Alumni Profiles

On her journey: The communication department was a great way to catapult into the work that I do. My main job function is recruiting, which requires a lot of marketing techniques. I have a lot of social media marketing experience now, and I really learned a lot about corporate communications through my JonesWorks and College of Arts and Sciences internship I had at Cal Lutheran. These skills have helped me increase our recruiting outreach over the last few months, which I am very proud of.

More on Allison: I have a lot of social media marketing experience now, and I really learned a lot about corporate communications through the JonesWorks internship I had at Cal Lutheran. These skills have helped me increase our recruiting outreach over the last few months, which I am very proud of.

Allison also entered the 2024 American Advertising Federation Awards Coastal California competition and was honored with a bronze “ADDY”. Her work focused on creating a public relations campaign for the National Organization for Women to encourage more college-aged men to get involved with women’s events on their school campuses.

On her journey: While at Cal Lutheran I took a few courses related to public relations that further affirmed my interest in public relations for a career. My past internship working for CLD PR & Experiential Productions has also helped me identify this career path. As a fashion PR intern for CLD PR I worked closely with celebrity and influencer teams to carry out celebrity placement, influencer relations, brand development, and all other PR related disciplines. I was also a social media and marketing intern for TOPIX Pharmaceuticals where we managed five skincare brands. I managed and posted on several social media platforms for DERMA E and Think. In addition, I worked closely with my team to build and grow our brand, increase sales, and drive online traffic to several online platforms. 

More on Paige: I chose to get my BA in communication with an emphasis in public relations because of my interest for publicity, social media and overall human communication at multiple levels of analysis. In addition, being a communication major allows me to pursue many different job roles and to gain expertise and knowledge about many topics related to this field. As of now, my future plans are to become a publicist and work in the public relations field specifically for the entertainment industry. I always thought it would be fun to start my own public relations agency. 

On her journey: While at Cal Lutheran, I was a Talent Relations and Events Intern at WarnerMedia. In this position, I worked with talent from HBO, HBO Max, TNT, TBS, and truTV. I also had the opportunity to work on-site at the SAG Awards, Winning Time Premiere, and Minx Premiere. I've assisted with the planning of events for titles like Barry, Euphoria, The Flight Attendant, and etc. 

One day, I hope to serve as a network executive. Granted, I know it’s vague, but I am open to learning and exploring all aspects of what makes the entertainment industry so rewarding to be in. Connection and change are the values that are guiding me in the work that I plan to pursue after college. 

Partaking in the progressive strides that the entertainment industry is making to create a more inter-connected humanity has and will always be the goal for me. 

For students to consider: The communication professors at Cal Lutheran are my favorite aspect of the program. There is a plethora of professors here that have different specialties that encouraged me to learn more about my field. I had the opportunity to learn from Aaron Heresco, Sharon Docter, PhD, David Grannis, Dru Pagliasotti, PhD, and Kirstie Hettinga, PhD. These professors truly cared about me as a student. I was always met with constant encouragement and support to grow as an entertainment industry professional. That type of mentorship is truly valuable to me as I strive to become my own person in the entertainment industry. 

On her journey: The skills that I have learned all come from the experiences, case studies, projects, and discussions that we have in class. I’ve developed skills in being able to analyze real world public relations crises, create effective campaigns and content, build reputable brand images, and media relations. I’m confident that the communication skills I’ve learned during my time at Cal Lutheran will give me the upper hand in being a public relations professional. I was able to work in Cal Lutheran's Marketing and Communications Department which I considered an internship because of how much I learned on the job. I hope to one day go into the public relations field and work for a firm that handles various industries and create campaigns. 

For students to consider: My favorite aspect about the communication program is the educational environment and ambiance created by the professors. The professors give us lots of support and tools to prepare us for a professional career in the public relations, advertising, and marketing field. I really enjoyed the many opportunities to collaborate and build community with peers on high level projects, discussions, case studies, and experiences.

On her journey: The communication program gave me the opportunity to create a network of people who are extremely supportive and help me reach my goals. My classmates and teachers have always been there for me when I’m applying for jobs.

For students to consider: My favorite aspects of the communication program were the variety of class electives to choose from, the interactive lessons, and the teachers. I learned important skills in organization, time management, and communication that I use every day at my job.

On her journey: I chose to emphasize in Ad/PR because I thought it was the most interesting and led to more career paths that I would consider pursuing. Because I wanted to go into sales, I felt that a Communication degree would teach me some of the best skills needed for that field. 

For students to consider: Understand that some doors will close and others will open and that this happens for a reason, so just take every opportunity in front of you and be open minded and excited.

Lauren is also a proud former member of the Regals Volleyball Team!

On her journey: The communication program set me up for success by giving me information on future internship opportunities, along with volunteer opportunities around campus. In my current position I am actively working with the league's digital distribution and audience development where we launch and actively program NFL Channel's FAST-AVOD linear streaming channels.

