Company? Agency? Non-Profit? Grad School? March 5, 2008

I know that deciding what you want to do with your future after college can be excruciating. Everyone is looking to you to make the right choice and pick your life. Do I want to start working right away? What if I want to travel? Do I have enough competitive drive to work at an agency? Students are told everyday about the many choices they have, but what people don’t understand is that students are scared to death, that’s why we wait.

I feel like I just started at my University and now I am heading into the competative communications field. I have been in school for so long, I long to travel. I want to continue my education, but I can’t afford it. The pressure to make decisions can be overwhelming and if you’ve felt the beads of sweat trickle down your face thinking about it, I am right there with you.

Someone once told me that success is making lots of mistakes and learning from them. If that means bad job after bad job until the right one comes along, I hope success makes it my way quickly. Students have such a short amount of time to decide what to do with their future and have such high expectations thrust upon them, I can see why so many of us join the Peace Corps, backpack through Europe and loose themselves across the globe. We need to get away from the structure, the expectations and the pressure to live the “American Dream.” For those of us who can afford to do so, I wish you the best. For those of you who are over $20,000 in debt like me, I feel for you.

The only message I can leave with you before graduation creeps its way into our lives is do what works best for you. If you are in debt, but want to travel, get a job abroad. If you want to go to grad school, but can’t afford to do so, look into becoming an RA where they pay for your housing and sometimes tuition. If you are ready to enter the workplace, continue to set seasonal goals like you did in college; its familiar and helps you grow as a professional. The only person you need to please is yourself. As much as society, our parents, professors and peers expect us what to do, repeat that mantra to yourself and do what works best for you and your goals in life. Good luck.

* I really want to work abroad after graduation here is an article on doing so. I can’t just take off and travel because I have student loans to pay. Click here and visit a link on how to find a job abroad after graduation. Have fun!

Being the Only Student of Color in PR Classes March 4, 2008

I don’t know if this is true for other students of color in public relations, but why is it that I am the only one in class. I am always the only one and I want to see that change. It is most difficult when my peers and sometimes my professors say ignorant remarks, stereotypical statements or blatantly racist comments. Some people would say I am “overly sensitive” or “overly observant” but I think I’m critical of my peers.

I live in a city with a high population of white people. This is not a bad thing, but can be isolating. I am often tokenized in class as some kind of “racial experts” on Black, Latino, Asian and even Middle Eastern people! I can honestly say that I have higher hopes for the professional world of public relations, but I am now realizing that it may not be as diverse as I thought it would be.

I went to a conference called the National Association for Black Journalist in Las Vegas, last summer and it was amazing. I recommend all students of color who want to meet other students or professionals in the field to attend these conferences. I am Latina, but they opened their doors to me and supported me throughout the conference. Another good idea is to contact these organizations and see if you can create one on your campus. I would love to create a student Hispanic Journalist Association at my school, but we don’t have enough students in my journalism school.

If you are like me and you feel isolated at times, tokenized or even hated on, remember that their are resources on and off campus to support you. Stay in the game and don’t let anyone tell you that you are “too-sensitive.” You have the right to feel however you want to feel. On my blogroll you will find a list of multicultural and multiracial organizations in PR field. Take a look at some of these organizations and get in contact with them if you would like more information.

I love this one. It is the Hispanic PR Wire and it links you with great resources, information about bilingual communication and surviving the industry as a minority. Look at and enjoy.