And Carrie On

I’ve been spending some time thinking about how higher education prepared me for my career. Of course, there are some key skills I gained from the experience, which I discussed this summer in a prior blog.

However, I’m trying to think more deeply about the real impact of my degree. But first, let me explain:

I’ve been prepping for a PRSA training course, and I’ve been thinking a good deal about inputs, outputs and outcomes. That is the framework that I’m approaching this blog post.

Impacts of College

Leading without Authority – One of the biggest things college taught me is how to lead others without positional authority. For example, I managed several committees in college for Student Government, Student Activities Board, etc. I didn’t have any real method of recourse for committee members who weren’t engaged. This was really frustrating at the time. However, today I am so thankful for this experience. It helped me to get better at articulating vision, building collaboration, and earning buy-in. Those are skills I use every day to create collaboration and buy-in across campus.

Confidence – As a journalism student, I had a professor who encouraged big dreams. That confidence helped me to punch above my weight on many occasions. For example, I decided to do a special election show mirrored from election coverage tv stations have. I covered a presidential candidate rally and was cleared to cover a First Lady coming to town. Logic might have said the college tv station couldn’t cover those things, but I raised my hand to try. That same confidence has helped me in my profession to take on projects that might seem too big or larger than the regional public where I work.

Event Skills – Being active in several clubs meant I planned a myriad of events. Some of the activities I planned included tailgates, the annual bingo competition, comedy performances, spirit week painting, and much more. Those experiences helped me learn how to manage events, a skill I use almost weekly in my job. Specifically, I learned included how to break the project into manageable tasks, how to balance big picture thinking with attention to detail, and how to delegate parts of the project to others. Having such a firm foundation in event planning has helped me lead multiple university events like the eclipse event, press conferences, and centennial celebrations.

Rejection – The reality is life isn’t fair, and sometimes things don’t go your way. I remember losing the first Student Government Election I ran for in college. I was embarrassed and defeated. What I learned is that if you put yourself out there, it won’t always go your way. However, after losing the election, the SGA president called and offered me a spot as an appointed member. By the time my college career was over, I was an officer in Student Government. That experience taught me there are multiple paths to a particular goal you may have. Getting comfortable with rejection is a key part of professional life. Sometimes your idea isn’t selected, your project doesn’t win the competition, or you’re not selected for a particular award. However, I learned in college that life goes on, and I can still make an impact even if I wasn’t the “winner” in that moment.

Planning – Planning is one of the best things I learned in college. I graduated a year early, so setting my schedule each semester required high-level planning to get the required courses in and stay active in all the activities. I also had to become a great detailed planner to balance competing priorities each week, making sure assignments were completed and that I met the organizational expectations. Both types of planning experience help me daily in leading a MarComm team. The big picture planning helps me understand key themes in the university and make sure the team is preparing for those, while the small details help me to manage all the things that our creatives are asked to do in support of other areas.

How Has College Impacted You?

I hope to more regularly talk about the impact college has made on my life, and I hope it’s a valuable exercise to see the long-term impact of higher education.

Is there any particular way college has impacted you that stands out?

If so, please comment, and let’s keep the conversation going!