by Taylor Stickles
Networking is a key skill that is taught to all students in the Harrington School of Communication and Media at URI. On April 13, several Harrington School students were invited to attend a networking roundtable event with members of the prestigious Harrington Executive Advisory Board. The advisory board is made up of global communication and media leaders who are invested in helping students and graduates of the school succeed.
At the roundtable event, students had the opportunity to meet and connect with many different members of the board through personalized conversations. These students were given valuable insight and advice on starting careers in the field of communication and media. Since the members of the board in attendance all stemmed from different career paths and work at different companies, the students were exposed to a wide range of successful professionals in the field.
The majority of the advice communicated to students by board members revolved around the importance of communicating effectively and demonstrating strong writing skills.
“Writing is the most important skill in the field,” Michael Moore, senior vice president of communication at Reuters said. “It is what job recruiters always look for.”
Other professionals agreed with this statement, and also conveyed the importance of thinking, communicating, and maintaining connections.
George T. Marshall, founder and producing director of Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival, gave valuable advice on successfully navigating the world of business and communications.
“Never burn bridges or lose connections,” Marshall said. “Always maintain a level of kindness and professionalism.”
It is this type of insight that cannot always be learned in the classroom. Rather, it is learned from experience in the field.
Many of the board members are URI alumni, giving them a deep understanding and appreciation of the work Harrington School students put in on a daily basis to not only complete their academic work, but to also represent the school in the best possible light outside of the classroom through internships, jobs, and extracurricular activities. They highlighted the importance of creating a resume that stands out from the rest of the competition by supplementing a rigorous academic schedule with involvement in both the campus and community.
Ed Quinlan, former CEO of the Hospital Association of Rhode Island, stressed his belief that URI becomes a better school every year because of the multitude of opportunities it provides for its students. The best piece of advice he had for students was: “There is never a traffic jam on the high road.”
Perhaps the most relatable advice for current students worried about landing their dream job after graduation came from Sammi Vogel, a young alum who recently began a career at CBS Interactive as Product Marketing Manager. She encouraged students to take risks in their career and to not be afraid to travel, even if it involves leaving your comfort zone.
“Don’t be in your own way,” Vogel said. “Don’t say no when you can say yes.”