Across all of my classes, all of my professors seem to continually share the same piece of advice, “play the college student card.” If you’re scratching your head in confusion, don’t feel bad, I did the same thing. What they mean by that, is your time as a college student is brief but overflowing with opportunities and resources. Take advantage of them all.
One of these many available resources is the opportunity to have a professional mentor. Although it might feel intimidating to approach someone and ask for wisdom or guiding advice, more often than not, they are not only willing to help but eager to do so. They remember what it felt like to be a college student, swimming in a sea of countless paths and opportunities, unsure what to go after, or how to do it. Here, I’ve highlighted three of the many reasons you should get a professional mentor.
1. Multiply your network. Although it can feel tiresome to continually hear about the importance of building and maintaining your network, it is truly essential. Think about your professional network as a tree- each time you make a new connection you add a new branch, which could have 15 other small branches on it. Networking is not a process of addition, but of multiplication. The more connections you have the faster your network will grow.
2. Learn their story. Most people do not have a perfectly straight line from graduation day to their dream job. As students, we oftentimes feel insecure about our aspirational uncertainties. Hearing the journey of someone standing where we might want to go encourages us to embrace our own story.
3. Get the inside scoop. Oftentimes job descriptions or media portrayals of an industry do not show the full picture. The best way to learn the full truth, the good and the bad, about a job or career field is to talk with someone in the midst of it. This can help you to make a truly educated decision about the direction of your career.
There really is no downside to having a professional mentor. Especially in times such as these, where uncertainty penetrates every decision, it can be exceedingly helpful to get some expert insight. If you are interested in getting connected with a professional mentor but are not sure how to go about it, reach outto learn more about the GROW mentorship program with Belmont’s chapter of PRSSA!
Leah Kuhn is a sophomore public relations major originally from the Chicago area. She is Belmont PRSSA’s current Vice President of Professional Development and formerly served as the chapter’s VP of Member Relations. To receive a GROW mentor, register to join Belmont University’s award wining PRSSA chapter and email Leah at leah.kuhn@pop.belmont.edu to receive a mentorship pairing.
It’s safe to say that no one could have predicted what the world has experienced over the past eight months. A shift from our normal routines of going to work, attending events and seeing our friends and family in-person to suddenly not being able to do so was a hard adjustment to make. Only halfway through the Spring 2020 semester, students scattered across the country were forced to finish the remainder of their classes from home. People not familiar with video technologies such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams or collaboration tools like Slack, were forced to educate themselves in order to effectively and successfully do their jobs.
Having had only one internship under my belt, I went into the summer with excitement and anticipation for the opportunities that awaited me in the fall semester. After much searching, the outlook for internships in my chosen field looked bleak. I knew that many companies would not be able to dole out an extensive internship due to the circumstances, and that if any did, it would most likely be remote. Finally, I was fortunate enough to come across and land a remote position as a publicity/marketing intern for Publisher Spotlight, a children’s book marketing firm based in Smyrna, Tennessee. Beginning the internship 450 miles away in Missouri seemed to be a daunting challenge, but quickly I learned that communicating and collaborating with my team via virtual channels was easier and more effective than ever.
I was introduced to a plethora of digital platforms that I had never heard of before. Time management tools like Toggl allowed me to track the time spent on specific projects throughout the work day, keeping me focused when my mind could have drifted due to the excessive distractions of being at home. My company utilizes Trello, a collaboration tool that organizes projects into manageable boards that tell you what’s being worked on, who’s working on what and where something is in the process. While I am not physically able to work in the office, digital technology has fostered a communicative and collaborative experience like no other.
Elizabeth Sutphin, a current PR Writing I student, also understands the challenges associated with interning in this “new normal.”
As an intern with the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, Sutphin has been tasked with redesigning and revamping an out-of-date website and social media accounts. “It’s been so interesting because everything and everyone is online right now, so I feel like people are competing for attention on the interweb,” Sutphin said.
