Two years ago, when I first entered college, I was extremely excited to major in journalism since I have always been interested in writing and the media. At first, the classes were exciting to me as I enjoyed writing articles. However, the practice quickly got old and I realized that I was not happy in my chosen major. I knew that I wanted to stay within the communications field, but with a different approach.
The MCVA department is filled with people who are willing to help you and want to see you succeed. After talking to multiple students and faculty within the department, I came to the realization that I am very interested in advertising which directed me to researching the public relations major.
The amount of clubs that are offered within the MCVA department also helped me to narrow down what I was most interested in. I previously wrote for the Pace Chronicle, and although I enjoyed and appreciated the real world experience, it helped me to realize that journalism was not the field I wanted to start a career in. Social media also helped me to choose a major, as the MCVA department’s Instagram often showcases students and alumni being successful in the field while sharing how they got to where they are today.
Changing my major was less of a hassle than I expected it to be. Since communications majors all take similar classes, I was able to keep journalism as a minor which gave me the opportunity to showcase my diverse skills within the communications field.
Though public relations was relatively new to me, and I was afraid that I would be unable to catch up as a first semester sophomore, my prior experience in journalism gave me background knowledge and an understanding of what I was learning.
Another concern of mine was the fact the COVID-19 pandemic hit in the first semester that I began public relations courses. Online classes are an adjustment in every major, and I was afraid that the adjustment would be much more difficult for me. However, the MCVA department has taken full advantage of the technologies Pace offers, ensuring that students are getting the education that is required to eventually work in their respective fields, and continuing to hold club meetings. The MCVA department continues to introduce online internship opportunities and encourage students to gain a variety of communications experience. Though my first major did not work out, I am grateful that I was able to stay within the MCVA department.