It’s been long while since my last post! For this I apologize :). Since my last post, I graduated!!!! Yes, I am now a City College of New York Alumni. I graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s in Communications, specializing in advertising/PR (obviously ;)). I still can’t believe that graduation was just three weeks ago! It feels like it has been ages already.
My last semester at CCNY was not an easy one. The most difficult class, I’m sure the rest of my former classmates can agree on, was workshop. Every semester, the ad/PR program concludes with this thesis course. The class is broken up into teams, where they will each come up with an integrated marketing communications campaign for the client; selected by the professors. I decided to take workshop with professors Tag and Appelbaum. These are the two toughest women in the whole department, maybe even the whole school! Even then, I’m glad I chose them. Their tough nature helped us mold and produce the best work they have seen in a while. I knew what I was getting myself into but I never thought the stress levels were going to be that intense!
Our client was the Boniuk Center for Religious Tolerance at Rice University in Texas. Odd, right? We were all looking at each other with confused faces the first day of workshop. We were asked to promote religious tolerance at CCNY with a full campaign on campus. The client, Mr. Mike Pardee, was then going to come to campus at the end of the semester and watch out client pitches and select the campaign he deemed best to translate onto the Rice University campus.
We broke into team during the first week of February and went to work. I have to say, it was not easy. Not even one bit during the entire semester. We did push through and came out with a great campaign.
My great team, GRIT Communications! Credit: Alicia Lyons via Facebook
Although my team lost, everyone in the class did awesomely. I couldn’t be more proud of my team and the rest of my classmates.
The whole class!
Credit: Alicia Lyons via Facebook
A few weeks later, it was graduation day. The day we thought was never going to come! We all marched down the Marshak Plaza, clad in purple and black caps and gowns; many with their honors ropes. The Media and Communications Department was no doubt, the LOUDEST and the PROUDEST group during the Humanities Dept. ceremony! It was such a great relief to finally walk across the stage and feel that sense of accomplishment. It was a long four years but I wouldn’t change a thing.
Now, I am trying to hustle hard for a job. I did have an internship at Y&R that I loved and learned a lot about the industry from. However, all good things must come to an end. While I am sad it didn’t turn into something full time, I am happy because I can explore the many other agencies in New York City. You’d be surprised to know how many there are on this tiny little island; all of which are recognized and produce excellent work. While I continue to hustle, I will try to post here more often. I can’t lose this little gem!
For now, the “vacation” and job hunt continues!
Confessions of an Ad/PR Graduate 