Sara Wagner graduated in 2017 with a B.A. in Strategic and Corporate Communication and a B.A. in Psychology. We caught up with Sara to hear about her Chapman experience and how her communication degree prepared her prepare for life after college. If you want to connect with Sara, you can find her on LinkedIn.

Where do you work and what is your job title?
I work at NVIDIA as a Deep Learning Institute Training Programs Manager

What does your job entail?
I Coordinate logistics to train developers, data scientists, and researchers in Artificial Intelligence and Accelerated Computing at events, trade shows, customer sites, and public workshops. We have trained over 200,000 unique individuals worldwide.

Tell us about your job search process.
I had a family friend that had a job opening on her team at NVIDIA. The team needed help immediately, I was graduating a semester early and could move there quickly to start, so they hired me as a contractor. About six months later, they created a full-time position for me and signed me as a full-time employee.

Tell us about your internship experience while at Chapman.
I found two of my internships through the Chapman job fair, which I think is one of the most valuable resources Chapman offers for its students and alumni. I had the opportunity to explore two avenues- writing for an online magazine and helping rebrand a 501c non-profit organization by creating a website and more. It gave me such great hands-on experience that helped me decide marketing was not my thing!

Why did you choose Chapman University and the School of Communication?
I chose Chapman because I wanted to be an athlete and receive an excellent education. I loved the size of the classrooms and how you could have a personal relationship with all of your professors.

How has your School of Communication degree benefited you in your career?
My Strategic and Corporate Communication senior seminar class prepared me so well for job hunting, equipping us with interview tips, resume workshops, and knowledge on researching companies before interviewing. Generally, I got experience in marketing, economics, cross-cultural communication, and more. The program was everything in one.

What advice do you have for undergraduate students or recent graduates?
Do as much hands-on, application-focused work as you can. I know this sounds clichè, but the more you put into your work, the more you will learn and grow. At Chapman, I accidentally signed up for a huge role in a big campaign project. I was not happy at first, but in the end, it turned out to be the most beneficial for me and my skill set, especially in job interviewing.