What Hubbard Can Do For You
Linda is a senior majoring in strategic communication. She has been involved in many different programs throughout her time in the school. As she reflected upon her past semesters, Linda explains why she chose Hubbard and how the school helped set her up for success in her future.
Why choose Hubbard?
When first coming to the University of Minnesota, Linda reflected on how she, like many other college students, wasn’t sure of the exact path she wanted to take. She originally thought about majoring in political science and then general communications. However, eventually Linda was able to find her way to strategic communications. She said, “I got introduced to an account director at Target... when I found strategic communications and it was more advertising, that’s how I came to Hubbard.”
Through Hubbard, Linda reflected on how she was able to find a sense of community. She discussed how collaborative strategic communication is, and how she was able to grow close to her peers because of this. She said, “It’s really cool to notice what your peers’ strengths are and what they have in them.” Through working with her peers, Linda found that having a group dynamic is something that she values. She said, “I need the teams around me to keep me motivated.” Through Hubbard, she was able to find a community that challenges her and makes her create the best possible work.
How can students best get involved within the school?
From classes, to clubs, to student groups, Hubbard has many different ways that students can get involved. Linda has been a part of many different groups in Hubbard including the National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC) course, BackPack Communications, the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and Ad Club. Through being so active in different groups, Linda has been able to find what avenue of strategic communication is right for her. She discussed the skills she was able to learn from each of these groups, and how rewarding the opportunities were.
When discussing NSAC, Linda said, “NSAC was the most difficult thing that I have been a part of. I dealt with imposter syndrome, but I learned a lot about how campaigns are put together from the beginning to the end. It was a hard but rewarding opportunity.” Linda also reflected on how rewarding BackPack Communications has been for her. She said, “Backpack has spoken a lot to my leadership skills. I think having a student-led agency is very unique- something that a lot of schools do not have. It has given me the confidence to go out there and share my ideas.”
Outside of student groups, Linda also reflected on how students can get involved through their coursework. When asked about a class that stood out to her the most, Linda said, “The [course] I always recommend students to take is the strategic communication case analysis class. It was a perfect challenge to think about everything that could go into a campaign and exercised a lot of skills I did and didn’t have.” The Hubbard School has an abundance of opportunities for students to get involved and learn skills that they will use in their future careers.
What opportunities can be found through Hubbard?
One large benefit of the Hubbard School is that it is based in Minneapolis. There are many strategic communication opportunities in the city, which can help students find internships and job opportunities. When asked about the importance of the school’s location, Linda said, “It is huge that Hubbard is in Minneapolis. I think that other areas have a harder barrier of entry because there aren't too many options and people. It is a perfect place since there are a lot of options.” Hubbard also can help students facilitate relationships with professionals in the field that they are interested in.
When asked about any advice Linda could give to other Hubbard students, she said, “ Talk to others within the community. The effort that you put into it is the effort that you will get out of it. Do not feel the need to do everything, do research to avoid doing things that you will not end up enjoying.” Through being involved in so many aspects of her college career, Linda has been able to find what the right fit for her future was.
