Name: Katie Murphy
Degree: Strategic Communications
Expected Graduation Date: 2014
Company: Slant Partners
Katie Murphy went from spending late nights in the Paul Miller Building to managing accounts at a marketing firm in Dallas.
Murphy always had an interest in advertising, so she chose to major in strategic communications. The School of Media & Strategic Communications gave Murphy the ability to explore the advertising industry. She added a minor in marketing to appeal to the business side of the industry.
After graduation, Murphy was hired at Slant Partners. As a brand senior at the firm, she is responsible for the marketing of her clients. She has designed everything from magazine and billboard advertisements to websites. Murphy is proud of her work and takes pride in seeing something she created for a client out in the real world.
“The best part of my job is that it’s prepared me so much and shown me so many facets of the industry,” Murphy said. “I’m excited to come to work every day.”
Murphy gives credit for her successes to SMSC. With a well-rounded curriculum, she was able to explore the creative and professional side of advertising. Murphy took advantage of the clubs and organizations SMSC has to offer. She was involved in Public Relations Student Society of America, Advertising Club and the Bateman Case Study Competition, which is a national PRSSA team. These organizations gave her the opportunity to explore every aspect of her degree.
Spending late nights in the classrooms with the OSU Bateman team is one of Murphy’s favorite memories. Because of her involvement in the Bateman competition, she was able to get to know her colleagues while diving into the public relations business.
Murphy encourages students to get involved in the many clubs SMSC has to offer, make connections with professors and fellow students and gain professional experience through internships.
Murphy tells graduating seniors to interview and connect with as many people or companies as possible. She says it’s important to start looking for jobs early because graduation comes quickly. Murphy also urges seniors to expand their horizons when looking for jobs. She never expected to be where she is, but she kept her options open and now works for a company she loves.
“What we do is broad,” Murphy said. “Strategic communications is a large umbrella, and you can really fit into a lot of different places.”