Name: Catherine Bialkowski
Major: Journalism and Professional Writing
Hometown: Clifton, NJ
Year of Graduation: 2018
Student Spotlight: Catherine is grateful to have received a full graduate scholarship to Villanova University to study communications. She plans to focus on the journalism, new media, and public relations aspects of communications, and hopes to pursue a career based in writing after she completes the two-year program. Electives such as Photoshop and Advertising will help her to broaden her knowledge and skills so that she has a wider range of career opportunities. Villanova offers a certificate program as part of the Master’s degree that focuses on Journalism and New Media, which she plans to incorporate into her studies.
What are your plans after graduation?
I plan to attend Villanova University to pursue a Master’s of Arts in communications.
What advice can you offer incoming students?
Join student organizations! Network, socialize, talk to people. I am grateful that I was able to find out about this program from people who knew about it and were willing to talk to me about it. A lot of times, the best opportunities come to you by word of mouth. And joining clubs and organizations is also a super fun way to meet other people like you who just might become your best friends for life. Also, when the time comes to apply to programs like this one, make sure to apply early so that your application stands out and you have time to ask your professors, adviser, friends, and family for feedback on your essay and resume.
What is a memorable experience you had in the School the Arts and Communication or what does the School mean to you?
The JPW department was absolutely phenomenal in helping me graduate on time and offering me the best experience I could have possibly had in my undergraduate career. I transferred here as a junior, and my adviser, Kathleen Webber, was so attentive and helpful in her efforts to help me figure out how to graduate in May of 2018 with my classmates (it was not easy! There was a lot of paperwork and rearranging involved). The professors I had–Donna Shaw, Emilie Lounsberry, and Kim Pearson–were amazing and I learned so much during my two years here that I will take with me to whatever career I end up pursuing. Rosa Rodriguez of the department is another reason I am able to graduate. She helped me so much by helping me fill out paperwork and making so many things–including my trip to the Sigma Tau Delta Convention in Ohio–possible. My favorite memory here has truly been every minute of the past two years.