For some students, the idea of attending a networking event can be intimidating. Walking into a room full of professionals, introducing yourself to someone you have never met and trying to explain your interests can feel like a lot to navigate, especially when you are not sure what you hope to get out of the experience.
For College of Communication and Information alumni Marin Sneed (’25, ’26) and Olivia Wilson (’23), networking trips offered a way to do exactly that while still having the support of their college behind them. Sneed, who earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years through the Four Plus One advertising and public relations concentration, traveled to New York City as a student. Wilson, who graduated in December 2023, traveled to Nashville as a communication studies major.
Both went into their respective trips hoping to learn more about potential career paths and meet professionals in their fields. Both left with connections that became much more than a business card or LinkedIn connection.
For Sneed, the New York City trip resulted in an internship opportunity after she connected with a hiring professional at Omnicom Group Inc., an American multinational media, marketing, and corporate communications holding company headquartered in New York. For Wilson, a conversation during the Nashville trip led to an internship with Adams and Reese that segued to a full-time position at the law firm, launching her career in legislative relations.
Turning a conversation into an opportunity
Sneed had heard of past students graduating college and making the leap to living and working in New York City, but the idea of doing it herself initially felt distant.
“I had considered moving to NYC post-grad when I was in college, but it felt very out of reach and unrealistic,” Sneed said. “I wanted to speak to people who worked in NYC to discover if it was a good fit for me.”
The trip gave her the chance to do more than simply visit the city. She wanted to build a professional network and learn what working in the advertising and communications industry in New York was actually like.
During a tour of Omnicom, Sneed connected with Stefani Lashin, an HR professional at Porter Novelli. Lashin mentioned internship opportunities during a presentation, and Sneed recognized an opportunity to introduce herself.
“I sprinted up to her to learn more,” Sneed said. “I applied that night, and she pulled my resume from the stack because we talked in person.”
The conversation itself was relatively simple; Sneed asked about the application process, explained how her experience and interests aligned with the company, and shared her interest in government public relations. She said getting out of her comfort zone and making the effort to start the conversation made all the difference.
“I got an interview!” Sneed said. “I had been applying into a black hole and actually had a potential opportunity.”
That internship became an important step in Sneed’s career. She worked in paid media in Porter Novelli’s Washington, DC, office, gaining experience with media strategy and learning more about the industry while developing relationships with colleagues who remain part of her professional network.
The relationships she built during that internship helped her land her current position at a boutique Broadway and entertainment marketing agency in NYC, where she works on the account team.
“My boss, Danielle, and one of our executive vice presidents, Jill, became two of my closest friends after that summer and I talk to them regularly,” Sneed said. “They both stuck their necks out for me and served as references for my current position, helping me get my dream job!”
Today, Sneed works in Broadway advertising, a career path she said was shaped in part by the opportunities and connections she found through her CCI experiences.
Finding a career path she did not expect
Wilson’s experience began differently. She arrived at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, as a pre-med student but switched to major in communication studies when she realized a people-focused career was a better fit for her interests. After changing her major, she became increasingly involved with CCI by participating in study abroad programs and networking trips, including a trip to DC.
By the time she went on the Nashville networking trip, Wilson was actively thinking about what would come next after she her December graduation.
“I was really excited,” Wilson said. “I grew up in Franklin, so it sounded like a good opportunity to see what kind of employers would be there and what kind of jobs Nashville had to offer.”
Wilson did not go into the trip with a specific career path in mind. Instead, she approached each conversation as an opportunity to learn.
“I kind of treated every opportunity on these networking trips as a mini internship with everyone I talked to,” Wilson said. “I kind of tried to put myself in their shoes and see what they had to offer.”
One of those conversations was with Ashley Harbin, a lawyer and lobbyist seeking an intern. Wilson had not originally planned to pursue a career in government relations, but the conversation changed her perspective.
“We hit it off immediately,” Wilson said.
Wilson accepted an internship with Adams and Reese as a legislative intern, which introduced her to a career she had not originally envisioned for herself. As she interned, she continued developing relationships she had begun building during the networking trip, which led to a job opportunity once the legislative session concluded
“[Adams and Reese] offered me a full-time position,” Wilson said.
Wilson chose to stay with the organization rather than pursue another opportunity she had been considering, in part because of the people she had met and the work she had experienced firsthand.
“I got to strengthen my connections, learn more, and I had great teachers and bosses all around me to push me to do that,” Wilson said.
Today, Wilson works for the Tennessee Department of Revenue as a legislative liaison, serving as a connection between the department, the legislature, and the governor’s office.
More than a line on a résumé
While neither Sneed nor Wilson could have known exactly where their networking trips would lead, both said the experiences gave them something that can be difficult to learn in a classroom: the confidence to walk into a professional setting and start a conversation.
“Obviously in the classroom, you’re learning about the technical skills of communications,” Wilson said. “ But I think all the networking opportunities that the college had to offer gave us a huge leg up. We were already comfortable walking into a room and making connections by the time we entered the professional world.”
For Sneed, the value of networking trips goes beyond the immediate connections students make by helping students explore what careers, workplaces, and cities might be a good fit.
“The college takes multiple trips a year, and this is the best way to learn the general things that you can’t learn in class,” Sneed said. “Do you vibe with the city? Are the people in this specific industry people you want to be around?”
That perspective can be valuable for students who are unsure about their next step. Wilson’s experience demonstrates how a single conversation can introduce a student to a career path not previously considered.
“I think you can do so many different things with this degree,” Wilson said.
Taking the first step
For students who may be nervous about attending a networking trip, Sneed’s advice is straightforward: participate, introduce yourself, and look for opportunities to make meaningful connections.
“Take advantage of it!” Sneed said. “Since moving to NYC, I haven’t met a single other person who had a comparable amount of support through their school to help them meet industry professionals.”
Her own experience also taught her to be intentional about who she talks to.
“Always talk to the person who can actually hire you,” Sneed said. “If HR is in the room, sprint to them.”
For Wilson, the most important part was a willingness to explore something outside her original plans. What began as a trip to learn about Nashville employers ultimately introduced her to an internship, a career field, and professional relationships that continue to shape her work.
Looking back, Wilson said she remains grateful for the opportunities CCI provided her as a student.
“This college meant so much to me, and it’s truly gotten me to where I am now,” Wilson said. “I just hope that it continues to grow and do great things.”
For students considering a future networking trip, Sneed and Wilson’s experiences offer two different examples of what can happen when students put themselves in the room: a conversation can answer a question about a career, introduce an unexpected opportunity, or become the beginning of a professional relationship that lasts well beyond graduation.