can vividly remember the exhilaration of running onto the field this past weekend with the University of Pittsburgh football team, gimbal in hand, as more than 40,000 fans roared around him.

What happened next is a little hazier.

“I essentially blacked out on adrenaline for the first 10 minutes of game action,” Henneman laughed.

It was Henneman’s first game day working on the sidelines for Pitt football – and a surreal introduction to his new role as the program’s assistant director of creative content.

The ������Ƶ alumnus was there to capture an up-close look at Pitt’s season-opening 59-14 victory over Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 5. Once the final whistle sounded, his responsibilities only grew. Henneman took the lead editing “” Pitt’s long-running video series that tells the story of a victory through behind-the-scenes content.

For Henneman, the assignment represented another milestone in a professional journey that has moved quickly.

His path to Pitt began shortly after his May 2025 graduation from ������Ƶ, where he majored in journalism and built a portfolio that stretched well beyond traditional reporting.

As a student, Henneman worked with Rising Phoenix and ������Ƶ Athletics video production. He also spent nearly two years interning with The Burlington School, chronicling its high-level prep basketball program. Following graduation, he continued sharpening his skills as a videographer with the Cape Cod Baseball League.

Those experiences ultimately led him to Pittsburgh.

In January, Henneman initially joined Pitt Athletics as an assistant director of video production, creating content across the university’s athletics programs. After six months, he accepted a position supporting Pitt football. But Henneman wasn’t quite ready to give up basketball.

He negotiated a hybrid role that allows him to remain the secondary video contact for Pitt men’s basketball.

“I couldn’t get myself to leave my basketball roots behind,” Henneman said.

Being a major content contributor for both programs, he said, is a “dream come true.” It has also brought considerably more responsibility.

While the football staff was away during July, Henneman filmed basketball summer workouts, helped lead the rollout of new NIL initiatives for Pitt Athletics, and traveled to New York City to cover volleyball standout Olivia Babcock at the Collegiate Women Sports Awards.

Then came football season.

When fall camp opened in August, Henneman’s days regularly stretched from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. He produced short-form content from daily practices and longer-form mic’d-up features while documenting the weeks leading into the season.

“Practically living in the facility gave me an eye-opening perspective of the upper echelon of college athletics.”

– Cap Henneman ’25

Amid that demanding schedule came one of his biggest opportunities.

At the end of fall camp, Henneman spent a week shooting and editing the “” his first true “passion project” since arriving at Pitt. The finished video was shown at the program’s kickoff luncheon and student bonfire pep rally, played on the stadium scoreboard before the season opener, and released on social media.

Creating a longer, storytelling-driven piece reminded Henneman of the projects he pursued at ������Ƶ.

“It was refreshing to create a storytelling-centric piece that I could be proud of,” Henneman said.

That same approach carried into his first football Saturday.

After documenting Pitt’s season-opening victory, Henneman shifted almost immediately from capturing the story to assembling it. For “” he storyboarded the video and constructed its game-action sequences, working alongside colleagues who handled the introduction, graphics, color grading and sound effects.

There was also a tighter turnaround. The popular series, previously released on Wednesdays, was now due Monday.

“Despite the lack of social life and free time that football season brings, I can confidently say I am doing something that I truly love,” Henneman said. “I feel like I have found my footing within the creative team, and look to keep improving as the season moves forward.”

“I’ve always been a writer, but I never believed I could write a whole novel,” said Schramm, who majored in philosophy and journalism in 2008. “But during the pandemic I saw all these people living their dreams and I thought maybe I could do that too. This is when I came up with the idea for my novel and started writing.”

The young adult novel, “,” tells the story of high school senior Sydney Hoffman as she sees pink neon countdown clocks over people’s heads 72 hours before they die. This has left her cynical, closed off and alone until she meets Peter Beckett, who changes everything she believes about life and death. Peter convinces Sydney she does not have to handle the countdowns alone, and together they help strangers live their best final hours.

