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

I’m born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Before coming to graduate school I was actually working as a FedEx delivery driver. I graduated from the University of Minnesota in December 2020 and was feeling pretty confident that I would get into USC, so I used that as a bridge until I moved to California with my girlfriend. 

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

Both my sister-in-law and brother-in-law are alumni of USC, and knew I had interests in public relations/advertising and really encouraged me to look into the program. Once I started looking into the program I really started to fall in love with the curriculum at Annenberg, as well as the skills I would have an opportunity to develop. I also had this feeling that as a community, the professors and instructors really invested in their students and weren’t just a statistic in their classroom. Something I must say is absolutely true!

What have you enjoyed the most about the degree program?

I would say I have enjoyed the level of involvement and dedication my professors have shown during my time. It really seems as if they care about my success and my ability to learn the skills and materials. Rather than just plugging along and powering through, they’ve demonstrated an understanding that some students may struggle with material more than others and provide ample opportunities to further help their understanding. It makes you feel valued as an individual.