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Communications and public relations are often about promoting the work of others. �����ؿ���Ƶ State University’s Dr. Thomasena Shaw makes sure her students can also promote themselves.
 
Shaw’s students complete online trainings that cover multimedia messaging, social media campaigns, content strategy and other topics. After successfully finishing, the students receive certifications to include on their resumes and LinkedIn profiles showing they know the tools of the trade.

“With many of our students being first-generation (college students), sometimes holding several jobs to get through school, their ability to do internships is not the same,” said Shaw, an associate professor in the Department of Communication Studies. “It gives them a practical advantage that employers are interested in.”
 
Students complete Hootsuite and Hubspot certifications, which are available free to them. The trainings go beyond what Shaw can cover during class meetings.
 
Emily Mangum, ’20, earned Hootsuite and Hubspot certifications and already sees the benefits. She impressed her internship supervisor at Brockton’s Fuller Craft Museum with her knowledge of Hootsuite, a social media management platform.
 

Emily, a strategic communications major and public relations minor from Royalston, hopes to work for a nonprofit organization or government agency. The certifications, she said, could help her stand out in a field of applicants.
 
“Everyone and their mothers are getting bachelor’s degrees, so you have to set yourself apart,” Emily said.
 
Noah Larson,’21, of Mansfield, completed a certification for his Business and Professional Communication class. Noah, who is majoring in communication studies with a concentration in media studies, said he did not expect to come away from the course with a concrete addition to his resume.
 
“That was really beneficial,” he said. “That’s not something you get with every college course.” (Story by Brian Benson, photos by Carl Hollant, ’15, University News & Video)

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