“It felt like everyone around me had a clock over their head during the pandemic and I was really struggling to figure out how to live a meaningful life with the threat of the world possibly ending at any moment,” said Schramm. “I was sort of learning alongside the main character, Sydney, how to enjoy life and be present.”

During this time writing the novel became cathartic for her.

“My classes at ������Ƶ influenced my writing so much,” said Schramm. “This book is very philosophical and so many of the ideas in there are from my time eating bread around the fireplace in the philosophy building talking about existentialism and what it means to live an examined life. One of the teachers in the book is named in honor of one of my favorite philosophy professors, Dr. Jegstrup. She pushed me harder than any teacher ever has, and I owe so much to her and her classes.”

Schramm was originally only a journalism major, but that all changed after she took a philosophy class taught by Associate Professor Elsebet Jegstrup.

“After the first class, I walked directly to the registrar’s office and immediately changed my major to philosophy,” Schramm said. “I only needed one day for it to change everything.

Publishing a novel was not exactly what she thought it would be. While writing her debut novel, Schramm learned from other authors how the publishing world worked.

“One of the things I didn’t realize was how long publishing takes,” Schramm said. “My auction for “72 Hours of You” happened in early 2024 and it just recently came out.”

Life as a debut author has been a dream come true for Schramm. She has had the opportunity to meet many creative colleagues and visit stores to sign copies of her book.

“I feel wildly lucky that this is my job,” Schramm said. “To see my debut novel translated into so many different languages has been such an incredible gift.”

Now working on her second young adult novel, “Kiss Me Like the Last Time,” about a girl who kisses someone for the first time while also experiencing her last kiss with them at the same time, which is set to publish in 2027.

Schramm is also publishing her first debut adult novel in 2028 titled “The Eternal Deaths of Hattie Gold,” about a woman who is training to become Gen-Z Death.

While at ������Ƶ, Schramm participated in Greek Life and developed strong relationships with faculty.

“I loved attending ������Ƶ and being in the Department of Philosophy,” Schramm said. “The philosophy department was such a special tight-knot space, and I am forever grateful that I changed my major to philosophy.”

Schramm is earning her PhD in creative writing.

The journey resulted in three intertwined research projects collectively called “Mission America.” Abby Zampier ’02, a psychology major, examined the effects of the attacks on volunteers; Cheryl Olsen ’02, a business administration major, analyzed their impact on charitable organizations; and Mary Zappulla ’02, a broadcast communication major, documented the journey in a film titled “.”

“We really grew up,” said Zappulla, now a showrunner, director and producer. “We were independent. We were out driving across the country with no parents and with no maps and trying to figure it out. As a producer, it taught us a lot about how to make things happen.”

The three friends were living together when the attacks happened on Sept. 11, 2001, and remember spending the entire day watching news coverage. Each also had a personal connection to the events. Zampier’s brother worked at the World Trade Center but was out of town on a business trip that day. Olsen’s father worked at the Pentagon, and Zapulla’s mother worked in government.

“At first everyone was talking about the attacks, and then it stopped,” Zampier told the Magazine of ������Ƶ in 2002. “We were still affected by Sept. 11, and we wanted to see how it was affecting everyone else in the country.”

The three completed the project during Winter Term 2002. A faculty member who owned a car dealership loaned them a van, and they began their journey at the World Trade Center, just months after the attacks.

From there, they traveled across the country, stopping to interview people about how Sept. 11 had affected them and their communities. One of those stops was the site of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Zappulla told the Magazine of ������Ƶ in 2002 that interviewing people there left her emotional, and the three women say those conversations remain on their minds 25 years later.

“The people there felt for everybody because they had experienced something like that before,” said Zampier, who now works in real estate.

The students accumulated more than 18 hours of footage for the documentary, conducting interviews in the winter cold as they made their way across the country to California. They took only one day off because of rain.

Looking back, Olsen is struck by both the circumstances surrounding their journey and the willingness of strangers to speak openly with three college students.