For students to consider: The key skills I learned in the communication program that I use in my current position are Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Photoshop, and public speaking techniques. Advice I have for people trying to get into a career in media is to learn the Adobe Suite, and focus on creating a portfolio to apply for  internships and jobs!

On her journey: I chose to major in Communication  because it fit my personality and goals well. I was inspired by the variety of career options and possibilities within communications. I chose the PR and Advertising emphasis because it aligned the most with the career path I wanted to take during post graduation. 

Thankfully I was hired by the PR firm that I was interning at during my Junior-Senior year of college, but that doesn't mean the journey has been easy. It is very competitive in the post grad world and deeply important to identify your strengths in order to succeed in whatever you choose to do.

For students to consider: Don't give up. Even in the pandemic/post pandemic world, communications will always be evolving and ever-growingly competitive so it's crucial to stick to what you are good at and want to achieve. It can be a cruel world, but deep down the inspiration you can provide yourself is one of the most important assests.

I'm always open to answering any questions about PR!

On her journey: This role functions under the global Disney Parks, Experiences and Products division. In her position, she provides critical information to Disneyland Resort cast members from Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, Downtown Disney District, and the three Anaheim resort/hotel properties. In collaboration with business partners and the wider public affairs team, she is also responsible for crafting and executing comprehensive communication plans to ultimately showcase the culture and environment of the Disneyland Resort through storytelling on both internal and external communication channels. 

More on Kyrstal: Krystal aspires to obtain a Master of Arts degree in Tourism and Entertainment in the future. 

Outside of work, she enjoys exploring beach towns across Southern California, coaching youth gymnastics, and volunteering with nonprofit organizations such as The Ronald McDonald House Charities and Boys and Girls Club of America. She recently launched a scholarship program of her own, and will select and announce its inaugural recipients in December 2021.

On her journey: In my current position I implement and manage the day-to-day execution of social media strategy, build and oversee the content calendar to plan content for platforms, and deliver monthly and quarterly analytics reports to our marketing team. 

For students to consider: Studying communication helped me develop important life skills, including critical thinking, conflict resolution, team building and public speaking. The program set me up for success by teaching me to clearly communicate topics through both writing and speaking.

On her work: I manage the website, social media, email marketing, reports and publications for the Governance Studies Program
at Brookings.

For students to consider: Don’t be afraid to reach further than you thought you could. Limits can be self-imposed sometimes, so even though it seems like a goal could be a stretch, it doesn’t hurt to go after it anyway.

On her work: At Lynda.com, I support and coordinate projects for the content managers (they find the authors who star in our videos) and plan team events. I also act as a liaison between the U.S. content team and the international content team.

For students to consider: Explore different communication industries (radio, TV, PR, etc.) to find what suits you best. This can be through informational interviews, coffee chats, and internships. Keep your LinkedIn profile as updated as possible and connect with those you work with or meet at networking events. It’s a great way to keep in touch with those you may need to reach out to in the future.

On her work: After completing graduate school, I plan on going into entertainment marketing for the film and TV industry. My dream job would be to work for Disney.

For students to consider: One piece of advice I have regarding grad school is to just go for it. There will always be an excuse for why you shouldn’t pursue grad school, but the measure of your life should be on the risks you take. I definitely took a huge risk getting my master’s abroad in London, but it has only bolstered my confidence in my capabilities.

On her work: Using video, images, design and writing, I help tell the stories and share the accomplishments of our marine scientists. It’s a small department, so I help with any projects related to communication like media relations, events, news releases and website management.

For students to consider: Do as many internships as you can while
in school. It will help you learn the types of work and types of companies you want to work for. Also, don’t worry if you don’t have your dream job immediately after graduation. Sometimes you just need work experience and the rest will happen with time. Life isn’t a race!

On her work: I work in both post and field production following and helping define episode story lines. When I am field producing, I conduct interviews with the cast, produce scenes and create story documents that are sent to the network. When I am working in post-production, I work
on editing technologies such as AVID and Final Cut Pro to prepare the footage for an editor. I make sure the best footage and moments are
used to create a television series.

For students to consider: Focus on what you are grateful for. It is very easy to get paralyzed from stressing about your career and the future, but it’s not productive. Remembering what you are grateful for will ease your worries and help you discover what’s most important to you and what you need moving forward.

On his work: I am a social media marketer working for my client, STARZ, to promote its series such as Power, Ash vs Evil Dead, Outlander and American Gods. That includes everything from strategy, to community management, to editorial to analytics, to social paid media buys.

For students to consider: Be curious and learn as much as you can about anything somehow related to communications or marketing. There are so many different elements of the fields and you’ll likely touch many of them as you progress. My career is case in point, as I have transitioned from advertising to PR to social/digital in the span of only a few years.