Learning and teaching over Zoom is often a give and take, and learning how to communicate over digital channels requires time. For Sutphin, finding new ways to establish personal connections with the publics for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board was vital. “Usually we would have events with collegiate ministries across the state, but because those have been canceled, we’ve had to find new ways to connect with students and get them to hear the same resources they would be hearing if they were at an in-person conference,” Sutphin said. “We’ve been taking a step back by doing video interviews and setting up a YouTube channel featuring different series with campus ministers to try to get students from collegiate ministries connected with others.”
Many adaptations have been made to our working lives and one unifying aspect holds true–we are not in it alone. “While we’re all online, there is such a unique opportunity for people to connect with others they wouldn’t have gotten the chance to had it just been a normal semester,” Sutphin said. “There are so many more resources at your fingertips.”
Emma Schneider is a senior publishing and design communications student from Springfield, Missouri currently enrolled both Principles of Public Relations and PR Writing I. With a passion for creativity and a knack for writing, she aspires to have a marketing career in the book publishing industry. She can typically be found fulfilling her sweet tooth, listening to Shania Twain or watching “Friends” for the hundredth time.
The associated image features Social Media and Public Relations students prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Choosing a school and major are some of the hardest decisions young adults and young professionals have to make. This process can often seem monumental, definitive and just plain confusing. However, once you “find your fit” and build a home and network for yourself at your university, it often feels like all of the pros and cons lists and campus visits were all worth it. Recently, the PR at Belmont blog polled both upperclassmen and recent graduates with an important question: “Why Belmont?” Here are the responses from those who know and love our department best!
“Everyone at Belmont is so kind and genuine and they truly want to see you succeed! Also, the campus is beautiful!”- Olivia Toliver, junior
“It was the only school I visited that I felt at home. The city, the connections and the opportunities are amazing too.” – Emily Stembridge, senior
“I chose Belmont due to the small size of the PR department. I really wanted to get to know everyone and be involved and Belmont gave me that opportunity!” -Olivia Blumb, junior
“I chose Belmont because of its community, faith values and amazing Publishing program. I never expected to fall in love with Public Relations along the way. Even though it is just my minor, I have felt so at home in the PR department thanks to amazing faculty and peers. Belmont has equipped me with everything I need to feel prepared as I begin my career!” – Nicole Jones, senior
“I chose Belmont because I felt like I would be able to get more 1 on 1 attention and build stronger relationships with my classmates and advisors here than at my state school options. It also has a small town in a big city demeanor that makes campus feel like home! Additionally, the opportunity to study in NYC through the Belmont East program was the icing on the cake.”- Lucy Walsh, senior
“THE PROFESSORS. Belmont’s PR faculty are unmatched. I have no doubt they are the best PR education team in the country. Aside from their professional experience and involved teaching style, these professors are on your team. They’ve been rooting for me in all that I do and have the utmost care for students.” – Katie McAdams, senior
“What I like the most about Belmont is having the opportunity to network with people from all across the U.S. and the chance of living in such a lively city!” -Kaitlyn Drzewiecki, senior
“I chose Belmont because of the location and PR department!” -Lexi Stewart, junior
“This is still a hard one for me. I always say that my mom and sister brought me to Belmont because they both went here, so I think a better question is what made me stay? I think overall the PR department, the sociology department, and my peers are what made me stay. Without the support and guidance from all these people around me, I do not think I would have stayed. Looking back at freshman year, I have grown and changed for the better and I am happy with the progress I have made so far!” – Aliah Tayyun, senior
“I chose Belmont because I wanted to be in Nashville. Along with a PR degree I also studied Music Business so I knew I needed to be in Nashville for those two paths to combine. Belmont along with a great PR program, Belmont also allowed me to gain the music industry connections I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else.” – Jamie Anderson, Class of 2020
A private, four-year university, Belmont brings together the best of liberal arts and professional education in a Christian community of learning and service. The University’s purpose is to help students explore their passions and develop their talents to meet the world’s needs. Rewarding career opportunities are offered in public relations and Belmont University offers degrees in both public relations and social media management. Since the establishment of the public relations major at Belmont in 2004, our public relations graduates are in demand throughout the region, from coast to coast and around the world. To learn more, visit http://www.belmont.edu/pr/index.html.
