Paul Speaks

Graduate School

So I’ve decided to join the fast paced environment of graduate school. I’ve decided to work on my Master of Science in Digital Media. I love working with Adobe InDesign & Photoshop. In addition I am relearning non-linear editing using Final Cut Pro on a Mac. I’m from the old Premiere Pro days using PCs. Granted, this wasn’t more than a few years ago, but that’s pretty much the pace of the Digital Age. I do recommend the program for anyone that would like to supplement their public relations credentials. Given the current condition of the economy, I simply want to be the most-qualified individual for any career.

(Source: valpo.edu)

Hang In There

Tomorrow marks my last day as an employee at Valparaiso University. I worked over the summer as a temporary communications specialist after working in the Integrated Marketing and Communications department as an intern and student aide. It’s always quite interesting to see the impact I’ve left on this university. I started at VU in August of 2006 as a meteorology student and made many changes before discovering my true passion for public relations. There’s nothing quite like advocating something you believe in.

I will share more of my passion and background as time progresses, but today I want to focus on this perception of a “lost generation”. The news is bleak. Everyday there’s an article about students not finding jobs, students turning to prostitution to pay off their student loans and very little as far as the perception of a recovering economy.

In the face of student loan debt, I occasionally wish I too could receive a ‘bailout’ quite like Wall Street and the automobile industry received. I won’t hold my breath. Often I try to encourage people my age to become involved in the political process. Programs like Social Security and Medicare are protected by a very consistent group of proactive voters.

I recently sat through a Disney Leadership Institute and our presenter said that “Everyone tells a story, and everyone inspires the people around them.” It’s a matter of how you inspire and what story you are telling. People my age tell me all the time that their vote doesn’t matter and won’t have an impact. Your lack of vote also has an impact and our collective lack of votes tells a story. That story is to ignore our needs and cater to someone who has impact on whether or not we keep our job. We historically made our voices heard in 2008 and by 2010 we were silent again.

If you’re asking yourself what this has to do with me or the “lost generation” let me clue you in on something. I have not lost hope. Our economy will improve. We will find careers. We can change the story. We must refuse to give up at the first bump in the road and persevere.