A Q&A with Alumna Katie Burkhart

Katie Burkhart
2018 Graduate
School of Journalism and Strategic Media 

In this conversation, Burkhart shares her excitement about post-graduation life, thoughts on making the most of a student’s college time, and persevering through the ups and downs of a tough job search that ultimately ended with a great new opportunity.

Q: Can you tell us a little about your career, what you studied in college, and how the two relate to one another? 

I am a copywriter for the creative team at Capital One in their Auto Finance division. I work very closely with an art director and a brand manager. 

So, “what in the world does a copywriter do and what does that mean?” I write copy for emails, direct mail letters, buck slips, outer envelopes and landing pages. I also do a lot of proofreading for my coworkers. It’s nice to finally be appreciated for my grammar nerdiness.

I studied journalism with an emphasis in Ad/PR. My major and my job are very closely related. Specifically, the senior-level classes that are more project-based are very similar to my day-to-day at work. I receive a creative brief, brainstorm ideas with my team, work with the art director to place my copy into her designs, get feedback/edits, and present to leadership teams for review/approval.

This is really similar to a lot of the projects you do in the final Ad/PR classes. My job is all about working in a collaborative environment to produce creative content and understanding the psychology of the target audience. The classes I took in my major prepared me really well for my career.

Q: What excites you most about life-post graduation?

Honestly, the most exciting thing is no more school. Don’t get me wrong… I love learning and especially loved my senior-level classes that were project based. But, I love knowing that I will (most likely) never have to study for another test or take quizzes or sit in a lecture or write an essay. Just focusing on working and doing what I really enjoy makes me so happy.

Q: What was one of your favorite memories of your time at the college and why?

Hmm, this is tough. Only one?! I don’t think I can narrow it down to one specific memory.

A lot of my favorite memories come from going to the UARK hockey games in Springdale. (Yes, we have a hockey team). I went to the hockey games all four years and was friends with a majority of the players. So many of my college memories include going to the hockey games and hanging out with the players.

Q: Now that you’ve graduated, what advice would you give to students?

My advice is to LIVE IN THE MOMENT AND SOAK UP EVERY SECOND OF EVERY DAY IN COLLEGE. Sorry, I don’t mean to yell, but college FLIES by.

I know everyone says that, but, seriously, I can’t believe my four years are already up. Please don’t wish time away because nothing will compare to your college years. They really are some of the best years of your life.

Go to class, learn everything you can, take random electives you’re interested in, study abroad if you want, say yes to invitations or plans… the list could go on for days! Take advantage of everything while you’re still living that “college kid lifestyle.”

Q: What do you like to do during your time outside of work?

Outside of work, I spend lots of time with my friends and family. I also go to happy hours with my coworkers! I really enjoy working out, going to yoga classes, watching YouTube, laying out by the pool, reading, going to the farmer’s market and exploring Dallas.

Q: What’s up next on the horizon for you?

I’m trying to live in the present and not plan too much into the future. However, a fun goal of mine would be to build up my reputation and credibility as a writer and begin freelancing for people. Writing for any medium, category, size, etc.!

I would love to be given complete creative freedom for a brand; that’s when I thrive the most! I’m also really interested in graphic design and front-end web development. So, I want to take a couple courses on these subjects so I can build a really great website showcasing my work and personality for when I reach a point to start freelancing.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add or let readers know?

If you read all of this—thanks, I like you a lot! You have my name, so feel free to add me on LinkedIn and reach out with any questions!

Enjoy the rest of your time in school, and, when it’s time to start your job search post-grad, don’t be discouraged if you keep getting rejected. I’ll let you in on a little secret: I applied for 80-plus jobs before I finally got this one. I worked with recruiters, messaged people on LinkedIn, applied on every job site, called companies directly. I only got a couple of interviews. I was totally defeated, BUT you can’t give up.

The right job for you is out there and if a company isn’t willing to take a chance on you or see your potential, then you don’t want to work for them! You’re going to end up where you belong, so just trust the job search process and enjoy the rewarding feeling when you land one.