As a PR student, I feel like the same piece of advice I sometimes hear over and over is “you have to become a news junkie!” While this is a great way to become a better communicator, more attuned to aspects of media relations and even a more informed citizen, this sometimes seems easier said than done. There’s so much information out there, and we all only have so many hours in the day and minutes we can spend scrolling! Here are my best tips for working smarter, not harder, to build some news junkie habits.
Use the resources at your disposal, and remember your student discounts. First things first, check the library. A little known fact is that Belmont students have free digital access to a ton of periodicals through the Lila D. Bunch databases, so make sure to use the resources that you’re already paying for through your tuition! Also, any news site operating on a subscription based model most likely offers a discounted rate for college students if they sign up with their university email address, so keep that in mind as well.
Find the format that’s right for you. You might not feel engaged reading print newspapers or sitting down to watch the evening news, and that’s okay! Be open to alternatives and test out what’s right for you. Two things I’ve picked up lately have been subscribing to newsletters like The Skimm and Morning Brew, which can deliver concise updates to your inbox every morning. Also, daily podcasts like “The Tennessean” and “The Daily” (produced by “The New York Times”) are easy to turn on when you’re driving or walking. Take some time and find your fit!
Check your facts and check your bias. Do yourself a favor and make sure you’re reading both accurate information and diverse perspectives. This might mean taking a little extra time to confirm the information you’re reading, but I think we all can agree that accuracy beats efficiency every time. Use fact checking sources like Snopes, FactCheck.org and AP Fact Check to confirm that the info you’re reading is the best of the best. Meanwhile, make sure you’re looking at a mix of local, regional and national news, and try to seek out outlets that can represent multiple political, cultural and geographical points of views.
Follow campus news. Make sure you’re reading up on our campus community! Follow accounts like @belmonttoday for daily news, and take some time to read stories from our student news organization the “Belmont Vision.” Most importantly, keep up to date with content from Belmont’s Office of Communications. Particularly during debate season and a time of COVID-19 precautions, campus communication is more important than ever! Take a look at their website, and open your weekly Bruin Breeze email as soon as it hits your inbox.
Keep these tips in mind and take the time to develop the daily habits that best fit your media needs. In no time you’ll become a tried and true news junkie, and you’ll be a better PR student and practitioner because of it!
Lucy Walsh is a senior public relations and publishing student from Evansville, Indiana. Alongside her duties as the editor of the PR at Belmont blog, she is an active executive board member of Belmont PRSSA and Belmont Ambassadors. She can typically be found listening to the full discography of Taylor Swift, walking Belmont Blvd. or writing snail mail to her friends and family.
Studying abroad has many obvious benefits: learning new cultures, experiencing new things
and building friendships that will last a lifetime. When I embarked on my first, second and third
study abroad programs during my time at Belmont, these benefits were apparent to me. But
what I didn’t know was that studying abroad would not only make me a more well-rounded
person, but also a better public relations student. Here are three stories from my time abroad
that highlight what prepared me to be a better student and successful PR practitioner.
1. Planning- Belmont in England: Month in London
My first trip abroad was in the summer of 2018. At the time, it was the largest Belmont study
abroad program ever, with well over 80 students and faculty flying across the Atlantic. As study
abroad students quickly learn, you are faced with free time in between all your group activities
and your coursework (yes, you will still have coursework). What you do with this free time is
entirely up to you — which means you have to plan. Planning is one of the most vital steps in the
public relations process, and is just as important to your travels abroad. I used this opportunity
to plan a trip to France.
I quickly recruited two friends to join me, with the understanding that I would provide the entire
schedule for the weekend. It was a hefty task, but spending hours on research, ticket buying,
and itinerary building was all worth it when my friends and I headed back to England following a
successful, memory-filled trip to France.
It feels good to know you’re capable of bringing an idea, or several ideas, to fruition, and it feels
even better when your planning positively impacts someone else, too. I could rest well knowing I
was partially responsible for memories that I, and my friends, will cherish for our entire lives.
