Name: Leanna Smith
Degree: Strategic Communications
Expected Graduation Date: May 2018
College students are known for changing their majors, and for Leanna Smith, the fifth time’s the charm. Starting off as a Marketing major, Smith knew she wanted to express her creativity. After admiring her friend’s class projects, she decided to take a chance and switched her major for the fifth time.
After discovering strategic communications, Smith focused on committing time to her assignments. “I love the assignments I’m given, and the professors and the administration are passionate about the students,” Smith said.
One of her favorite class projects was developing an online portfolio, and website for electronic communications.
“I really enjoyed that entire class because I learned how to market myself and to be professional,” Smith said. “I have really expanded my online portfolio and it has been cool to see it develop and grow over the last three years.”
Smith's extensive involvement within OSU has greatly benefited the School of Media and Strategic Communications.. She participated heavily in Greek life for four years, acting as Dad’s Day chair, new member facilitator, and assistant, helping with event planning and servng on her sorority's exeutive board. She also participated in Advertising Club, Native American Student Association and the National Student Advertising Competition.
“NSAC was a lot of time and effort, but it was the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done during my college career,” Smitha said. “I was pushed in marketing, advertising, and communications and learned how to work as a team but also independently on a time crunch.”
Smith and her team placed second at nationals. This was a huge accomplishment for OSU.
This past summer, she interned with the Creative Media Department at the central offices for Life.Church in Edmond, Oklahoma, working under the content development team. During her time spent working for Life.Church, she wrote articles, created small graphic design pieces and developed Bible plans. The most important skill Smith gained from that experience was learning how to change her voice to whom she is representing. “As a student, you write with your own voice, but if you’re writing for someone else or for a company, you have to change that,” Smith said.
After graduation, Smith plans to work in content development for Life.Church, focusing on spiritual growth content. This could include managing social media, internal communications or graphic design within the creative media team at the central offices for Life.Church.
Smith’s advice to her freshman self is to not be scared of experiencing new opportunities and to have confidence in the skills acquired from the SMSC.