Trevor Connor graduated from Cal Lutheran in May of 2007. Even in his first year at Cal Lu, Connor knew he “wanted to go into a career in broadcast journalism,” and declared a communication major. To better prepare himself for his desired career, Connor chose media production as his emphasis.

After graduating in May, Connor put together a video resume and sent it to television stations in California, Oregon, Washington and Texas. In August, he expanded his search to television stations all over the country. After receiving offers from stations in Idaho, Wisconsin, Missouri and Texas, Connor accepted the offer in El Paso, Texas, because it “was the largest market, the closest to home and had the best weather.”

“At first, I wanted to get a job in sports, but then I decided to switch to news,” Connor said. Currently, Conner is anchor and news reporter for News Channel Nine (NBC), El Paso, TX.

Kristi Staley graduated from Cal Lutheran in May 2006 and didn’t waste anytime in getting a job. “I graduated on Saturday and went to work on Monday!,” Staley said. Staley is a public affairs specialist for Kratos Defense, a defense contractor who assists the U.S. Navy with public relations.

Staley declared her communication major as a freshman because of her “voracious appetite for the news.” Staley said, “I’ve always been plugged in to current events. What fascinates me as much as the news stories themselves is what goes on behind the scenes to produce them. I always knew it was a process I had to be a part of.” Staley chose public relations as her emphasis and acknowledges that those specialized PR classes gave her “a great head start for [her] career, providing [her] with tremendous insight and skills that allowed [her] to hit the ground running.”

Staley seriously considered declaring a minor in art. However, she found that Cal Lutheran’s communication program enabled her to “integrate [her] passion for art, without having to take on a minor,” which allowed her to devote more time to internships. In fact, Staley did three internships while she was a student at Cal Lutheran, and she claims “it made a big difference when it came time to interview for jobs.”

Evan White, who graduated from CLU in May of 2006, is currently the founder of EvanWhitePR.com, an online public relations and marketing company. He is also a partner and chief marketing officer for innovative, start-up businesses. One of his newest ventures is an iPhone app company that launched in early November 2009.White consults with celebrities on social media, like Facebook, and next year, White will be getting paid to wear shirts. (http://iwearyourshirt.com)

“For 3 years I have helped start up technologies and fun, online projects become better known both online and in the real world,” White said. (Some of White's most notable projects are listed below.)

Initially, White thought the world of business and politics was his calling. “I came to CLU as a business major. Before I even took a business class, I had added political science, because I thought Mayor Evan had a nice ring to it,” he said. Then he started dating a communication major, and she wanted to take more classes with him. After a while, White found his passion in communication and dropped the business major…as well as the girlfriend.

During his junior year, White found an internship that turned into a lot more. "I had an internship at a PR company in LA for four days, then I became an account executive, and seven months later I was a senior account executive,” he said. White balanced a corner office, a secretary, a boss, as well as being a full-time student. “I made him tons of money, and learned a lot.”

Most of all, White learned that he would rather work for himself, so a month before he graduated, he quit and started his own company. Now, White works from his home on the beach, travels a lot and meets with a lot of high profile clients. “Starting a company was really hard,” he said, “I failed a lot getting here. Three years later, it is just picking up, and turning into something with a hint of staying power!”

Here are some of the projects Evan has had his hand in making successful:

His friends/clients have:

• traded paperclips for houses: http://oneredpaperclip.com
• run live streaming video sites http://www.ustream.tv
• sold their lives on eBay and travel the world http://www.100goals100weeks.com
• hitch hiked to all 50 states:http://hitch50.com
• and he is on a mission to find these guys:http://www.whoaretheseguys.com

Lindsey Carnett, who graduated from Cal Lutheran in May of 2005, is currently the CEO of a lifestyle and consumer public relations firm called Marketing Maven Public Relations, Inc. “We're based in Camarillo and have a great internship program with Cal Lutheran students who want to earn credit and receive job placement in this field after college,” Carnett said.

As a freshman, Carnett thought she wanted to be a biochemistry major with a business administration minor. However, in her sophomore year, she declared a double major in communication and Spanish. Carnett said, “I found communication more relevant to my life. We talked about issues that affected everyone on a daily basis. I also thought this major would open more doors for me.”

Carnett declared advertising and public relations as her emphasis after being introduced to the porfession by a family member. "I learned about public relations through my aunt who did PR for Cisco Systems and she seemed to have a fun life, was very successful, and still got to be creative,” said Carnett.

After graduating from Cal Lutheran, Carnett was  managing director of a small PR agency in the San Fernando Valley,  marketing director for a nutrition company based in Sweden, and a public relations and marketing manager for a direct response advertising agency whose accounts included ProActiv, OxiClean, Trojan and other major brands.

After developing the PR division for the direct response advertising agency, Carnett decided to open her own PR firm, Marketing Maven Public Relations, Inc.

Since Carnett’s PR internship in college turned into a full-time job after graduating, she advises college students to take advantage of the internship opportunities.