SIU PRSSA Southern Illinois University Public Relations Student Society of America
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Transitioning from college to the “real world” can be quite scary especially in the times of the virus, Covid-19. With such uncertainty during these times, I decided to reach out to an old member of PRSSA, Haven Thompson, to get an idea of what the real world looks like during these horrific times. Haven Thompson was once a beloved member of SIUC PRSSA.
When Haven first joined, she was a general member. As time progressed, she interviewed for the position of Vice President of Operations for PRSSA and got the gig! She was also the director of Pyramid, an organization that deals with journalism, during her time in college. Haven was very successful in college and we expected nothing less when she graduated. Haven graduated in 2020 with a major in Agriculture Communication and a minor in Marketing and Agribusiness Economics. Haven explained the difficulty in getting a job due to Covid but she was able to land herself a job as a Marketing Specialist for an Agriculture Cooperative in central Iowa.
When asked how she likes her job, she explains, “I enjoy my job most days. Things have been very different with COVID, so a lot of the marketing campaigns we would usually run, we aren’t this year. Things have been a little slower, but it has allowed me more time to learn about the industry and all the things the company does.”
This is not a shock due to just how much college life has shifted during these times. From online classes to minimal face to face interactions, the world is completely changing but Haven had advice for the people who are about to graduate. She says, “Don’t be too hard on yourself. I know it seems like you should have everything figured out by the time you graduate but that’s false. No one really knows what they are doing with their life when they graduate. Take a breath and don’t stress too much, whatever is meant to be will happen.” That’s great advice Haven and I’m sure many people need to hear that.
Haven explains that when she is stressed, she loves to read and hike. It is important to find something you enjoy to take your mind off things! As I was wrapping things up with Haven, I wondered what PRSSA has done for her in anyway. She expressed, “PRSSA gave that real world PR experience that helped me showcase some of my work with campaigns. I also met a lot of great people that I know I will keep in touch with and can go to for professional advice.” Thank you for sharing your experience Haven and we wish you well!
