Students Come and Go Throughout College, They

¶ … students come and go throughout college, they are likely to meet many people who influence their lives. In my case, I was lucky enough to interview Civil Rights activist Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth last year as part of my pursuit of a career in media relations. Among the many insightful comments made by the Reverend, I was able to immediately connect to one and use it as an inspiration in my life. He said, "I think you can best do God's work if you can be serious, be joyful, be kind, be benevolent, and be happy doing it." thought about many of the remarks Reverend Shuttlesworth said to me that day. I use his words as advice for my spiritual life and his insights as words of wisdom in staying focused on my career goal. The mix of happiness, staunchness, and kindness are ones which will make for a peaceful venture throughout my career in graduate school and beyond. One of my main goals in life, like millions of others, is to have a career that is satisfying, rewarding and fulfilling. By following the Reverend's advice, and my own goals, I feel that I will attain the successful, happy life I seek. The best way for me to achieve all of this is by attending graduate school in the University of Alabama's Advertising and Public Relations Masters Program.

While I think that my passion for life and relentless pursuit of a career are both outstanding qualities for a student to have, I do not want to overlook my academic achievements. I recently graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Arts in Telecommunications and Film. My concentration is in Broadcast News.

While going through school I always imagined myself as a news anchor for a big network. However, as I was working through my undergraduate studies, I realized many more choices through the diverse courses offered at Alabama. After assessing my situation many times and researching possible career fields, I have amended my field of interest to Public Relations. The skills I have mastered and the experience I have gained over the past several years at school and through work make me a prime candidate in the Public Relations field.

I presently work part time for the university as the morning news anchor for Alabama Public Radio. While this position has offered a tremendous experience, I can also draw on my work in radio over the past two years. I began working in public radio shortly after I transferred to the university. I also took advantage of other valuable resources in the College of Communication as an on-air reporter for WVUA for more than eight months. In addition, I worked as an assistant producer for the Center for Public Television. I've spent so many hours at Reese Phifer it seems like my second home. I have learned that versatility is also an essential aspect of a career in this field. I was a radio anchor/reporter by day, a TV reporter by night, and I managed to fit in 20 hours a week working for CPT. To me, the ability to have a first-class education and relevant work experience are the keys to success, along with the personality traits associated with anybody who deals with the public.

After Graduate School, I would like to use my Masters Degree in Advertising and Public Relations to work in Public Relation or Media Relations at a college or university. Among my strengths are that I am goal oriented, ambitious, organized, and self-motivated. In working so prominently with people during my tenure here, I realized that I work extremely well with all types of people and personalities. I feel confident that I possess the necessary tools and work ethic to represent a college or university to its utmost standards.

The only detriment on my candidacy for the APR Masters Program is my GRE score. However, my score does not reflect my capabilities of doing well in the program. Throughout college I have never earned a grade below a "B." I feel that this serves as a better barometer for the type of student who will be working in such a demanding field. I feel that my grade point average better reflects my work ethic and organizational skills than a test which is taken over just a few hours.