“We were at war at the time, and we were attacked. It’s crazy that we felt comfortable going out into the United States by ourselves and to talk to random people about this moment,” said Olsen, who now lives in San Francisco. “It’s so defining back then how the nation really came together and, now if that were to happen, it might be a little different going up to people and asking them how they feel about issues that are serious.”

That spring, the three presented their work at ������Ƶ’s undergraduate research forum, then called the Student Undergraduate Research Forum.

For Zappulla, the project offered a way to process an event that had unfolded hundreds of miles from ������Ƶ while better understanding how people across the country were experiencing its aftermath.

“In North Carolina, you’re so far removed, and it made us feel part of what happened, not that it’s a good thing, but it was doing something to express how we were feeling,” Zappulla said.

A five-minute clock was counting down. Fallon’s challenge was to lift Thor’s hammer before time ran out. MrBeast watched from outside the box, and Chris Hemsworth arrived as Thor to smash the glass and save the day.

The setup was ridiculous by design. Dyer and his team had started with a simple question: What kind of challenge could bring together MrBeast’s oversized videos, Hemsworth’s history as Thor and Fallon’s willingness to play along?

For Dyer, the segment worked because it did more than copy something popular online. It gave “The Tonight Show” its own way into the joke.

“We never really did trendy content just because everyone else was doing it,” Dyer said. “What is our spin on it? What is our story? How can we subvert people’s expectations?”

Dyer has been asking versions of those questions since his time at ������Ƶ. He arrived on campus already interested in broadcast, having focused his college search on communications programs. As a broadcast and new media major, he learned how an idea moved from a script to a finished piece.

Professors Staci Saltz and Thomas Nelson gave him room to work across writing, videography, photography, editing and directing. In the studio and in the field, he learned how to build a project “soup to nuts.”

“They really allowed me to flex my creative muscles,” Dyer said. “I learned all aspects of media production and strategy. That was pretty formative for me.”

He graduated in 2011 as digital video was beginning to change the television business. Dyer started in digital operations at TV Land, then moved to Comedy Central, producing online content for programs including “South Park,” “Key & Peele” and “Nathan For You.”

The platforms were still developing their identities as places to watch video, which gave Dyer room to test ideas and learn what worked. He credits his early progress to an eagerness to take on assignments beyond his job description.

“I never said no to an opportunity,” Dyer said. “I had a drive to continue to push the envelope, learn more and become better every day.”

In 2015, he joined the team building the digital presence of “The Daily Show” as Trevor Noah became host. The group had the chance to establish a new voice, try original formats and respond to the news with the speed of an online newsroom.

One of those formats was “Between the Scenes,” which captured Noah talking with the studio audience during commercial breaks. Dyer helped launch and produce the digital series, and the team won a 2017 Creative Arts Emmy Award for outstanding short-form variety series.

The series grew from a culture in which writers, producers, correspondents and members of the digital team could all shape an idea. Dyer remembers Trevor Noah telling the staff that a good idea could come from anyone, whether it came from an intern, a writer or a producer.

“A great idea really can come from anywhere and anyone,” Dyer said. “Share, bounce things off each other and engage with your team. Through collaboration, the best ideas will come.”

That lesson followed him to “The Tonight Show” in 2021. Dyer joined as head of digital while the show was still navigating pandemic-era production and remote guests. As performers and live audiences returned to Studio 6B, he began expanding the show’s digital originals, videos made specifically for people watching online rather than repackaged television clips.

His team worked with nearly every part of the show. They collaborated with writers, segment producers, talent bookers, NBC press, marketing, and the larger staff and crew at the show to turn an appearance into something that could connect beyond the television broadcast.

Dyer approached each idea “fan first.” Before the cameras rolled, he wanted the team to understand the audience, the guest and the platform where the video would land. A TikTok video should feel natural on TikTok, he said, but it should still sound and look like “The Tonight Show.”

During Dyer’s tenure, he said, the show’s following across digital platforms grew from just over 50 million to more than 100 million. The show generated 50 billion views during his five years there. He points to those numbers as a team accomplishment, shared by Fallon and the people working across the production.

