Crystal from Alabama - M.S. Advertising

My name is Crystal Essex, I am originally from Marion, Alabama.  I am pursuing an M.S., specifically within Advertising and Strategic Communications.

My area of interest within the M.S. program specifically lies within advertising, public relations and marketing research.  Within my program, I did my master's project on hair care advertising and it was titled "Going Straight: How Hair Care Advertising Constructs African American Beauty."

I chose SIUC because of the flexibility of the curriculum of the program.

I felt that I had the opportunity to learn other skills outside of my background already in the media but it specifically enhanced advertising and marketing research so I felt that  the flexibility of the program was a great fit for me.

Through the university I am  PROMPT fellow which allowed me to have a fellowship for the two years that I was here to complete my degree.

I had an assistantship with WSIU.  The first year, I worked with River Region Evening Edition, which is the news station for WSIU.  I had the opportunity to serve as the business manager and I interacted with the student workers on a daily basis.

The second year, I moved to promotions with WSIU and I had the opportunity to do various activities from designing promotional pieces to writing press releases, media advisories, designing newsletters, taking photos, so my experience within that realm of advertising research and graphic design was definitely enhanced by  working with WSIU promotions.

I had the opportunity this past April to present at the MCMA Graduate Student Symposium in front of various faculty and other students who had different interests within the field of Communications.

As far as publications, I'm in the process of working with my advisor Dr. Katherine Frith to possibly publish a chapter for one of the books that she is editing.

My plans for the future are to pursue job opportunities within marketing research or public relations, and try my best to add to the field of advertising and marketing research.

I certainly would encourage you to overview the curriculum and look at it because it does provide flexibility for those who are interested in a program in which they can hone in on their skills

in one particular area, as well as developing skills that they may not have thought they originally wanted to pursue.