This hands-on practice carried over into my public relations Campaigns class the next semester.
In that class, I was part of a group that was tasked with creating an PR Campaign, with a huge
emphasis on planning. My group later won a Nashville PRSA student Parthenon award for our
work. Planning my trip to France gave me real-world experience in planning, and I think it
deserves credit for my success later on in the classroom.
2. Teamwork- Belmont in Italy: Revolutions in Science
The following summer, I had quite a different experience while traveling to Italy. This program
consisted of 16 students and faculty, which meant there was a lot more team involvement, a
tighter schedule and overall a stronger sense of camaraderie. We were put in smaller groups for
our final project, but even the broader group of 16 taught me lessons about teamwork I never
knew I needed to learn. During this trip, we did everything together, similarly to how a PR
agency or department functions. Every PR student knows that we are notorious for doing group
projects in our classes; it’s actually part of why many people choose public relations as a major.
This serves us well because in a PR firm you are almost always working in a team setting to
best serve your clients. As a result, the values of honesty, integrity and hard work are instilled in
us from the very first day of PR intro class.
Being around this group in such unique circumstances highlighted the importance of extending grace to team members and co-workers, but also being firm in yourself and your expectations. For example, the importance of homework and exams were not lost on me, but I also realized that sometimes you just have to stop and
soak up the moment. This trip showed me what excellent teamwork looks like: friendship, grace
and a lot of fun sprinkled in along the way. It set the standard for my future groups in the PR
department, and ultimately made me a better leader across campus and in those groups.
3. Budgeting- Belmont Abroad Exchange: Regent’s University
This spring, I decided to return to London to complete an entire semester abroad. Unfortunately,
that semester was cut short due to COVID-19, but that didn’t stop me from soaking up all the
PR experiences I could during my (almost) three months there. For this trip, budgeting was
essential. In my previous weeks-long or one month long trip, budgeting was of course important,
but much easier to do than during a five month long stay abroad.
I sat down with my parents to plan out (remember lesson one?) a general budget for my time in
London. Writing out a budget for my trip, and then actually sticking to it, was truly an invaluable
life lesson which I know I will use both personally and professionally in the future. Budgeting
involved estimating monthly costs, looking ahead at future expenses and coming up with a
reasonable amount of wiggle-room for emergencies. As public relations Professionals, we have
many opportunities to build and use a budget, and the aspects of estimating costs and planning
for wiggle room go into creating that budget. From campaign launches to purchasing ads and
renting venues, PR pros need to know how to handle money. The necessity of doing this as a
study abroad student prepared me for the day when I am inevitably tasked with creating a
campaign budget for a company or client.
There are two main reasons I was so drawn to Belmont University: Extensive options for
studying abroad and its highly-accredited public relations department. After three trips abroad
and three and a half years studying PR at Belmont, I can definitively say that I made the right
choice. My experience as a student has been significantly enhanced by my decision to pursue
studying abroad, and I now know I will be a better PR practitioner, and person, because of it.
Emily Stembridge is a November 2020 graduate of Belmont University, studying public relations and corporate communications. A Birmingham native, she has found a passion for writing and traveling through her time at Belmont. She has sharpened her writing skills through internship experiences with two Nashville PR agencies, Belmont’s own Tower Creative Communications and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Nestled under the stairs of the Janet Ayers Academic Center on Belmont University’s campus is a small room that is more often than not, bustling with student activity. Recently, that room is quiet, and it is difficult to find a student working there like you would have one year ago. Instead, the creative juices flow online in a Zoom meeting twice a week as the associates and directors of Tower Creative Communications plan their next project. As one of only 20 student-run, PRSSA-affiliated public relations firms in the United States, Belmont’s Tower Creative is a unique opportunity for all students on campus. Consisting of on average a dozen associates each semester, TCC acts as a practicum that lets students try their hand at real life agency work and work with actual clients to develop public relations strategies and tactics. Each week, the members of the firm meet twice to collaborate on their client activities and dedicate an hour to working on client accounts. Here, the team works together as a cohesive group and is overseen by the panel of student directors who facilitate meetings, organize tasks and manage the expectations of associates and clients.
