Tim Carroll stands outside the White House during his internship in Washington, D.C.

From a high school summer program to the White House and Capitol Hill, Tim Carroll's career in journalism, public affairs and communications has been shaped by opportunities that began at Wayne State University.

Carroll connects with the Wayne State community while promoting The South End during a campus event in 2014.

Carroll is a senior press secretary for the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, where he works with national media to communicate research and policy related to climate and clean energy. But his path there began on Wayne State's campus, when his grandmother spotted an advertisement for a summer journalism program in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts.

Before his senior year at South Lake High School in St. Clair Shores, Carroll was on campus in Midtown, gaining hands-on reporting experience, visiting newsrooms and learning from professional journalists across Detroit. "It was pretty game-changing for me," Carroll said. "I got a crash course in what being a journalist really means and what kinds of opportunities there are."

The program also showed him how a Wayne State education could prepare him for success after graduation.

Carroll takes a selfie with Professor Alicia Nails and fellow JIM members during a team-building retreat.

"I saw very quickly this incredible value in being in Detroit, being around these prominent journalists who were willing to help young, budding journalists," Carroll said. "It was very clear that Wayne State was going to offer the immersive, real-world journalism education I wanted."

Building a foundation

Once enrolled, Carroll found a community through Wayne State's Journalism Institute for Media Diversity (JIM), which connected him with peers, mentors and opportunities before classes even began.

"The Journalism Institute creates such a community," Carroll said. "Having that built-in network of friends and colleagues right away was really important."

Journalism Institute for Media Diversity members Michael Lewis II, left, and Tim Carroll, right, pose with former Wayne State University President M. Roy Wilson while working with The South End student newspaper on campus.

Carroll also wrote for The South End, Wayne State's student newspaper, as part of his coursework. He quickly took on additional assignments and eventually became editor-in-chief, an experience that sharpened his reporting and leadership skills.

"With the right environment and the right supporters, I could really shape my college experience in a way that put me in the best position to succeed," he said.

Wayne State's emphasis on experiential learning opened even more doors. An internship with the Detroit City Council introduced Carroll to public affairs and strategic communications, setting him on a path that later included internships on Capitol Hill and at the White House during the Obama administration.

Tim Carroll, top left, poses with former First Lady Michelle Obama and fellow interns during his White House internship.

"I can kind of pinpoint every step of my career back to that opportunity," Carroll said, "and before that, the support that I was getting from JIM and Wayne State."

Journalism undergraduate scholarships also helped Carroll pursue opportunities that may have otherwise been out of reach. While working one or two jobs throughout college, he received several scholarships that helped fund his education and covered living expenses during unpaid internships in Washington, D.C. "Those scholarships really helped me take some more significant internship opportunities," Carroll said. "I might not have been able to support myself otherwise."

Paying it forward

Now established in a national communications career, Carroll continues to invest in future journalists and help connect Wayne State students with opportunities of their own. He returns regularly to the annual JIM summer retreat as a guest speaker for incoming students.

"I remember those conversations from my very first retreat," Carroll said. "I knew how important they were for me as a student, so it was important for me to come back once I had started to establish my career."

By Darlene A. White