Hayden McConnell is a junior at Elon, as well as one of the first people to switch to the recently added PWR major. In addition to that, she minors in digital art and multimedia authoring, creates some pretty cool designs, like the new PWR sticker, and has her own stellar blog! This past summer, she stayed at Elon to manage the social media for the PWR Department, and has been taking major-related classes this semester, such as PWR 313 Feminism in Rhetoric and PWR 217 Writing Technologies. Taking time out of her busy week, we chatted about her experiences within the PWR Department over hot cider at Oak House.
- Why did you choose to be an English/now PWR major?
I chose English because I’ve always enjoyed writing and it has never felt like a daunting task to me. I’ve always used it as a way to organize my thoughts and as an outlet for my ideas. When I found out about the PWR major, I thought it would be a perfect balance of both writing and communication to find a job I’d love.
- Do you know what you would like to do after graduation with your degree in English? If so, please elaborate.
I’m considering going into advertising because I enjoy the communication aspect of it. I would also be interested in publishing or editing.
- What have you learned from your English classes that will help you in your future endeavors?
This may sound kind of dumb, but the most useful thing I’ve learned is how to strengthen my writing. Even in jobs where writing is not required, we still have to face tasks such as sending emails or proposals and I think that is something everyone should know how to do.
- So you were the intern for the PWR department’s social media this past summer. What were your responsibilities?
My main responsibility was to run the social media accounts and devise a plan to improve our audience interaction on those accounts. I also designed a sticker for the PWR department.
- What was the best experience you had with the internship?
I think the best experience was how eye-opening it was to learn how social media accounts are managed. For example, I used to think social media influencers or celebrities ran their own social media, but I know now there are people that have teams mapping and planning their posts.
- What was the worst?
The worst part was that when you’re trying to grow a small account, there is no instant satisfaction. You have to be patient and keep marketing it properly, then wait as the followers start to increase.
- How can someone get involved in an internship like this?
You can always search for jobs like this on the Elon Job Network, but I personally prefer talking to faculty or students that have already completed it!
- Do you have any advice for undergrad English majors?
I think my advice would be make friends with your professors, don’t be scared of them. They can really help with class advice and answer any questions you have about the field.
Well, Hayden, thank you for answering all of my questions, and good luck with exams and the rest of your semester!