Where are you from and what were you doing before enrolling in graduate school? 

I was born in Memphis, Tennessee but I grew up in San Diego, California. Before my start in the Master of Communication Management program, I was all over the place. Throughout my undergrad experience as a behavioral neuroscience major at Northeastern University, I always thought that biotech was the path for me. My first job postgrad was working in protein production at a pharmaceutical company, however I quickly realized that working in a lab was not for me. After that experience, I transitioned into recruiting, where I worked as a talent coordinator at several different tech companies. Following several layoffs, I took some time off to reevaluate my career path. During that time I did some part time gig work as a dancer. 

How did you learn of the degree program and why did you choose USC Annenberg? 

While exploring potential careers that aligned with my skills and interests, I discovered market research. My initial interest in neuroscience stemmed from a desire to understand human behavior, and I found market research’s focus on analyzing behavior and uncovering trends both fascinating and fitting. After a bit more digging into the field, I found several job opportunities that I was interested in, but not qualified for. I then input several of the job descriptions into ChatGPT and asked it to find a graduate program that would allow me to develop the skills I need in order to get those jobs. Sure enough, the master of communication program at Annenberg was the top result. I was immediately drawn to the course offerings and program flexibility; it had everything I was looking for. 

What have you enjoyed the most about the degree program? 

Although it has only been one semester, my experience at Annenberg so far has been great. For the first time in my life, I feel like I am learning about topics I am actually interested in. I also love how accessible all the faculty are. I have not had to wait more than 12 hours to get an email response from both my professors and career advisor. Additionally, everyone I have met in my cohort so far has been wonderful. During undergrad, I absolutely loathed group work, however all the group work I have done at Annenberg has been seamless. I am truly looking forward to the rest of the program.