My name is Sarah Grace Williamson, a soon-to-be graduate of The University of South Carolina. I am receiving my bachelor’s degree in the Arts of Journalism and Mass Communications with a minor in Information Science. Originally my journey began at Winthrop University, where a small campus felt like home for a small-town girl. After freshman year, this eagle needed a bigger nest and wound-up landing in a chicken coop. What felt unfortunate at the time turned out to be a true fortune.
Who Am I, Where Am I, How Did I Get Here
In 2016, I was eighteen with my entire future ahead and I knew exactly what I wanted to do. During my junior and senior years of high school, I had the opportunity to take a graphic communication course at Darlington County Institute of Technology where I became a Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign wiz. Winthrop University’s visual communications program was pronounced as a popular and rigorous path to becoming a graphic designer. At the time, I was unaware that popular and rigorous meant extremely competitive and difficult to pass (there was a qualifying showcase in order to continue their program). Feeling as if I may not be the wiz I thought, I looked for the next best path. The University of South Carolina’s advertising program called my name – a perfect combination of courses to practice graphic design skills while learning the ins and outs of the ad world.
The idea of creating marketing and branding material specifically for local, small businesses inspired me. I hoped my work would feel personal and important to clients. Choosing me as your brand designer would provide the ambitious start (or restart) your business needed to flourish. Then UofSC taught me something I did not expect; I no longer wanted to be a creative, but I did enjoy media analysis and account planning. These two courses placed me behind the scenes of an advertising campaign where I learned the first step to any campaign was to gather research. I was intrigued by studying consumer behavior through field research and social media monitoring to create key insights. Realizing this was an insight for my own career path, I paired my major with an information science minor to grasp the “what, how and why” of research and information needs.
Time to Transfer! 2017
After a few information science classes that kept my curious mind wandering, I strayed from advertising to mass communications. The “start-up” still held my interest – from establishing a small business’s image, to providing consumer insights for ad campaigns, to implementing research as the starting point in every project. However, in this particular major/minor combination, my passion grew from simply creating graphics to learning how to build a relationship between consumers and producers. Specifically, my passion lies in the ability to present easily digestible information from research and (hand-in-hand) create effective messaging. Society will always have information needs from purchasing decisions to everyday internet searches and in order to meet those needs, we need clear and concise communication through visual representation and well-articulated messaging.
The ultimate goal is to work at a digital marketing agency where the clients and projects are always changing, but the second-best option would be to work within a communications department of a particular company. A specific department of interest would be working in health communications. Over the span of COVID, the disconnect between medical professions and consumers has become more apparent. This field is ever evolving with new findings such as alternative medications, new technology and the constant need for accurate, trustworthy information. Similarly, a new interest developed in government work after taking a Public Opinion and Persuasion course this past fall. The course had the same behind the scenes feeling as I became interested in patterns that gave insight as to why people act, think and believe certain ways in political and social situations (like voting or popular trends).
Before landing a forever job, the next step is beginning my first post-graduate position as a technical assistant for the House of Representatives 2021 Redistricting Project. Through this project, I hope to explore more of my information science interest, get the feel for a real-life behind the scenes experience and to make connections that may further a career towards government public relations. Since this position does not begin until the fall, I am in the process of applying to various summer internship positions for communications and public relations. As I remain in Columbia over the next year or two, I will continue expanding my knowledge in communications, dive-deeper into my interests and gain real world work experience.