Next Chapter Unfolds: Hicks Celebrates Graduation and New Career
As the curtain closes on her college career, a graduating University of Arkansas at Little Rock student is ending this chapter of her life with not one, but two bachelor鈥檚 degrees and an exciting new career in the dynamic field of public relations, embodying the true spirit of academic and career success.
Senior Olivia Hicks is graduating twice this semester with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in mass communication and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in professional and technical writing.
Hicks has spent the fall semester working part-time for MHP/Team SI, a full-service performance marketing agency, learning skills in public relations, social media development and management, and news and editorial writing. After graduation, she plans to begin a full-time public relations position with the company.
鈥淚 am very excited for this next step,鈥� Hicks said. 鈥淚 really love campus, and it will be hard to leave, but I will make sure to come visit.鈥�
Hicks joined 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in 2020, citing affordability as the key reason she chose the university.
鈥淲hen senior year rolled around, I had to look deep and figure out what was most important to me,鈥� Hicks said. 鈥淚 realized that being close to home and close to my family would give me many opportunities both personally and academically. Because of the scholarships and grants I have gotten from this school, I am graduating debt free!鈥�
Hicks鈥� mother also played an important role in her decision to attend college. Hicks grew up watching her mother earn two degrees, which inspired her to work hard in her own college career.
鈥淢y mother is also an alum of the university,鈥� Hicks recalled. 鈥淪he is a single mother who went to school while raising me. She graduated when I was 11 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in history, and then she went back for her master鈥檚 degree in secondary education and graduated in 2019. My entire childhood was surrounded by higher education. I grew up on this campus. I remember going to swim in the pool and sitting in on my mom鈥檚 history lectures. I loved this campus and the faculty. It鈥檚 like home to me.鈥�
Hicks learned key skills while attending 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. Through the Federal Work-Study Program and Trojan Works, she worked for two years as an editorial assistant in the Office of Communications and Marketing.
鈥淚 would say that my time as an editorial assistant is what prepared me the most,鈥� Hicks said. 鈥淣ot only did I get to know the staff at my current job through that position, but it gave me connections, led me on a path to writing stories that won national awards, and gave me confidence in my skill set. A lot of my college career I credit to that time. It gave me a lot of opportunities to hone my skills, be involved in campus, meet a lot of people, and that was the highlight of my college career.鈥�
Meaghan Milliorn, director of digital strategy, described Hicks as an asset to the Communications and Marketing team.
鈥淗er creativity and enthusiasm were valuable as she created content and videos for the university鈥檚 social media platforms,鈥� Milliorn said. 鈥淚鈥檓 so proud of her growth and that she gets to build her career and utilize what she鈥檚 learned at the university.鈥�
Along the way, Hicks has also completed internships in marketing, public relations, and social media with the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Trojan Food Pantry, Stone Ward, and Wildwood Park for the Arts. She has been honored for her writing skills with multiple awards in education sports writing and education feature writing by the Arkansas Press Women and the National Federation of Press Women.
Another important part of Hicks鈥� college experience was being involved in the Chancellor鈥檚 Leadership Corps (CLC), which helped her pay for college and learn valuable leadership skills.
鈥淚 started CLC as a freshman and immediately found a home there,鈥� Hicks said. 鈥淐orrigan Revels and Tiffani Silvey were very integral to my college experience. They鈥檝e been wonderful mentors, and I鈥檝e learned a lot from them. I was a peer mentor for the arts and communication student group for two years. My mentees were amazing, and I loved getting to help them through their early college experience.鈥�
As this part of her life comes to a close, her advice for new college students is to get involved in campus and professional opportunities.
鈥淕et out of your comfort zone because you never know who you might connect with, who might have job opportunities, and who might be your friend,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here are so many opportunities here that people don鈥檛 know about, and it鈥檚 a matter of putting yourself out there and knowing the right people.鈥