The faculty of the University of South Carolina's College of Information and Communications aims to guide students through their university experience with personable advising and real-world industry insights. Kelli Carroll, the career services manager of the CIC, hopes to help students search for and realize their future careers.
Carroll's main goal is to make sure students are prepared for and able to succeed in life after college.
Carroll spearheads the initiative to promote resources that help students accomplish this goal. She said she utilizes a “four-pronged” strategy to reach all students within the CIC. This approach includes one-on-one student advisement and reviews, workshops and career fairs, employer relations and overseeing the CIC internship program.
Carroll said her education in a similar mass communications program at Claflin University and previous work experiences in different industries have laid the foundation for effectively reaching students.
“I know what they're going through and what they're looking at because I did the same thing. I've worked a little bit everywhere, and I've done a lot of different things, which also really helps me to relate with and connect with the students and give them some perspective,” Carroll said. “What students often fail to realize is that with a degree in mass communications or information science, your possibilities are really endless of what you can do… Any industry is going to have some type of role for these majors.”
Although resources and experienced mentors are plentiful within the CIC, some students may only be familiar with the college's academic and career advising sessions. Fourth-year mass communications student Polina Khabibullina had a similar experience until she participated in the college’s internship program.
“I had only really done advising like everyone else. Just meet with my advisor and prepare my plan, and then we go over it,” Khabibullina said. “My internship was with a non-profit called 902 Youth. I definitely had to spend some time on it, (but) I would say it was a good experience.”
Khabibullina said that networking within the CIC internship class has connected her to new experiences and opportunities beyond the college. She added that she hopes students take advantage of these resources early in their college careers.
Recent USC alumna and former public relations student Mary Bradham Minor recalled her first meeting with Carroll and how it helped define her career path.
“I overall asked her questions about jobs, internships, what I should do with PR and trying to get more direction,” Minor said. “What I found with PR is that you can make it your own, and I feel like it depends on where you go.”
Minor’s experience with the CIC internship class allowed her to explore the creative side of her major and inspired her to start her own pet boutique business. It also helped her land her current internship with Cohn Construction, where she has implemented her knowledge from the program and further enhanced her marketing and public relations skills.
“I still get to do the fun things from the first internship, but I also get to do a lot of graphic design and behind-the-scenes work," Minor said. “I’ve learned a lot, especially doing the internship class, and it really started my working career for PR and marketing.”
Carroll said she believes the CIC student services team, combined with faculty that has experience working in their respective industries, is the most valuable resource the college offers because of the opportunities and connections it provides to students.
“Your faculty and staff all have connections and networks that can grow yours," Carroll said. "Your career services, your student services and your advisors know what they're talking about. They've been through this before, and they're only there to help you, so take advantage of all of the resources, not just some of them, and if you put in the work, you'll be successful.”
