For this installment of Senior Spotlight, we interviewed Melissa Kuntzman, a senior double majoring in Editing, Writing, and Media (EWM) and Political Science. Like many of us, Melissa didn’t know exactly what she wanted to do for a career but had a strong interest in a few subjects. In her case, she really enjoyed learning about politics, leading her to her first major, political science. Melissa also wanted to get involved with campus activities and joined Her Campus FSU, an online magazine. She has written numerous articles for Her Campus which can be read here. Writing for the magazine allowed her to rediscover a passion for writing and a second major, EWM.
One of Melissa’s favorite classes was American Multi-Ethnic Literature with Professor Frances Tran. According to Melissa, “All of the class readings were so engaging, and Professor Tran was such an amazing professor; I really learned a lot from her.” Another one of her favorite professors is Amanda Driscoll, who Melissa says was one of the most inspirational teachers she has had at FSU. While on campus Melissa’s favorite spot became Landis Green where she would drink tea from the nearby Argo Tea. Outside of campus, she also took a liking to Au Peché Mignon, a French pastry shop and bakery.
In addition to her academic studies, Melissa stays busy working as an Assistant Communication Strategist at BowStern Marketing Communications, a marketing agency in Tallahassee. She primarily works in account management, serving as “a liaison between our clients, the different teams at our company (PR, social media, graphic design, web design), and vendors.” Her job has many responsibilities, such as conducting research on marketing strategies, communicating with vendors, managing print projects, and working on email marketing campaigns.
Melissa’s time as an undergrad has taught her many different things, and this knowledge is relevant to students from all walks of life. She encourages new students on campus to “explore outside of what your intended major is because you never know what classes are going to speak to you.” Furthermore, she reminds students that everyone is different, and they shouldn’t compare their experience in college to others’. Instead, she recommends getting involved around campus early on and gaining experience that will be valuable in their future endeavors.
As for fellow seniors who are graduating in the upcoming spring semester, she assures them that “it’s okay if you don’t know what you want to do yet… most people don’t.” She advises students to reach out to people who are working in industries they are interested in to make connections. Even if the first job after college isn’t exactly what they want to do, it still counts as experience, and one can always change careers paths while developing interests and skills as recent graduates.
When looking back on her time as an undergraduate student, Melissa believes that FSU helped reignite her passion for writing. As a result, she has been fortunate enough to have many different opportunities in the fields of journalism and marketing. The education and experience she picked up from her coursework and involvement on campus have taught her valuable skills and undoubtedly prepared her for success when she begins her professional career.