Attributes success to support and guidance of her professors

“Through the communications department, I learned that graphic design is so much more than just making images look pretty together. It’s about creating a brand and a unique product for your audience.”

Allison Drennan ’13 had no interest in taking art classes, but discovered her passion for graphic design as an editor for her high school yearbook. She enrolled at �۶�ֱ�� University to develop her talent and learn about the public relations field. “Coming in as a freshman at GWU, making wallpapers for my computer was about the extent of what I knew,” she revealed. “Through the communications department, I learned that graphic design is so much more than just making images look pretty together. It’s about creating a brand and a unique product for your audience. It’s about visual appeal—colors, fonts, photography and design. The designer that I am today was shaped by my experience at GWU.”

A native of Gastonia, N.C., Drennan recently accepted a position as communications coordinator with Gaston (N.C.) County Schools. “I am responsible for the student news that comes into the office and formatting it for web, social media and TV,” Drennan shared. “I am also serving as a graphic designer for school publications, which I’m very excited to be doing. In my free time, I serve as an executive assistant to a creative consultant in Hollywood, and I also do freelance graphic design.”

She attributes her success to the professors in the GWU Department of Communication & New Media. “I learned so much from Dr. Amanda Bridges, Dr. Joe Webb, Dr. Lisa Luedeman and Dr. Bob Carey,” Drennan reflected. “I am so thankful for the public relations professional and graphic designer they helped me become. I was fully prepared for an internship and a full-time job. I credit a lot of my copy editing skills to the PR classes I took with Dr. Luedeman. Also, I remember sitting in Dr. Bridges’ office, weighing important decisions about portfolios and jobs and other grown-up things I didn’t think I was ready to handle. But she believed in me and told me I could. And that was good enough for me.”

Because of the small class sizes at GWU, professors have the time to mentor students and answer questions. Students also develop lasting friendships. “When it comes to classes and to friends, you’re spending a lot of time with the same people,” Drennan explained. “The friends that I made at �۶�ֱ�� continue to be lifelong friends as we go through the seasons and changes of life—job changes, weddings, babies, etc. �۶�ֱ�� is a place to learn, to love, to laugh and to grow.”

Drennan also appreciated opportunities to explore topics outside of her major, like Death and Dying in American Culture with Professor of English Dr. June Hobbs and acting with Kyrin Billinsky. “I learned so much in the death and dying class,” Drennan assessed. “We toured cemeteries, funeral homes and explored what death means to different cultures. I still get funny looks when I tell people about it, but I learned more about life in this class than I ever expected. The acting class with Kyrin Billinsky was an elective my sophomore year. While I had no plans to become an actor, the class was a lot of fun, and I learned some really great things from Kyrin.”

While she was at GWU, Drennan took her first international trip, traveling to Florence, Assisi and Rome, Italy, with the Department of Visual Arts. “The trip opened my eyes to the world in a way I had never seen it before,” she described. “Being in these cities steeped in history and seeing how people lived their lives was an amazing experience. We were in Rome the night Pope Francis was elected and we got to watch history in the making. I’ll never forget that feeling for the rest of my life.”

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“As a student, I enjoyed the connections I could make with my coaches, classmates, professors and faculty members. You’re not going to receive that level of connection just anywhere. During my time at �۶�ֱ��, I felt as if I really grew into who I was meant to be.”

Bethany Welch of Wilmington, N.C., used to tell other people’s stories as a news producer for Spectrum News in Raleigh, N.C. Now, in pursuit of a different challenge, she focuses her energy on sharing many facets of just one story. A 2013 alumna of �۶�ֱ�� University, Welch is the communications manager for North Carolina State Ports Authority (N.C. Ports). The organization is the managing body for the ports in Wilmington and Morehead City, and promotes economic development across the state through the ports.

