As this chapter comes to a close and I move into my senior year at The University of Texas, I have come to appreciate so many of the valuable lessons I’ve learned along the way. Professionally, I have gained numerous skills and knowledge in the marketing and communications sphere. Personally, I have been pushed to challenge my boundaries and turn opportunities into accomplishments.

At HMG Creative, my projects have provided me with nothing short of new experiences and growth. Although I came into the position having knowledge in marketing and branding strategy, I had never been afforded the opportunity to try my hand at putting these methods into practice in a corporate environment. My tasks here were never mundane and genuinely allowed me to utilize my creative freedom to produce content that reached our audiences in the most targeted ways. The work I was able to participate in making here ranged from creating an Ebook for our third quarter marketing campaign to writing varied press releases to researching and writing about some of the latest trends in the digital and tech spheres. I am lucky to have been continually confronted with topics and ideas that have widened my perspective on the possibilities of this industry and hope that my sparked interest will only bring more innovation to the field.

As a corporate communications major, there are endless directions for me to take my career path. From public relations to broadcasting, advertising to human resources, and community relations to digital strategy, I have been posed with the question of what exactly interests me so much that I may want to seek even more growth in it. Fortunately, I have been able to intern at a variety of places that have opened my eyes to multiple areas of communications. At HMG, I had the opportunity to delve into creative strategy, branding, inbound marketing, and writing. Next year, I will be rounding out my college experience with even more soul searching, trying new things, and learning from my failures along the way. It’s a work in progress and I promise parents, there are big things to come. Just wait. 😉

So what’s next for me? Although Austin has been the best place to kickstart my career in marketing and PR thus far, I will be hopping across the pond for the rest of the summer; attending Salzburg Academy’s 2018 Conference on Media and Global Change. Each year, roughly seventy students and a dozen faculty from five continents come together to produce strategies and curriculum to guide universities on how they should teach about the influences and opportunities for media coverage around the world. In debates and workshops, through lectures and small group sessions, we will work collaboratively to hone in on this year’s program focus, trust in the news, to create change in the climate of journalism today.
Prior to the start of the conference, I will be traveling alongside my lovely mother to Munich, Zurich, Prague, Vienna, and Salzburg. Let me tell you people, creating a convincing powerpoint with detailed information about your dreams and how to make them reality really does wonders. In the fall, I will be jumping head first into a season full of football, the firsts of lasts, and a routine of job searching and making real-world decisions. Sticking with the mantra, “change is good”… right?

Being able to gain first-hand experience in marketing, public relations, and social media has been invaluable and I can’t thank the rest of the team enough for assisting me along the way. Of course, I would never be where I am today if it wasn’t for their patience, guidance, and dedication to the success of HMG and me as a player in that journey. To the best six months of expansive learning, creative brainstorms and thought-provoking talks in the front office, thank you for this opportunity! I am forever grateful!