Past
Tower Creative Communications was started 13 years ago in an effort to encourage students to expand their learning beyond the classroom. Since that time, over 100 associates have participated and many say it really helped them develop the skills they needed to enter the workforce. Chelsea Lomartire, a former executive director, calls Tower Creative “one of the best experiences [she has] ever had” and recommends joining to everyone.
Present
Life at Tower has recently changed. With the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tower Creative Communications has switched to a fully online format, which brings new insights and challenges. “Working with everyone online has been interesting,” said a current associate, who wished to remain anonymous, “I miss seeing everyone in person, but the online stuff has given us a chance to develop new skills that we can bring to our professional lives after Belmont. Who knows when we’ll be in an office? So, learning [to use online tools like Zoom] is awesome!”
For the Fall 2020 semester, associates are working as one large team focused on one client all semester, following a more in-house model of public relations development. Behaving in this hive mindset has created a tightknit community that intermingles with each other in and outside of the work environment. With all the creative minds working towards a common goal for one client, TCC and its associates are able to craft a comprehensive campaign and do more work than ever for their client. As a functioning PR firm, delivering great work to the clients is essential to Tower Creative. Given that the work of TCC is focused online, this year has been based in social media. Belmont University’s public relations department has recently unveiled its new social media management major, and Tower Creative Communications is a great place for a complete immersion experience that allows for hands-on work every day.
Future
Part of the reason TCC has stood the test of time is due to its inclusivity. Although primarily communication and public relations majors, Tower Creative Communications’ one-credit practicum is open to any student who is interested. This allows for a diversified group of associates and encourages inter-departmental relationship building. In college, it is easy to stay within your college or major because it is your primary focus. Through having open enrollment, Tower lets students visit other disciplines and learning skills that are marketable in any future work setting, such as professional communication and working in a team.
Additionally, this firm is a great resume builder and free elective. Every day at Tower Creative is one that is spent learning and developing marketable skills that directly correlate to skills needed both inside and outside of the classroom. Many associates use the connections they form here to launch their careers. Most students report that TCC is the first item on their resumes that potential employers ask about and is often the item they are most impressed by at the end of the interview. Working in an agency setting while in school and gaining class credit gives a student a competitive edge when it comes to their peers, which is definitely a large portion of the appeal of Tower Creative.
Wherever a student’s talent lies, Tower Creative Communications is the forum to expand upon that talent. Tower Creative is always looking for new members to fill their vacant spaces in the next semester. The team of associates and directors at Tower Creative are working especially hard to ensure that the organization lasts for many more years to come. As you look around the Creative Grounds, bustling with student activity and collaboration, you can see the dedication in every keystroke and mood-lightening joke. The people in Tower Creative want to see it succeed and want to bring others into the firm so that they can reap the rewards that Tower Creative Communications has to offer everyone who participates.
Abigail Roering is a double major in Public Relations and Social Media Management and currently serves as the Executive Director of Tower Communications. If you’re interested in joining Tower Creative as an associate or working with as a client, please check out the website, www.towercreative.org.
While comfort levels vary concerning travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, high school students navigating the college search process are taking on a whole new experience than those who’ve enrolled before them. This is most likely one of the biggest commitments they have ever individually gotten to make, and they’re doing it at ages 16-18 during some really peculiar times! Even five years later I can remember how much anticipation and sometimes stress I put on myself to reconcile if the best choice, safest choice, most fun choice, most cost effective choice and most growth-inducing choice could somehow all line up to be the same thing. By some miracle, Belmont has been able to become all of those things to me, and now serving as a Bruin Recruiter for Belmont’s Office of Admissions I get to help prospective public relations students navigate the same thing. After having the first virtual Preview Day of the 2020-2021 academic year under my belt, I finally feel qualified to share some advice on how to make the most of the college admissions processes, even if you’re doing it from home for now!
DON’T: Forget to register in advance!