Over her five years working for Spectrum News, Welch dedicated most of her time in the studio producing, pitching, writing, and editing to create content for daily on-air programming. At N.C. Ports, she manages the internal and external affairs. She is responsible for local, state, and international media relations; online and social media communications; and relations with stakeholders and advocacy programs. “I love being able to share the story of North Carolina Ports to businesses and communities across the state,” she says.

Welch frequently travels to speak at community events aimed to provide updates on N.C. Ports. This entails working with local, state, and international media partners to promote the latest developments at the Ports of Wilmington and Morehead City. “I’m constantly encountering situations I’ve never experienced before,” she reflects. “Some might consider that a challenge, but I like to view it as a learning opportunity.”

Welch’s experience at �۶�ֱ�� provided her with a strong foundation in writing and communication that has allowed her to grow professionally and personally. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in broadcast journalism with a minor in public relations. “My English and literature courses improved my writing skills tremendously and encouraged me creatively to think outside the box,” she asserts.

She chose to attend GWU, because she wanted a college where she could successfully pursue academics and athletics. “I visited �۶�ֱ�� and met with the Track and Field coaches, fellow student-athletes, professors and faculty members,” Welch relates. “I truly felt at home and could see myself blossoming at GWU.”

She originally intended to pursue a major in chemistry. However, during her sophomore year, she felt God was calling her down a different path. After taking a broadcast journalism class with some friends, Welch changed her major. “I am so thankful I had the courage to make that change – a tough decision made easier being surrounded by such supportive friends, teammates, coaches, professors and faculty members,” says Welch.

Actively involved on campus, Welch competed as a pole vaulter and a sprinter for the track and field team. She was a peer leader for First Year Programs, and she was a dedicated student who remembers an 8 a.m. Communication Law class with Dr. Joseph Webb among her favorites. “What stood out the most about this class was Dr. Webb’s unconventional approach to teaching,” she observes. “Dr. Webb was able to take a challenging course and make it fun and relatable to issues those working in communications face today.”

Looking back, Welch believes all the professors she had at GWU played a critical role in helping her to become the young professional she is today. “As a student, I enjoyed the connections I could make with my coaches, classmates, professors and faculty members,” she affirms. “You’re not going to receive that level of connection just anywhere. During my time at �۶�ֱ��, I felt as if I really grew into who I was meant to be.”

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Photojournalism Alumna takes time to pursue dream of hiking Appalachian Trail

“I chose photojournalism, because I have always been extremely passionate about the outdoors and traveling. Photojournalism was the perfect way to combine these two loves.”

After graduating from �۶�ֱ�� University in 2017, Eiryn Reynolds worked and saved up money for an adventure she had dreamed about for years. A photojournalism major, Reynolds wanted to hike the 2,190.9 miles of the Appalachian Trail before committing to a full-time job.

Being on the trail would also give her a chance to practice her photography skills. “This entire trip was truly a photographer’s dream,” Reynolds shared. “I chose photojournalism, because I have always been extremely passionate about the outdoors and traveling. Photojournalism was the perfect way to combine these two loves.”

She also found that having a photographer’s perspective helped her take notice of things on the trail missed by others. “There would be moments I would be taken aback by a simple scene because I saw it in a photographic perspective,” Reynolds explained.

Despite all the gorgeous views she and her hiking partner experienced, there were also numerous challenges. “In every town we came through, all of the locals would tell us that we had the worst weather they had seen in years,” Reynolds described. “We hiked through record lows, record highs, and record amounts of rainfall.”

About three months into the hike, they began to feel defeated and ready to quit. They shared their struggles with a hiker and followed his advice to take time off the trail and drop some pack weight. The two returned four days later, energized and ready to pick up where they left off. They hiked an average of 17 to 20 miles a day, completing the 2,190.9-mile journey in seven months.

The final ascent to Mt. Katahdin in Maine was the best day on the trail for Reynolds. “The previous night, we had camped out with a group of hikers, all from North Carolina, that we had become very close to. We all woke up early to start our ascent, and you could feel the excitement from each person,” she remembered.

