke University’s vast communications ecosystem each summer. This ten-week immersive program places fellows across a number of departments—from the School of Nursing to University Communications—where they engage in professional-level work: interviewing, writing, videography, photography, and strategic communications—all under the mentorship of seasoned communications professionals at the university. Over nearly 18 summers, close to 200 NCCU students have honed their craft, built robust portfolios, and gained career-launching references; many have since pursued careers in public relations, media, and even full-time roles at Duke.

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Renamed in 2022 in honor of Dr. Charmaine McKissick‑Melton, the fellowship pays tribute to a trailblazer of communication education. A Durham native and daughter of civil rights icon Floyd McKissick Sr., Dr. Mac’s career spans ten years in radio and television management, a Ph.D. in communications focused on race relations, and founding leadership at NCCU—including the creation of their first digital media lab. Her vision endures through the program’s rigorous boot camp, mid‑winter speed‑interview mixer, weekly “Lunch and Learns” led by alumni and industry voices, and a culminating portfolio showcase—each stage meticulously designed to cultivate professional confidence and competence.

For the past two years, the John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute has worked directly with NCCU Mac Fellows, collaborating and building on a communications framework that helps future students.

Meet the Fellows

Jakiah Glass

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"I graduated in 2023 with a major in mass communication, and I became interested in mass communication because I loved everything about it in video media. From interviews, television shows, movies, podcasts — I’ve also enjoyed telling a story and always wondered how telling a great story comes together.

I had Dr. Mac as a professor, as well as Mr. [Brett] Chambers, and they were both very adamant about us being a part of the program. From the very first meeting, it was such a great experience, and I knew had to keep attending. I had the opportunity of being hired for both years I was in the program.

I’ve worked as a video production assistant at FHI ever since I graduated. It was a real hands-on experience, and it was great for someone like me just graduating and not fully knowing what’s next. It’s bittersweet to be leaving but I really enjoyed working with everyone and loved being able to work with the Left of Black Web Series."

Andy Kavul

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"I’m a rising junior at North Carolina Central University, majoring in mass communications with a concentration in broadcast media. When I got to Central, I tried to get involved in mass communication as soon as possible, but my first year and a half was all general education classes.

During the spring semester of my sophomore year, I really started diving into it. I picked up a camera and began working with athletics, recording video and doing photography. I quickly found a passion for video editing, especially highlight reels. I joined the Mac Fellowship because I wanted to grow and develop my skills — to expand and deepen my creative toolkit, especially in editing.

Before starting the internship, I only had about five or six hours of experience in Premiere Pro, so I wanted to get better at video editing. After graduation, my goal is to work in broadcast production at a major company like ESPN. I’d also be happy starting out with college programs like NC State, Duke, or UNC to build my experience and connections."

Micah Edwards

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"I’m a senior mass communication student with a concentration in broadcast media, and what got me interested in broadcast media was really sports. Like most kids, I wanted to be a basketball player and dreamed of making it to the NBA. I originally came in as an art major thinking I could do photography there, but I quickly realized it was more fine art photography — not sports photography. So I switched to mass communication, and it’s been smooth sailing ever since. Now I want to focus more on live broadcast production and working with a team.

This actually isn’t my first time in the Mac Fellowship; I participated during my freshman year. I remember Professor Chambers pushing us hard to attend the boot camp, and a few friends of mine were going, so I decided to check it out and it turned into an invaluable experience. After the internship and college, I hope to work in live sports production. I’m building connections, working with other schools, and gaining experience so I’ll have a solid foundation once I graduate.

My goal is to work with sports production teams at schools like UNC or Duke. I’d love to stay in that space for a while. I’ve also considered working in news, maybe as a broadcast technician doing live switching."