Leading that growth also changed how Dyer viewed his own role. He began paying closer attention to what each person on his team could become instead of limiting people to the jobs they had been hired to do. Delegating decisions and tasks gave younger producers room to grow and freed him to keep learning.

By the time he left the show in February 2026, Dyer felt confident that the team could continue without him. That made the timing right for another shift.

He joined Ampersand, the production company founded by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, as head of digital programming and development. The move has taken him from building digital extensions of established television programs to developing series from their earliest ideas. His current work includes “Celebrity Substitute”, a YouTube series where some of the world’s most recognizable stars step in as teachers for unsuspecting public school students.

Dyer sees that move as part of television’s future. A series no longer needs to begin with a network time slot and find an online audience later. It can start on YouTube and reach viewers directly, without asking them to change their habits.

“A show is only good if people watch it,” Dyer said. “I want to meet people where they already are.”

The screens and platforms keep changing. His reason for making the work has remained simple: to give people something that brings them joy or laughter.

For ������Ƶ students hoping to enter the industry, Dyer’s advice is equally direct. Do not wait for perfect equipment, the perfect idea or the most recognizable company name. He remembers carrying a BlackBerry as a student; today, students have a 4K camera in their pockets and an immediate way to share what they make.

“Just start making things,” Dyer said. “Start creating. You’ve got to start somewhere. Make things that you’re passionate about, and let your passion guide you.”

Parker Stevens worked for MegaWatt Lasers, a company based in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, which designs and manufactures solid state lasers. These laser systems often find use in medical, industrial and military applications. One of Parker’s tasks was to develop a new safety system and signage for the research lab that could be controlled remotely.

Ja’Mir Parham spent his summer at a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) site at the SETI Institute, an organization whose primary mission is to explore life in the universe. Ja’Mir focused on finding large, hydrogen-rich regions of the Milky Way Galaxy that could be star-forming regions. His team identified 15 new candidate regions, a significant increase in the number of previously identified regions.

Jonathan Berkson spent his summer at an NSF-REU at Washington State University, where his work centered on observational data related to dwarf galaxies and intermediate black holes. Jonathan and his mentors are continuing to work on a paper based on his efforts this summer.

Hosted weekly by the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Physics & Astro Tea promises engaging discussions, thought-provoking ideas and a delightful spread of refreshments. Open to all students, faculty and staff, this gathering is the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow physics aficionados in a relaxed and informal setting. Meetings take place in the third-floor lounge of Innovation Hall at 3:20 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Fall Student Employment Fair
When: Sept. 3, 2026 | 3 – 5 p.m.
Where: Alumni Gym
What: This event connects campus departments with students seeking meaningful on-campus employment opportunities. We invite hiring supervisors to show available positions, engage with prospective student employees and recruit talented students who can contribute to your team throughout the academic year. This is a great opportunity that students should definitely explore, and to make a great first impression, bring a resume!

Accounting Meet & Greet
When: Sept. 14, 2026 | 5 – 7 p.m.
Where: McKinnon Hall – Moseley Center
What: This networking event offers employers a valuable opportunity to connect with accounting students, share insights about career paths within your organization, and identify candidates for internships and full-time opportunities. Get the chance to chat with Bernard Robinson and Company LLP, Cherry Bekaert, Dean Dorton, dmjps, Elliott Davis, EY, Gilliam Bell Moser and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Job & Internship Fair
When: Sept. 17, 2026 | 2 -5 p.m.
Where: Schar Center
What: As one of ������Ƶ’s premier recruiting events, this fair offers employers the opportunity to connect with talented students and alumni pursuing internships and full-time careers across a broad range of fields and interests. Students should take advantage of this opportunity and bring a friend! Check out the ������Ƶ Job Network to see which employers will be there to connect with!

Contact the Student Professional Development Center for questions!
careerservices@elon.edu.

Elsa Eastment ’27 spent her summer combining engineering, biology and infectious disease research during an internship at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick, Maryland.

