Thank you Utah Valley University

For my final Capstone assignment I was asked to write a paper reflecting on my experiences at UVU. While writing my thoughts, it hit me that this incredible chapter in my life really is over.

I want to say thank you to my supportive professors, faculty, kind friends, loving family, self-less parents, amazing co-workers, incredible in-laws and the most supportive husband for helping me get to this point. I am extremely overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude for having such amazing and supportive people in my life. I could not have done it on my own so thank you.

Capstone Final Reflection Paper

As I begin to write the last reflection paper of my undergrad career, I can’t help but feel a bit sad. Utah Valley University has given me the most incredible opportunities and I feel so blessed to call myself a UVU Communication major. I owe most of my success to the amazing teachers and faculty here at UVU. I could talk about my college experience all day long, and I take so much pride in what I have learned and the experiences I’ve had. I always hold a quote in the back of my mind that says “this is the beginning of anything you want.” Once I graduate, it’s up to me to decide what I chose to do with my education, connections, and experiences. I am sad to end this chapter of my life, but I’m excited to see what’s in store for me.

I chose to be a communication major because coming into college I knew I loved to meet new people, talk to everyone, tell stories, and like most every communication major, I hate math. This is all I thought a communication degree was, until I started talking communication classes, talking with students who had already taken the classes, and talking with communication professors. I know now that communication is so much more than just talking with people. We have to be professionals, know our audience, be up to date with current events, expand our network of professional relationships, and much more. My love for communication has grown so much in the past four years because of the amazing classes I’ve taken, the things I’ve learned and the professors I’ve had.

My greatest accomplishment as a UVU student has been the relationships I have made with my professors, other PR students, and through PRSSA. UVU has some of the best professors and faculty members in the world. That sounds exaggerated, but it’s not. I have truly felt that everyone at UVU wants me to succeed and will help me in any way they can so I can succeed. Through classes I have taken, club’s I’ve joined, and events I have gone to, I have been able to meet and make connections with so many amazing people. I would not have been in a place to do this if I was not studying public relations at UVU.

Another accomplishment has been finding a degree that I love and am passionate about. When I first started college I was a business marketing major, which was not for me. I was just taking classes to get school over with and I did not enjoy what I was learning. Once I changed my major to communication with an emphasis in public relations, I finally felt like I belong. Since then I have made connections and learned so much that I enjoy and truly see myself doing as a career.

I have so many suggestions for new communication students. The most important thing you can do is get involved. Join clubs that interest you, form friend groups in classes and work together to apply yourself to what you are learning, and especially, join PRSSA! Being on the executive board for the UVU PRSSA chapter has changed my life. I’ve learned so much about public relations, got to apply myself and my learning to real world situations, and I made some of the best friends I could ever have. Because of PRSSA I have loved my college experience and I would not trade it for anything. I am truly sad to graduate because that means I can no longer be in PRSSA. There are so many other clubs on campus, just find something that interests you and get involved.

Another suggestion I have is to add a minor to your degree. This gives you a variety of different classes to take and you learn so much more. I chose to add a marketing minor onto my degree and I was able to see how well public relations and marketing go hand in hand. I learned so much more because of that minor that I will be able to use in my public relations work. I was also exposed to a new set of professors and students. I made connections with professors in the business department and made friends with students in my marketing classes. I love what I learned because I was able to relate everything back to public relations and apply it to my PR work.

The final suggestion I have would be to create relationships with your professors and other students in your classes. My whole attitude about college changed once I started reaching out to professors and forming friendships with other students in my classes. Once I did this, I felt like I could go to people with questions I had, ask for help, and go to professors I trusted to ask for advice. I look up to most of the communication professors and even see them as mentors. School was always easier when I had a friendly face to talk to. I know that if I did not reach out and make those connections, I would not have had such a positive experience through college. Because of these people, I am truly sad to leave.

After graduation I plan to stay working as an assistant to the Senior Vice President of Operations at dōTERRA. My boss has given me so many opportunities to use my public relations and marketing skills already and I have started to work very closely with our in-house PR team. I also plan to stay connected with the professors and friends that I have made in college. I don’t want any of the connections I made to go to waste by not keeping up with them. I also want to join PRSA and attend events, watch webinars, and take advantage of all of the networking and learning opportunities they provide.

I am a better person because of my experience at UVU. I will always cherish the lessons I learned, the friendships I made, and the experiences I had. I am looking forward to taking what I learned throughout college and applying it to my work and personal relationships. Even though I’m graduating, my heart will always hold a place for UVU. I will forever owe my successes to the time I spent learning at Utah Valley University. To all of the professors and faculty, I want to say thank you for believing in me.

Here are just a few people that make me feel "too blessed to be stressed". Love you all so much!

PRSSA BFF'S

NYC BFF'S

CRFS BFF'S

EXCURSION BFF'S

SALES BFF'S

CAMPAIGNS BFF'S

LATE NIGHT LIBRARY DATE BFF

And now I'm crying.... But, are we surprised??