Signing up online is a simple process, and it ensures that Belmont will be expecting you. While this is a no cost event, reservations are still required so admissions counselors and academic colleges can prepare accordingly. Also, this creates a BU4U account that can be used to schedule future visits or even apply to the university during a high school student’s senior year! To register for an upcoming preview day, visit http://www.belmont.edu/admissions/visiting/previewday/index.html.
DO: Consider academics!
While you might not have to pack your car or book a flight, it is still best to put some work in before a virtual visit. One of the most important things to take a look at is what major or academic college you might want to visit during our academic sessions. Listing a major on your registration isn’t like signing a marriage certificate- you aren’t in any way making a binding or lasting commitment! However, it’s always a good idea to have a starting place that lines up with some of your interests.
For example, I love speaking to prospective students interested in public relations, but I would also never hesitate to refer them to our friends in the media studies or marketing departments if they decided they wanted to explore related fields! Additionally, you might think you could see yourself as an entrepreneur, but then learn that a degree in creative and entertainment industries or Christian leadership could help get you to that goal. That’s what these visits are all about! Pick a starting place, but feel free to explore. Learn more about each academic college here: http://www.belmont.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools.html.
DON’T: Think that you can’t get a well rounded touring experience virtually.
When you think about it, people have traditionally chosen restaurants and booked vacations virtually all the time. While making a four year commitment is a bit bigger than a weekend getaway or dinner reservation, you can still apply some of those same skills to scoping out services within things like dining services and residential life. Engage with the virtual tours, and put your Yelp and VRBO stalking skills to work! You can watch virtual residence hall and campus tours here: http://www.belmont.edu/admissions/visiting/online-info-sessions.html.
DO: Make it personal!
The entire collection of staff, faculty and current students hosting Preview Day and other admissions events are truly there because they want to spend time helping you feel at home on Belmont’s campus, so engage with them meaningfully with any questions you have! No one wants you to feel like just another muted mic in a Zoom room, so speak up if you need clarification or have a really specific concern. We love hearing people ask about things like what it might be like for a student moving from Chicago who hasn’t spent a lot of time in Nashville or how a student could potentially blend their love of both music and politics.
On the other side of the coin, feel free to ask staff and students about their own personal Belmont experiences! Some of my favorite Preview Day memories have come from personal moments where parents have asked my advisor why she wanted to teach at Belmont instead of her former state university, and I vividly remember students wanting to know about my own experience going to a different college as my twin brother. In my opinion, the people are truly what makes Belmont University special, and I promise that we want to get to know you as you might want to get to know us!
At this time, it is undetermined if Preview Days for the rest of the academic year will be able to operate in an in-person capacity, but mark your calendars accordingly to join us on November 7th and 14th! However, I am sure that with these do’s and don’ts in mind that you can make the most of any virtual, hybrid or on campus experience that those days may hold! To learn more about preview days, contact the Office of Admissions or Dr. Kevin Trowbridge.
Lucy Walsh is a senior public relations and publishing student from Evansville, Indiana. Alongside her duties as the editor of the PR at Belmont blog, she is an active executive board member of Belmont PRSSA and Belmont Ambassadors. She can typically be found listening to the full discography of Taylor Swift, walking Belmont Blvd. or writing snail mail to her friends and family. The photo included in this post was taken during the November 2019 Preview Day.
When I imagined myself graduating college, I envisioned landing a dream public relations job in Washington D.C., living in an apartment in the city and applying the knowledge I’ve learned over the past four years into the start of my career. Unfortunately like everyone else, COVID-19 drastically changed these circumstances. Instead, I was forced to finish my degree and internship at Delight Ministries from home, and begin a long season of applying for jobs and waiting.
I became saved during my senior year of high school and college led me to grow even closer to God. However I have always struggled with putting God first in my life. Spending time in prayer and in the Bible was always something in the back burner of my brain. Once I moved back home, I knew quarantine was going to be a tough and transformative season, and made it a priority to grow closer to the Lord and put Him first. I set up a corner in my room as my “prayer corner” and dove into devotionals each morning. I began to enjoy the stillness of the season and wanted to help others find the peace during a crazy time.
