Mizzou Senior Allie Duncan has interned for Vogue and is currently working with multiple businesses in Chicago. Before this, Allie started here, working at Her Campus Mizzou! In this Q&A, Duncan looks back at her experience with Her Campus and how it has helped her with her future.
Her Campus Mizzou: When did you start Her Campus and why did you leave Her Campus?
Allie Duncan: I am a senior in the School of Journalism with an emphasis in Strategic Communication. I am also pursuing a Textile and Apparel Management minor. I began writing for national Her Campus in the fall of 2010 and wrote for their ‘love’ section until the fall of 2012. During that time, I also served as the publicity director for Her Campus Mizzou for the 2011-12 academic year. I began writing for Her Campus because I felt they had unique content that was completely relevant for their target market. Even more so, a little selfishly, I wanted to accumulate clips for my portfolio as I pursued internships and full-time positions. I left Her Campus at the end of 2012 so I could pursue other opportunities and also because I was taking on new responsibilities in school with my capstone and other upper-level strategic communication coursework.
HCM: What have you been involved with since leaving Her Campus?
AD: Since leaving Her Campus, I have continued to be a contributing writer for Chicago-Scene magazine, have continued to be a campus representative for AKIRA Chicago, have begun working as a freelance writer for Chicago Social magazine, and have also started doing freelance social media and PR work for brands in Chicago.
HCM: How did Her Campus help you get involved?
AD: Her Campus was a great way for me to get involved with national media and to improve my portfolio. It was also incredibly helpful to have the experience with Her Campus to reference during interviews and to prove I had an editorial writing background. Her Campus helped me land my internship at Vogue magazine that opened a lot of doors for me both personally and professionally. Her Campus was also instrumental in my acceptance to other internships and programs. Both Her Campus and its campus branch Her Campus Mizzou have also been great for networking. I have met so many wonderful people with similar goals who have become some of my closest friends.
HCM: What did you learn from working on Her Campus and how has that been helpful in what you are doing now?
AD: I learned how to write effectively for a particular audience, how to pitch relevant stories, how to write on a deadline, how to edit with feedback, etc. All of the preceding have really improved my writing and have also improved my ability to work for a magazine and in a professional setting.
HCM: What is your favorite story that you worked on for Her Campus?
AD: My favorite story that I worked on for Her Campus was “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Ways.” I was able to interview multiple relationship experts to understand how women sabotage their relationships while also offering advice for how to improve. It was a really fun piece to write, and I was so proud of the way it turned out. It has become one of my favorite articles to feature in my portfolio!
HCM: What is your favorite memory from Her Campus?
My favorite memories from Her Campus are actually from Her Campus Mizzou. I loved working on the events and utilizing social media for promotions. I met so many great girls, and a few are my closest friends even today. We had so much fun planning the spring fashion show, and it was an amazing event!