Getting to Know You: Katie Merrick
Katie Merrick – Strategic Communication Undergraduate Student
Hometown: Spokane, WA
Major: Strategic Communications
Minors: Art
Year: Senior
Why did you choose WSU?
I chose WSU because when I came to visit, Sara Stout showed me around the buildings and everything she told me about WSU and the opportunities left me beyond excited and after that, I was sold. I am a third generation Coug and my brother went here too. I came down to visit him a few times in high school and I loved the atmosphere, plus I figured it would be pretty awesome to have my brother at the same college. All signs were just pointing here. WSU has been the perfect school for me and I am really going to miss it.
What inspired you to pursue a degree in Strategic Communication?
When I came to WSU, I wanted to pursue media production. I always thought videography was what I was meant to do. However, I soon realized that I wasn’t as passionate about media production and began exploring strategic communication. There are two pathways available for strategic communication, public relations and advertising. I really just stumbled on advertising and the more I learned about it, the more I loved it.
Who, or what, influenced your decision to pursue this degree?
My mom graduated with a degree in organizational communication. When I was trying to figure out what I wanted to pursue, she told me a little bit about it and the different options. She told me one career in communications is broadcast journalism. I started out interested in that and eventually kept learning more about the different career options available for communication.
What appeals to you most in this field?
I LOVE the intensity, hard-work, and hilarious conversations. When you get into advertising, you have to have a sense of humor. You can’t build creative for a campaign without a sense of humor! When you are working on a team and you’ve been awake for 20 hours building a campaign for hot dogs, it’s impossible to get through it all without enjoying the midnight conversations, memes, and jokes. It’s all very rewarding when you have worked hard as a team to have this finished product.
Why is a Murrow student being featured at the College of Education?
[Editor’s Note] – Katie has been the marketing and communications intern with the College of Education for the past year. This is her final week in this role and she will be graduating in 12 days. We wish her all the best!
What is your dream job after college?
My dream job is to work at Nike. I love the Nike Bowerman Track Club, the campus, and I have loved a lot of their branding. I would love to work on the internal communications team and have the opportunity to interact with all different types of athletes.
Do you have any advice for incoming freshmen pursuing this degree?
Get serious. You can go far if you get involved and take your commitments seriously. Treat your roles as a professional commitment because they are. The connections and work you do here on campus will lead you to success after graduation. It’s never too early to start thinking about life after graduation.
What kind of extracurricular activities are you part of?
I am the president of the WSU chapter of the Association for Women in Communications (AWC), I worked on the National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC) team, I have worked as a campus representative for Pearson (the textbook company), and work as marketing and communications interns for the College of Education and the Murrow college!
Favorites:
Class: COMSTRAT 480
Professor(s): Dan Petek & Roberta Kelly
Celebrity: Shalene Flanagan
Song: Take A Chance on Me by ABBA
Food: Caesar Salad