Graduate Program Alumni

Graduation Year: 2013

Chelsea Clements Grund is a two-time graduate of Auburn University, receiving her BA in Radio, Television and Film in 2011, and her MA in Communication in 2013. Currently, she holds the role of Project Manager at The Home Depot where she oversees the planning, management and execution of social media creative in order to support marketing campaigns for the decor line of business. Chelsea specializes in project management, content development and influencer relations. Prior to The Home Depot, Chelsea worked on the agency side of the industry, starting her career as a digital intern at Edelman and spending four years working within the digital marketing practice at MSLGROUP in Atlanta. Chelsea’s Auburn master's program experience helped her grow exponentially as a person, student and professional. The program helped her build a stronger sense of self-confidence while gaining a better understanding of what motivates her professionally. It not only broadened her practical knowledge of the PR, marketing and communications industries, but also deepened her understanding of a brand’s audience strategy, which ultimately informs its communication, messaging and creative strategies. Communication theory studies also gave her a greater ability to communicate effectively – in and outside of the workplace.

Graduation Year: 2013

I’m the Public Relations and Social Media Manager at the North Carolina Museum of Art, responsible for all forward-facing communication about the Museum, its programs, its exhibitions and art, our 164-acre campus, and staff. I handle press releases, media events, day-to-day social media, publicity partnerships, crisis communications and more. It’s a fast-paced, nonstop job that keeps me super busy, but I love it. I started my career in the music industry at BMI in Nashville, and the arts and entertainment world is definitely the place for me. The MA program prepared me for my career by fine-tuning my writing skills and getting me comfortable with conducting research, giving presentations and public speaking. I’ve even been able to put my writing and research skills to use as a freelance music journalist. I’m thankful for my time in the graduate program at Auburn and where it has gotten me.

Graduation Year: 2015

I started working in hospitality part-time during my graduate program at Auburn (at The Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center), so you could say my path in the MA program directly intersected with my future career path, although I didn’t know it yet. I learned valuable communication skills from the program and became comfortable with expressing my ideas and thoughts openly in groups, and this gave me the starting point to be able to succeed in a sales/events position. I started as Sales Assistant for Hyatt Hotels, then moved to Event Planning Manager, where I was responsible for fully planning and executing about 65 events per year, ranging from 10-400 attendees. I was just recently promoted to Special Events Sales Manager, Wedding Specialist, for Park Hyatt Washington DC, where I am now responsible for selling all of our social events, as well as planning them. Since my position requires so many different types of communication methods, both verbal and written, I’m grateful to have the background I received from Auburn’s MA program.

Graduation Year: 2008

For the last six years, I have been a Project Manager with Schneider Electric, a multinational company headquartered in France. I manage large electrical distribution projects for clients all over the United States from New York City to Las Vegas. I interact with a wide array of people with diverse backgrounds every day and the MA program at Auburn helped me to understand how essential communication is to be successful. I study my clients and work to understand their motivations and that helps me to develop a communication strategy for each project. At the end of the day, I have succeeded if I clearly communicate a plan of action to a client and the client in turn fully understands the plan and allows me to implement it. The MA program provided me with the foundation I needed to be successful in the real world.

Graduation Year: 2009

My position requires that I spend a considerable amount of time communicating our initiatives and our position on issues. I’m also tasked with the execution and creation of strategies to help keep our industry ahead in our changing world. The research, critical thinking, organizational frameworks and public relations skills learned during my time at Auburn are concepts I use in daily practice. In fact, I still refer back to them in meetings and when I’m asked to give talks to groups. Auburn laid a foundation for me to effectively lead our members, our staff and our industry.

Graduation Year: 2001

Auburn’s MA program blends theory with practice to prepare its students for a career in academia or as a practitioner. I appreciated the various areas of study, from research methods to public relations campaigns, which diversified my knowledge and skill set. My role as a graduate teaching assistant also remains one of the most rewarding experiences of my career, as I was able to guide students on how to deliver effective, engaging presentations. Since graduating from Auburn, I’ve held professional positions in collegiate media relations, journalism and marketing. Most recently I served as senior director, communication and marketing, for the National Tour Association. My job at NTA included managing all brand-driven initiatives, which included websites, social media, strategic messaging, print and email campaigns, and digital advertising efforts. I also served as staff liaison for the NTA Advocacy Advisory Group, a position that annually brought me to Capitol Hill to meet with legislators and show how travel is one of America’s most important economic drivers. Auburn’s MA curriculum and especially its outstanding faculty provided the foundation of my career in the communication field.

Graduation Year: 2016

Jade Reynolds Smith attended Auburn University and was a part of the communication graduate program. During her time, she learned how to solve complex communication problems, articulate her thoughts and thoughts of others in a meaningful way, and provided business strategies for local organizations in the Auburn area. The challenges that arose while being enrolled in the program prepared her for a top-level management position. Because of the foundation that was laid out by Auburn University, Jade has successfully made her way up the corporate ladder in the sales division of Frito-Lay. She currently serves as a Key Account Manager where she is responsible for Frito-Lay’s CVS and Walgreens business for the Southeast Region. Her main focuses are generating sales growth, maintaining business partnerships, and identifying new opportunities for continued growth in each respective portfolio. As a result of the rigorous program she undertook at Auburn University, Jade has excelled in her role, earning her recognition as one of their top sales performers.

Graduation Year: 2009

Graduation Year: 2017

The Auburn University Communication Graduate Program provided me with the skills and confidence I needed to be able to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment as the head of the communications department at the ACLU of Alabama. Thanks to the diverse range of courses, projects, and internships I was exposed to through Auburn, I have an understanding of audiences and how to research them through quantitative and qualitative methods while also applying that to create websites, engage with them on social media, write blogs and op-eds to make complex cases more accessible, and speak in front of hundreds of people at rallies and events. The Auburn graduate faculty, staff,and overall experience were instrumental in helping me to find my passion and pursue it.

Graduation Year: 2011

Graduation Year: 2014

Nick Van Der Linden received his Master of Arts in Communication in 2014 and currently serves as Director of Communications for LeadingAge Florida, the state’s leading advocate for high-quality senior living. As director, he is the spokesperson and media contact for the organization, develops and implements marketing strategies, helps enhance brand recognition and provides high-quality and timely information to the public and long-term care providers. "Auburn’s School of Communication and Journalism has an excellent curriculum, but above all, it was the faculty that helped prepare me for my success. They challenged me to not only think critically, but grow as a person. Class sizes were intimate and allowed for engaging discussion and debates. Serving as a graduate teaching assistant also provided me the opportunity to get hands-on experience working on meaningful academic studies. The master’s program is a true embodiment of Auburn’s creed. It gives you the knowledge to work wisely and trains your mind and hands to work skillfully."

Graduation Year: 2012