Holly Van Hoozer

I really did enjoy Mass Comm week! Before this year, I never went to the panels because I just never made it a priority to attend. I have a bright future ahead of me. But, this year I decided to change my ways and attend several panels. I can honestly say that it was extremely beneficial to how I view my future. I think that we tend to forget that all of these successful people were once in the same shoes as we are. They did not just wake up one Tuesday morning with all of this success. It takes hard work and dedication! These panels reminded me of what it takes and the techniques to get there.

On Monday, I went to Ana Toro’s presentation. She educated us on cultural communication throughout her panel. Toro said to take the time out of your day to read and educate yourself about multicultural aspects to stay culturally competent. She also discussed how to go against the norm to open doors for yourself. I felt that this was essential not only in the workplace but in everyday life as well. I feel like we get entirely too comfortable staying inside the box that we forget to use our voice when it’s needed. Overall, her panel was very educational and I truly enjoyed it.

Thursday, I went to a meet and greet with all types of professionals there. We got to walk around the room the panel was held in and converse with them all. This was my favorite panel that I attended because I was able to leave or stay whenever I desired. My ADD self just adores this kind of stuff! I talked with people like Annie Werner that works at Tumblr, or Mike Kickrillo with the San Antonio Spurs. This was an incredible opportunity to network with everyone that attended.

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