Essie Uribe is a May 2017 graduate from Chapman University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Strategic and Corporate Communication. She took a few minutes this summer to tell us a little bit about her first position after graduation in digital marketing.

Tell us about your position.

I work in digital marketing for Penhall Technologies, a company that scans concrete and other surfaces for construction projects. I mostly create

My last first day of school? I don’t know. I might come back for a graduate degree!

content for their website such as blogs, press releases, project reviews, and videos. I also manage their social media, pitch articles to magazines, design graphics for promotions, and create newsletters.

How did you obtain your position?

I found my position on LinkedIn.

What do you love about this field?

I love that I can be creative with the end goal of promoting and growing a company.

How did the School of Communication prepare you for this position?

I got to practice a lot of the stuff that I do now in class. A huge part of my role and the interview process was to have website and blogging experience. I had both an online portfolio (for my senior seminar class) and a blog (for my message design class) that I sent in with my application. Both came up during my interview. In general, I had a great portfolio that consists of all of my class projects and assignments. I also got a lot of help through the job searching process, including how to present a portfolio, how to look and apply for a job, and general career advice.

What was your favorite School of Communication course in college? Why?

I enjoyed a lot of my classes but Message Design I was really helpful. It was very practical and hands on, which is my preferred method of learning. My professor was also super interested in our success and I felt motivated during the entire course.

What advice do you have for current students?

I would advise students to take advantage of all of the events that happen outside of the classroom. There are so many workshops or events on this campus that can further your education. On that same note, The School of Communication’s Lambda Pi Eta organization offers amazing meetings where you can learn so much about the communication field and get to know professionals with different experiences.