A biomedical engineering major from Chevy Chase, Maryland, Eastment worked in the institute’s molecular biology division, where she used bioprinting technology to create three-dimensional living liver tissue. Her project involved working with two types of cells — HepG2 cells, which model liver cells, and iPSC-derived endothelial cells, which model the cells that line blood vessels.

“I was working with a bioprinter to print bioinks containing the two cell types. I then infected the live tissue that I printed with two different viruses to test how well the cells were remodeling the matrix,” Eastment said.

Eastment’s goal was to determine which cell ratio would optimize matrix remodeling in 3D printed liver tissue. The experience brought together interests Eastment developed after arriving at ������Ƶ. She initially expected to pursue economics or finance but changed course during her sophomore year after taking a human physiology class.

“The course sparked my interest in biology,” Eastment said. “So when I was looking at summer internships, I was not just looking at engineering, but I was also looking at biology-focused opportunities.”

Beyond the technical experience she gained, Eastment says one of her most significant takeaways was seeing the collaborative nature of research at a large facility. Rather than projects remaining within individual teams, researchers across multiple divisions contributed their expertise.

“At USAMRIID, projects travelled between different divisions, rather than staying in just one. This collaboration allowed projects to benefit from a broader range of expertise, which I think improves project quality and productivity,” Eastment said.

The experience has already influenced how Eastment approaches her research at ������Ƶ. While much of her work has centered on engineering, she said the internship encouraged her to seek perspectives from other disciplines.

“This opportunity inspired me to do more outreach and talk to people from different departments about my projects,” Eastment said. “I think hearing their expertise could really elevate my projects.”

Eastment credits ������Ƶ with giving her the flexibility to discover her interest in engineering and quickly gain hands-on research experience after changing her academic path. She said that after switching majors, she was connected with an adviser, enrolled in the courses she needed and began pursuing research opportunities.

“������Ƶ has made gaining research experience super easy, which I really appreciate,” Eastment said. “I feel encouraged and excited to pursue my ideas because starting a project is so easy. All you have to do is ask.”

Scott Wolter, Eastment’s mentor at ������Ƶ, has played an important role in that experience by helping connect her with faculty members whose expertise aligns with her research interests.

“Dr. Wolter has been very instrumental to my experience in ������Ƶ Engineering,” Eastment said. “He’s not only interested in my projects and me doing the best that I can here, but he’s also been very invested in my career afterwards and helping me figure out what I want to do after ������Ƶ.”

The students have already been immersed in their new city, where they met alumni at the Queen City Connections ice cream social and heard from local alumni about living and working in Charlotte. Several former Study USA Charlotte participants attended, some of whom now work full-time for the organizations where they interned as students in the program.

Students completed a scavenger hunt to familiarize themselves with the Queen City, public transit and major landmarks. They also conducted test runs to their internship sites, many of which are located along the light rail, which provides easy access from South End to Uptown, and into the university area. Since many students are living in an apartment without a meal plan for the first time, they participated in a cooking class to learn meal preparation basics.

Cara Picariello ’28 sees this fall as an opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.

“Living in a city is something that I have never experienced before, so I wanted to take full advantage of the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone and experience a different lifestyle,” said Picariello. “In addition, Charlotte is a rapidly growing sports hub with many career opportunities, and I wanted to build connections and gain experience in the area before graduating.”

Aidan Sweeney ’28 also understands the many benefits of this program. “I wanted to experience living in a big city while also working and furthering my career. I came in knowing very few people, but I’ve already became friends with everyone by exploring the city together or finding a room to chat in with people.”

Five classes are offered this fall: Sport Sales and Promotion, College Athletics Administration, Sports and Media, Event and Venue Management, and an internship course. Students are required to complete 320 hours at their internship.

Students are interning with a variety of organizations including the Big South Conference, NASCAR, Sports Business Journal, Charlotte Knights, Charlotte Checkers, the National Junior College Athletic Association, the Atlantic Coast Conference and more.

