Meet our HC UNCW chapter founder Kaitlyn Russell! She graduated UNCW in 2015 with a degree in Communication Studies and a minor in Journalism. Kaitlyn currently works at Bridal Guide Magazine in New York as an audience engagement editor. You can also find her freelance pieces on media outlets such as Seventeen, Cosmo, and Huffington Post.
HC: Can you tell me a little bit about the process of starting the UNCW Her Campus chapter?
KR: I had followed HC chapters at different universities and decided that UNCW was lacking a voice for its female students. I submitted an application for UNCW and explained why I thought it’d be a good fit on campus and why I was qualified to lead the launch. From there, I was in touch with some HC national team members and got accepted! In order to launch, I had to recruit a team and get enough content ready and approved for the first week. After that, I went through the process of making Her Campus a registered organization on UNCW’s campus.
HC: What was your favorite part about UNCW Her Campus? What was your shining or proud moment?
KR: I think my favorite part was being able to create an organization that’s served as an outlet for many women on UNCW’s campus. And, of course, the people I met through it! A proud moment for me was when I was chatting with other students and Her Campus was brought up in the conversation and they knew what it was, just not that I launched it. It made me feel incredibly happy to know that it was becoming known around campus and growing!
HC: What do you miss about UNCW?
KR: I miss so many things about UNCW—I’d say I mostly miss having all of my closest friends around in one place. Fortunately, I still see so many, but it usually involves travel or extensive planning. I also miss Wilmington in general and being so close to the beach. There was always a place to unwind even in the midst of a hectic week.
HC: Can you tell us a little bit about your job now?
KR: I’m currently the Audience Engagement Editor at Bridal Guide Magazine. My job revolves around managing our digital editorial calendar, writing, and editing, as well as producing digital promotion for our print issues and developing our audience development strategies, whether that’s through creating social media graphics for Instagram stories or reaching out to influencers to do social takeovers. I also freelance on the side creating content and copywriting!
HC: Any advice to seniors looking for a job?
KR: Build your network and put in the work now! I had multiple internships throughout college and did a lot of writing for various programs, like USA Today College and Huffington Post, and that gave me a solid portfolio to show when I was interviewing for post-grad opportunities. Yes, that means I had to skip some nights out but it was so worth it down the road. And, most job interviews I’ve had have resulted from knowing someone who knew someone, which gave me a leg up because I could be personally vouched for. Whether you’re becoming an integral part of a campus organization or meeting with people in your desired field of work, taking that time to connect really pays off! And, it’s better to be fully invested in one organization rather than simply joining a few just to have on your resume. When it comes time for recommendations and interviews, you’ll want to have enough to say about what you contributed.
[Photos Courtesy of Kaitlyn Russell]