Sarah Neiman

Coming to GMercyU expanded my horizons with endless educational professional opportunities. There’s so much more out there than what you’re used to.

I came to Gwynedd Mercy University not only for their Communication program but also because I really liked the atmosphere on campus. GMercyU provides a tranquil escape from the daily grind, and provides the flexibility I need as a non-traditional adult learner. I graduated Montgomery Country Community College in 2008 with a degree in Liberal Arts and I knew I wanted to further my education by earning my bachelor’s degree.

I studied a multitude of things at MONTCO. I took a lot of English and education classes and really enjoyed one of the communication classes I took. After some thinking, I decided that I really wanted to pursue a career in communications because it’s very broad— (and because I love to write)! There are a lot of different career paths within the field, whether you want to be a journalist, public relations practitioner, or social media specialist— and whether you want to work for a profit or non-profit organization.

I love GMercyU’s Communication program. It’s very small which I like. The student-teacher ratio is typically no more than 10-12 students in a class at any given time, so the student is really able to develop a relationship with the professor in a welcoming, supportive, and relaxed classroom setting. My professor, Dr. Chakars, takes learning to the next level— always going out of his way to not only ensure his students’ success based on their personal needs and desires, but also serving as a mentor in encouraging and inspiring his students to push themselves as they grow professionally.

It’s very hands-on; we do a lot of fun activities—last semester we took a class trip to the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia for Visual Communications class— just one of the many memorable experiences I have had so far on my journey here at GMercyU. Guest speakers come into class regularly, providing students with both valuable lessons and great networking opportunities.

Last summer I interned at Northern Children Services, a non-profit organization that supports the healthy development of unfortunate children in Roxborough, Pa. I worked PR for the company where I wrote press releases and success stories. This internship was a perfect fit for me, as it provided me a creative outlet to pursue my passions for helping others while nurturing my growth as a communications professional.

This summer I will be interning with the Mayor’s Office of Philadelphia. Before the holidays, Dr. Chakars and I discussed what a great opportunity it would be if I applied. There was an essay contest where you had to describe where you would fit within the Mayor’s Office, as there are many different departments that offer internship opportunities. Beings I had some experience with the Department of Human Services (DHS) during my last internship, I thought it would be great to continue my journey in serving others with the communications skills I have developed and strengthened upon, so I wrote in the essay that I was interested in both the departments of Education and DHS.

I had a few phone interviews with the Education Department and another with the DHS Department. I even had a third interview with the Digital Communications Department. The three departments got together and discussed where they thought I would be best fit. I was accepted into the DHS Department and I’m looking forward to being an active part of the inner-workings of city government this summer. I’m sure I’ll be doing office work as well as press releases, event planning, and lots of writing.