QU | Academic Feature
Ready f r
Anything QU’s Communication Department Preparing Graduates for
Exciting Careers
Julianne Touhy ’15 Major: Communication with a concentration in Professional Communications Position: Senior Meeting Planner for American Bar Association Touhy currently runs housing and registration for the American Bar Association’s two largest nationwide events where all different types of lawyers come together. She takes care of everything that has to do with biannual events including, registration, housing, and event coordination. “I see a lot of civil justice and Supreme Court movements, and to have a little part in it and see it unfold and happen live during these events is a tremendous opportunity. I love what I do, mixing communication and political science; it’s the best of both worlds.” Touhy says the Business Communications course with John Schleppenbach, PhD, helped prepare her for her career, and she still uses her syllabus, the book, and notes to this day. “My biggest cheerleader during my time at QU was the late Dr. John. He pushed me to go to the Washington D.C. program during my junior year. He made me find who I was,” says Touhy. “With assistance from the entire communication department, QU provided me with a great, solid foundation of people who pushed me to see the best in myself and work harder.” 24
QUniverse | Spring 2021
Andy Martinez ’15 Major: Communication with a concentration in Journalism Position: Social Media Coordinator and Cubs Contributor for the Marquis Sports Network part-owned by the Chicago Cubs Martinez manages the social media content, planning, and execution for the Marquis Sports Network. He also helps create content for the website, such as writing stories, cutting video, and interviews covering the Cubs. Martinez discovered that he loved to write and produce video as a student working as an editor for the Falcon Newspaper and working at QUTV. “I remember back in May, in the depth of the pandemic lockdown, there was a social segment that I had to help produce and gather materials. When I was first assigned the task, it felt daunting, and I thought, ‘I’ve never done this before.’ I immediately remembered that I used to do this exact thing in college working for QUTV. I realized that I had done this before, and I knew I could do it,” said Martinez. “In college, I wasn’t prepared to do just one thing; I was prepared to do everything. I learned how to shoot video, edit video, do social media, and how to write. If I didn’t have that kind of education, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today working with the Chicago Cubs.”
