Meet Brooke Hirsheimer, recent UConn graduate and former Communication Society president who is currently interning in New York City. As a member of the Communication Society myself, I had the chance to get to know Brooke last semester during our weekly meetings and during our trip to the Meredith Vieira Show. All of us at Comm Society miss her bubbly personality and dedication to the club, so I was so excited that she let me interview her amidst her crazy schedule.
Age: 22
Hometown: New Fairfield, CT
Degree: Bachelor of Arts (Communication and Latin American Studies, double major)
Hobbies: Hiking, tennis, kayaking, painting
C: Last semester you were the Communication Society President here at UConn. What exactly is the Communication Society and when did you first get involved with the club?
B: The Communication Society is an undergraduate group of like-minded students interested in the field of communication. When I was a freshman, I landed on a committee to help plan UConn’s First Annual Public Speaking competition. Since then, I’ve coordinated two successful speaking competitions, lead the development of two departmental newsletters, and served two terms as President.
C: What ultimately led to your decision to run for President?
B: It was an easy decision! I was already so immersed in the Communication Society’s individual projects, running for President felt like the next step for me. I loved the work that the group produced, we had an unbelievable advisor, Professor Rory McGloin, and most importantly, I felt personally inspired by the members of the club. Each member had their own set of unique talents and skills. I wanted to do everything I could to provide opportunities for those individuals to thrive.
Brooke, club advisor Professor Rory McGloin, and others standing with last year’s Public Speaking Competition winner Jessica Kirchner.
C: What is your favorite memory of being in the Comm Society?
B: This is going to sound really cheesy, but it was a personal goal to facilitate group bonding among the Communication Society. The first meetings of the semesters were always dead silent. I never wanted Communication Society meetings to feel like another class. Instead, I wanted to be able to relax and joke around with a group of highly motivated and like-minded individuals. I remember one meeting, towards the end of the semester, the clock turned 6:30pm and I said my usual “See ya next week everyone.” I’m probably the only one who noticed but everyone stayed after to chat because they were genuinely enjoying each other’s company. We even got a warning that our time was up in the room. I’ve watched the public speaking competitions attract over 400 audience members, I’ve trekked into the city with the group for professional development opportunities, but that has to be the single most gratifying moment of my Comm Society experience.
C: You studied abroad. Can you tell me a little bit about your experience, specifically with Communication, while you were abroad?
B: I completed an internship abroad program in Ireland this past summer. While taking an Irish Sociology class at night, I was also interning at an Irish Public Relations firm, Rachel Dalton Communications, four days a week. This was hands-down one of the most impactful experiences of my undergraduate career. I endured an hour commute each way and had to learn the media industry in an entirely different country. This meant familiarizing myself with national and regional newspapers, magazines, and blogs that I have never heard of. A typical day on the job entailed developing press releases for clients in beauty, lifestyle health and parenting sectors, measuring the success of campaigns through media coverage reports, and planning client media events such as product launches. One time I was asked to work on a business proposal that eventually brought on a new client.
The Irish have an amazing sense of humor and they do in fact take tea breaks every hour- I got really good at making tea!
Brooke on the Cliffs of Moher while she was abroad in Ireland.
C: What have you been up since leaving UConn in December?
B: I now live in New York City and I am interning at an advertising agency called Grey. So far I am absolutely loving the fast pace environment. Everyone I work with is brilliant and it is a highly creative atmosphere. I’m quickly learning the perks of working for a large agency. For example, some clients I work with have massive budgets, giving the team and I the ability to pull celebrities and cutting edge technologies into our campaigns. I wish I could give you more specific examples but I have to stay on the DL with client information.
C: How did you decide you wanted to graduate early?
B: Plot twist- I didn’t decide, it pretty much just happened. I came in from high school with credits and starting as a freshman I wanted to stay ahead of my course load. To do so, I took summer and inter-session courses up until I was a junior. All of a sudden, I met with my advisor and she told me I was on track to graduate a semester early.
C: What do you miss most about UConn?
B: I can’t pick one thing! I miss Wilbur Cross, my favorite study spot. I miss Horse Barn Hill, my favorite spot to run. I miss hiking in the UConn Forest. I miss Comm Society and I miss my amazing friends who are currently finishing up their last semester. I couldn’t picture spending the last three and a half years anywhere else. I’m a Husky for life- just don’t call me an alumni yet (too soon :)).
To experience firsthand what the public speaking competition is all about, check out the third annual event on Monday, April 4th at the Student Union Theater.
Interested in entering in the competition or joining the Communication Society? Contact uccommsociety@gmail.com.
All images provided by Brooke Hirsheimer