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

Hi there! My name is Yanisa, and I am from Thailand, the land of smiles! 

Ever since I was a little kid, I have always been fascinated by the entertainment industry. So, I chose motion pictures and still photography as the major for my undergraduate degree. 

After graduation, I joined one of the best movie studios in Thailand as their online marketing executive. Although my love for the entertainment industry never really faded, I felt like I wanted to explore the world with my own eyes. 

After almost two years of planning marketing and promotional campaigns for the studio, I left and began flying around the world as a flight attendant for Thai Airways. 

But life is never easy as it should be. The pandemic had hit everyone hard, especially people in the airline industry like me. I was, however, lucky to be invited to plan and produce creative online content for the airline during the no-fly period. 

I love everything that I have done and really appreciate the experiences I have gone through.

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

I first heard about the communication management program at Annenberg when I was in my senior year. I thought that if I ever going to be applying for a master’s degree, CMGT at Annenberg would be my top choice. 

However, I enjoyed the work I was doing so much that I completely forgot about pursuing another degree. But the pandemic and what comes with it urged me to learn more and know more. On top of that, the fun and excitement that I had when I was producing online content for my airline made me realize that communication and marketing have always been my niche. So, I decided to apply for the communication management program at USC Annenberg, as it has always been my dream school.  

What have you enjoyed the most about the degree program?

I love hearing interesting stories and sharing ideas with professors from the industry I am passionately interested in. I feel that it is an opportunity that I may never find elsewhere, and I really appreciate that Annenberg has provided us such experiences.

Another great thing about USC Annenberg is its location. As I have mentioned above, I am in love with the entertainment industry. So, studying in the same city where Hollywood happened is like a dream come true.