Daniel Towery ’28 signed up for the Study USA Charlotte Sport and Community Experience program because “it’s the perfect way to combine classroom learning and real-world experience in the sports industry. I am especially excited to intern with both the Charlotte Knights and the ACC Football Game Day Operations Center to continue to develop my hands-on professional skills. Exploring the city and making memories with my cohort has already made this semester unforgettable.”

Griffin Conway ’28 is excited about the program because it gives him the “opportunity to get an early start on my professional career, while balancing academic courses and living in a city.”

“I’m looking forward to my internship with ACC’s Student-Athlete Programs and getting to learn the ins and outs of how a big organization works,” Conway said. “Over the past week since I started, I have met and networked with so many wonderful people through events that ������Ƶ has provided, and I’m very excited for the rest of the semester!”

Components of a fall Study USA experience include housing, academic courses, internship, enrichment activities and networking opportunities with alumni and industry professionals. Contact Study USA with any questions at global@elon.edu, 336-278-6700 or www.elon.edu/studyusa. Applications for the inaugural spring Study USA Charlotte program are currently open, while applications for fall 2027 are accepted Sept. 1-Dec. 1. Enrollment is limited. Non-������Ƶ students are invited to apply.

While relatively new to ������Ƶ, Moses-Brownson has been deeply engaged with NAAHP for many years. Moses-Brownson co-chairs the NAAHP Committee on Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, sits on the Regional Board of Directors for SAAHP (the Southeastern Association for Advisors in the Health Professions), is part of the instructional team for the NAAHP Leads: Regional and National Leadership track professional development program, and serves as a liaison between NAAHP and the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) LASOR (Learner Access, Student Opportunities, & Retention) working group.

Since joining ������Ƶ in 2024, Moses‑Brownson has helped transform Health Professions Advising through new courses, expanded programming and strategic partnerships that support students and alumni pursuing careers in healthcare. Central to this impact has been a new suite of courses co‑developed with Yuko Miyamoto, director of health professions advising and associate professor of biology, and Collier Lumpkin, associate director of career advising for pre-graduate school. Together, Moses‑Brownson and Miyamoto created an application preparation course focused on helping students understand timelines, requirements and competencies for health professions programs.

Moses-Brownson and Lumpkin developed a standardized test preparation course designed to support students preparing for exams such as the MCAT, DAT, OAT, GRE, and LSAT, which focuses on the non-content aspects of test preparation while providing deeply discounted access to high-quality test prep resources. These courses give students structured guidance, peer support and staff expertise as they move from exploring professional careers to actively applying.

Moses‑Brownson has also prioritized outreach to prospective students and the broader community, reflecting ������Ƶ’s commitment to access and engagement. In 2026, Health Professions Advising and the Student Professional Development Center co-hosted Health Professions Exploration Day, welcoming local high school students and Union County Schools to campus to learn about a wide range of healthcare careers and see how ������Ƶ can help them prepare for those futures. The event connected visitors with faculty, advisors, and current students, highlighting both the breadth of health professions and the many academic and co‑curricular paths available at ������Ƶ.

To deepen connections between ������Ƶ students and health professions programs, Moses‑Brownson and the SPDC brought a health professions expo to campus, inviting schools and programs to meet directly with students. The expo gave students the chance to ask questions, compare programs, and build relationships with admissions representatives, all while receiving advising support on how to present their experiences and plan next steps. This kind of face‑to‑face engagement helps students see the full landscape of opportunities, from medicine and dentistry to physician assistant programs, nursing, genetic counseling, nutrition/dietetics, pharmacy and other fields.

Another key initiative has been a partnership with Alamance Community College to offer an EMT course hosted primarily on ������Ƶ’s campus. By making this training more accessible, Health Professions Advising has opened additional pathways for students to gain hands‑on clinical experience and patient contact hours, which are critical components of competitive applications to many health professions programs. The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to preparing students not only academically, but also through meaningful, real‑world exposure to healthcare settings.