During college I had written a blog that discussed my faith, advice and trials I went through, and published a devotional story for Delight Ministries. Many people had come up to me and told me these stories have affected them in some way, that I wanted to grow my blog even further and help others during this season.
During quarantine, I decided to create an Instagram page, @createdbycare_, that encouraged college and young adult women that they are cared for by Christ and have a purpose. I started off by creating graphics on InDesign with motivational words and scripture aimed at bringing people closer to God. I ended up writing a few more blog posts, created a Pinterest account, and an Etsy page where I sold mugs that said “created for a purpose”!
However, over time I felt burned out. I had put in so much effort and wasn’t getting as many results as I had hoped for. I fell into the bad habit of spending time in my prayer corner with God and posting about what I had read that day. I was comparing myself to other Christian bloggers and was only posting to get content posted. My heart wasn’t in it anymore and I abruptly took a break from my account.
While I’m not completely done with @createdbycare_, I’ve learned that it takes time to effectively grow a brand. Even though I was using the tactics I learned in my public relations classes, I wasn’t seeing overnight growth and felt burned out. Ultimately I think it’s because I was doing what I thought other people wanted and was trying to grow it as fast as I could, instead of figuring out what I wanted my brand to look like.
There are millions of opinions out there telling you what to do, but if you aren’t loving the work you’re doing you won’t feel fulfilled and can’t help others. While I’ve stepped back and shifted my focus to applying for PR jobs, I plan to return to @createdbycare_ stronger than ever with a refreshed vision and mindset to create a community where we grow with The Lord together.
Caroline Baugher is a 2020 graduate of Belmont University, where she studied both public relations and journalism. She originally hails from the great state of Virginia, and she has a strong passion for women’s ministry. She is a published blogger and has contributed to devotionals for Delight Ministries.
I’m Evan Dorian, a Belmont student who’s taking a gap year during the 2020-2021 school year. There’s nothing that hasn’t already been said about how “unprecedented” the events of this year have been, so I’ll save all of that and instead talk a little about the pros of taking a gap year during a pandemic.
I like to think that I’m relatively aware of the potential fallout of the coronavirus pandemic as it relates to my college experience, so when we were sent home from Belmont in March, I was pretty sure that would be the last time I’d be on campus for quite some time. And while many students were eagerly preparing to return to campus in the fall with everything “back to normal” I came to realize that that was an impossibility.
I truly respect the dedication of the thousands of Belmont students who returned to campus and have been playing their part in ensuring a safe experience for the others who did. But I instead elected to stay at home this semester, and almost assuredly the spring semester as well, for my own sake as well as the sake of my higher-risk parents.
While many students across the world have decided to stay home but enroll in a full slate of online classes, I couldn’t bring myself to give up a whole semester’s worth of my Belmont experience while I stay at home, or even to go to campus and subject myself to the risks associated with doing so. I valued the experiences of my first year at Belmont too much to miss out on the many aspects of the college experience that are not socially distant and are better without masks and risk of infection.
I’m privileged enough to be able to essentially put the rest of my Belmont experience on hold. I don’t feel like I’m abandoning Belmont by any means, but rather saving the rest of my time there for when the time is right. In the meantime, I do have some idea of how to make the most of my year off. I won’t be hiking through Europe or sampling Southeast Asian cuisine, but I will be making connections and developing skills that can help me regain my footing in the educational and professional world when I return to it.
I started a blog called “Mind the Gap” to chronicle my gap year, but it took a little bit of a different shape than I expected it to, and I think I’ll be changing it even more in the future. I was skeptical that Belmont students would be returning to campus at all, so I was operating on the expectation that it could serve as a means of helping the student body feel unified over social media while they were apart. I think it did for a time, but now that students are actually on campus, I think the blog would be better served by content that’s relevant to just me – I’m okay with giving myself the spotlight sometimes!
