Kelsey Rohde, '21, shares her experiences as a communication major and transfer student. The opportunities presented to her have prepared her to succeed in the marketing and communications business.
Tell me about your education journey that led you to NU?
I went to Lockport High School and really had no idea what I wanted to do in college. I knew I liked music, theater, and social media, but didn’t know what I really wanted to pursue. I then decided to go to NCCC as an undecided major. This gave me the opportunity to take classes in all different kinds of fields and narrow in what I truly loved. I took some criminal justice, theater, music, journalism, and communications classes. I realized through these classes that my interests really lie in musical theater and social media. After graduating with my associates in liberal arts, I then applied and auditioned for Niagara and got in! I knew after coming to campus twice that Niagara was my place. I came in as a double communications and theater major.
Why did you choose NU?
I chose Niagara because of the feeling of home I got when being on campus. I also have some family that went to NU, so that drew me to it as well. The main reason I truly wanted to go to NU was the small class sizes and the well-respected reputation the school has.
What was it like transferring to NU into junior year?
I had an incredibly smooth process. I’m from around the area, so I’ve been to campus more times than I can remember. I knew the campus a bit and could find my classes easily. I made a lot of friends quickly because of the closeness of the theater classes. My professors were great in helping me find classrooms and making me feel like I was welcome. I fell in love with coming to school every day.
What’s it like being a communications major/intern at NU?
With the pandemic I was worried I wouldn’t get as much out of it that I was hoping to, but I’ve learned more in a few weeks about marketing and social media than I ever have. I have the opportunity to get hands on experience creating content, writing for the social media pages, and even designing my own campaign for Instagram. I’m confident interning in the marketing office is going to really help me in preparing for the real world.
What are your plans for after graduation?
I don’t have a specific plan for my future because I am open to any entry level position. It will give me more experience to work my way up the ladder of success. My end goal would be to work in social media within the music industry or theater industry. I’d love to move to NYC or California and work in entertainment media.
Learn more about the communications department.