BA in Communication

Matthew Odom, 2017

What was your degree program?

BA in communication, concentration in media production and criticism

Minor in Italian studies

What work are you doing now? 

I'm an Intern at a crowdtesting start-up in Munich, Germany. Specifically, I work in community management, social media, proofreading/editing/writing, and Italian-English translations for business.

What do you like about it? *Let us know about what you find particularly engaging or rewarding in your work. About four to five sentences.

I love working for a start-up. The people are really nice and generally young, and the working environment is really relaxed. Also, my colleagues are very international (German, American, Spanish, Romanian, Indian, etc.). Working and living abroad is a great experience and I would recommend it to anyone. Also, there's great upward mobility here and I'm hoping to be offered a permanent position soon.

How did your degree in the college prepare you to do this work?

My communication major really helped - it laid the foundation and allowed me to get all my past internships. In each experience, I learned something different that allowed me to get to this point. Studying Italian as my minor helped me re-connect with my ethnic roots and led me to living and working in Italy for a year, which turned out was beneficial for my career after!

What advice would you give current students about developing their careers?

Get as much internship experience as an undergraduate while you can - it's crucial to your job prospects after university. Also, never be afraid to study what you enjoy. I did and it turned out to be very useful and enjoyable.