On campus, Moses-Brownson has worked to develop new opportunities for students to engage in the transformative experiences that prepare students for the competitive application processes in the health professions. A partnership with Belk Library, specifically with Engineering & Physical Science Librarian and Assistant Librarian Ellen Cline, and Coordinator of Research and Publishing and Associate Librarian Jesse Akman, has provided a pathway for underclassmen who cannot access traditional research opportunities to pursue evidence synthesis research opportunities with mentorship and support from library staff.

Alongside these programs, Moses‑Brownson has worked to deepen individualized advising and application support for both current students and alumni. Health Professions Advising offers one‑on‑one appointments, workshops, and resources to help students design an academic plan, understand professional competencies, and prepare strong, reflective applications. Students can meet with Moses‑Brownson through the ������Ƶ Job Network using the “Pre‑Health Advising” appointment types and can connect with Miyamoto by emailing ymiyamoto@elon.edu to schedule advising focused on academic planning and application processes.

Together, Moses‑Brownson and Miyamoto lead a Health Professions Advising program that supports hundreds of students and alumni as they explore, prepare for, and pursue a wide range of health careers. The NAAHP Outreach/Engagement Award underscores how intentional advising, new courses, campus‑community partnerships, and accessible programming can shape students’ pathways to becoming healthcare professionals, both at ������Ƶ and beyond.

The annual recognition honors emerging public relations professionals making their mark on the industry in the early stages of their careers. For Gibson, the recognition gave her a chance to appreciate how much she and HCM have grown in a relatively short time.

“PRNEWS is one of the most respected platforms in the industry, so it’s an honor to be recognized,” Gibson said. “I’ve spent the past few years watching Hannah Cranston Media grow from a team of three to a team of more than 20, and most days I’m too deep in pitching and problem-solving to stop and think about how far we’ve come.”

While Gibson has built her career in public relations, many of the skills that guide her work today were developed through her experiences as a journalism major at ������Ƶ.

The Honors Fellow was heavily involved with ������Ƶ News Network as an anchor and multimedia journalist, while also participating other immersive experiences like FreshTV. Those opportunities helped establish a foundation in storytelling that she continues to draw upon while working on the public relations side of the media industry.

“������Ƶ gave me a passion for storytelling and a tenacious curiosity, both essential to my career,” Gibson said. “Working as a reporter and anchor with ENN taught me what it takes to build a good story, and what makes people actually connect with one – the human element has to come first.”

That journalism background, Gibson said, has proved especially valuable as she develops stories and works directly with reporters.

“It’s shaped how I think about what a good story looks like and made me a better resource to the journalists I work with today,” she said.

Following graduation, Gibson spent three years with Jennifer Bett Communications before joining HCM in early 2024 as senior manager of public relations. She was promoted to director of public relations and business development six months later.

In her current position, Gibson oversees the agency’s consumer packaged goods, women’s health and wellness client roster, with responsibilities spanning client strategy and media relations. Her work can range from developing pitch strategies with colleagues to staffing events with reporters and cultivating media relationships. “My job changes shape depending on the week – which is one of the best parts,” she said.

Gibson credits much of her professional growth to learning the importance of surrounding herself with people committed to their work and to one another.

“Bet on people over playbooks. In an industry built on relationships, we can teach anyone to write a pitch or find the right story – but working alongside people who are passionately determined and hungry to see their teams succeed is an irreplaceable, unteachable quality.”

– Amanda Gibson ’21

Gibson also points to retired ������Ƶ faculty members Rich Landesberg and Glenn Scott as influential mentors. She credits Landesberg with instilling a respect for journalism’s ability to serve communities, an outlook that has influenced the brands and people she chooses to work with. Her research with Scott examining how stories are told around major events also continues to inform her approach to identifying stories and perspectives that might otherwise be overlooked.

Those lessons, along with the relationships she developed during her undergraduate years, remain important to Gibson five years after graduating.

“Beyond the classroom, the friendships and mentors I found at ������Ƶ continue to be a bedrock of both my life and my career,” Gibson said, “I’m endlessly grateful for my time Under the Oaks.”