As they climbed, they were joined by other hikers. Usually, the faster hikers pass, but on this day, they all stayed in a line holding the pace of the person in front. “As we got to the infamous Katahdin sign, we passed one-by-one so everyone had a chance to touch the sign before the true celebration happened,” Reynolds said. “It was an unspoken moment between everyone that we were going to finish this together. Thinking about that incredible experience still makes me tear up.”

Since returning home to Wilkesboro, N.C., Reynolds is doing freelance photography. She has pondered the lessons from spending several months in near solitude. “There are so many things I learned about myself while on trail, but the most important thing I learned is that I am capable of so much more than I imagined I could be,” she assessed. “I have a confidence that I didn’t previously have. I would have originally been nervous and timid, but now I have the mindset of ‘I was able to accomplish the Appalachian Trail, I can do this and I can adapt and learn.’”

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�۶�ֱ�� Alumnus Wants to help students achieve academic and personal success

“The excellent liberal arts education I received has helped me transition into the working world. I feel comfortable managing multiple projects at once, and I feel as though I can provide a unique perspective and opinions about the future of higher education thanks to my undergraduate experience.”

While some students declare their majors as freshmen, Collin Helms, a 2015 alumnus of �۶�ֱ�� University, arrived at college no longer sure of his future. He had dreamed of becoming an architect, but his plans changed the summer before he started college. During a worship service at the camp where he worked, he distinctly felt God leading him to accept a scholarship from GWU.

Once he started at �۶�ֱ��, Helms set about to discover why God wanted him at the Christian university. “After searching for the right fit within several other departments, I chose public relations,” he shared. “I have always been drawn to people and love spending time with others. I scheduled a meeting with Dr. Lisa Leudeman (assistant professor in communication studies). Not long into our meeting I knew this was the major for me. I had found a major that aligned with my personality and what I have always loved to do.”

Helms uses his talents as an assistant director in the Office of Student Financial Aid at Appalachian State University (ASU) in Boone, N.C. “I spend half of my day meeting with students who come to our office,” Helms related. “Those meetings give me a chance to positively impact students on a daily basis. I also love educating them about how financial aid works, and the steps they can take to set themselves up for financial success in the future.”

He’s also completing his Master of Arts in Higher Education Leadership and Administration and plans to pursue a doctorate. “Dr. Dee Hunt (vice president emerita of GWU Student Development) is the person who encouraged me to pursue this degree as she recognized my passion for higher education,” Helms disclosed. “I am passionate about serving students and helping them grow academically and personally.”

His experiences at GWU introduced him to working with college students. He was a Resident Advisor (RA) for the Department of Housing and Residence Education and served as a Student Recruitment Ambassador (SRA) for Undergraduate Admissions. His senior year he was SRA coordinator. He was also a member of FOCUS, (Fellowship of Christians United in Service), a campus ministry involving teams of GWU students who provide programs for youth groups at local churches. After graduating in 2015, he was hired as an Undergraduate Admissions Counselor at �۶�ֱ��.

“As a student, I valued the �۶�ֱ�� community more than anything,” Helms affirmed. “I was able to be part of numerous communities during my tenure at The Webb. I am incredibly thankful for the countless friendships and memories I made with people in my housing communities, my FOCUS team, and fellow Student Recruitment Ambassadors.”

Being part of the GWU Honors Program gave him unique experiences like swimming with manatees in Florida and visiting the Eifel Tower. Because GWU professors encourage class discussions, he had a significant advantage when he started graduate school in 2017. He was used to sharing his ideas on a variety of topics, and the GWU course requirements shaped his work ethic. “The excellent liberal arts education I received has helped me transition into the working world,” Helms asserted. “I feel comfortable managing multiple projects at once, and I feel as though I can provide a unique perspective and opinions about the future of higher education thanks to my undergraduate experience.”

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