What I hope to do with my gap year is what may very well fill the blog – and while I’ve got two online classes to worry about, I have an idea of what I want my next big personal project to be. Any public relations major will tell you that networking is key, and I personally love networking. While I miss the in-person aspect of networking, it’s easy (sometimes surprisingly so) to get a hold of people with whom you want to connect. As a sports fan interested in public relations, social media management and communication in general, a dream job of mine would be to work in PR and/or social media for a professional sports team. The return of the NBA season and a desire to network inspired me to put together a comprehensive list of as many people I could find in the PR and social media departments of the 30 NBA teams so I can “cold call” them over the course of the next few months.
I dipped my toe into networking earlier in the summer when a friend and I reached out to some sports journalists and broadcasters, but I feel more confident now than ever before that PR is where I’m most comfortable and successful, so I’d like to embark on a networking project that supports my goal of becoming a better PR student.
It’ll be a difficult experience waiting out the next year before I hope to return to Belmont in person, vaccinated against COVID-19, but I’m hopeful about what I can accomplish in the interim.
Evan Dorian Belmont student who, you guessed it, is taking a gap year right now. He’s completed his freshman year and is taking a handful of credit hours over the next two semesters to maintain enrollment. Evan is a proud PR major, and one of the directors of Tower Creative Communications, Belmont’s student-run firm. He’s a fan of basketball, jigsaw puzzles and basketball jigsaw puzzles.
Welcome to Zoom Belmont University’s class of 2024! As this was not what anyone could have predicted the year to be, I would have never in a million years imagined to be starting my college freshman year off through a screen while I was still home in the midwest. However, I am glad to have started this crazy journey at Belmont University, even if it started with a worldwide pandemic outbreak.
They say what makes the school atmosphere lively and bright are the students, but I believe that all the staff justly deserve some of that appreciation as well! I have not even been a college student for even a month, yet I have never felt an enormous amount of belonging, than what I have experienced through Belmont. First, the dedication of all the staff deserves a round of applause. Whether it is the late nights or early mornings, the staff have spent an enormous amount of time planning every last detail to make each student still feel a sense of welcomeness, even if it is through a screen. Even though completing college from a Zoom account is not ideal for anyone, I have loved how professors have been creating breakout sessions to connect the class, so that we can learn more about each other while still being engaged with the lesson. For example, in my Public Relations Principles course, we have already been broken into several weekly breakout sessions to discuss the lesson and how it applies within an organization. With Belmont offering this course to freshmen, I am already able to be exposed and aware of what makes a strategic and dedicated public relations practitioner. I always leave this class in awe and amazement from all that I have learned in such a short amount of time! I have no doubt that with the help of all the PR professors at Belmont and the community of Nashville, I am able to learn how to become the best practitioner that I can.
One of my biggest worries with staying digital for the fall semester, was that I wouldn’t be able to meet new friends through a screen, but I was proven wrong! The Belmont students that I have met are from all around the country, and they all share an eagerness to get to know each other. This eagerness makes me even more excited to one day move on campus and meet all of them in person! This is one of the many numerous reasons why I chose to call Belmont University my home for the next four years. It continues to be a safe, loving, Christian atmosphere for all, and it’s filled with students and staff that are supportive and encouraging. By motivating each student to find who they are and why God placed them on this earth, Belmont has helped students feel a sense of belonging and purpose in this world.
I could dwell on the negatives of not being able to experience the “normal” college start of a freshman student, but instead I continue to choose to think positive and think of all that Belmont has given me already. I have already been greeted with welcomed arms from my Towering Traditions group, created several strong friendships, have introduced myself to all my professors and all of that has been completed through a digital screen! My heart already feels a sense of joy as I look ahead at all the opportunities that Belmont offers their students and the guidance that is given to us by the outstanding staff members. Therefore, as I start this journey I am already reminded of the great future that is ahead for me. I may be 435 miles away, but Belmont University has made me feel even closer than that!
Noelle Peters is a freshman public relations major from Illinois. Beginning her freshmen curriculum online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she will be a member of Belmont’s class of 2024. Noelle holds a great amount of love for her friends, family and faith, and she is both excited and optimistic about the opportunities Belmont University has to offer her.
