PRSSA Alumni Panel: From SMU to Careers in Communications

On Monday night, SMU’s PRSSA chapter hosted three impressive alumni. Darian Taylor, Saniha Aziz, and Brownlee Hopkins joined the group in Umphrey Lee to discuss their journeys from SMU to careers in communications. In case you weren’t able to attend, here are some of our key takeaways. 

The Speakers’ Background 

Brownlee Hopkins: Agency Life and Storytelling 

Brownlee Hopkins graduated from SMU in 2017 after studying Public Relations and Strategic Communication. She has worked at Jackson Spalding for seven years and has an exciting perspective on agency work. Brownlee works on the Chick-fil-A account and shares how no day is similar in agency life. She found that local storytelling impacts the work Chick-fil-A does significantly and that she is proud of the work it does in local communities, such as repurposing restaurant food to donate in the communities or contributing to a nonprofit grant program. Brownlee discussed media relations and shared that pitching these stories to local media helped contribute to positive storytelling for the brand image. 

Saniha Aziz: Blending Creative and Analytical Thinking 

Saniha Aziz graduated from SMU in 2019 and studied Journalism and Finance. With strengths in both analytical and creative pursuits, Saniha felt her diverse studies catered to her contrasting interests. On campus, she enjoyed being the Creative Director of SMU Look and being involved with SMU TV. Today, she is a Communications Advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, and similar to Brownlee, also says that each day looks different. Saniha enjoys using her analytical mind at work and being able to make data-driven decisions. She feels her ability to digest numbers significantly helps her in the workplace. Saniha emphasized the importance of curiosity at work and the world around you. She shared that curiosity allowed her to generate fresh ideas for work assignments and be inventive in what she pitches. 

Darian Taylor: Covid-19 and Crisis Communications 

Darian Taylor graduated from SMU in 2020 and was proudly a part of the CCPA program. Before his senior year, Darian interned for the conservative party headquarters in London, blending his studies in public policy and corporate communications. He shared that this experience was transformative for him, and he was “baptized by fire and fell in love with crisis communications,” a bold statement few communication majors make. He signed on to work at Edelman in the winter before his May graduation; however, the Covid-19 pandemic interrupted this journey. His May 2020 start date became June 2021, and he decided to find a different job he could pursue. He contacted a former guest speaker from his class and was offered a job at TrailRunner International. This exciting launchpad exposed him to financial and crisis communications, eventually leading to his current role today as a Senior Consultant in PR & Communications at AT&T. 

Tips for Students

These alums provided invaluable advice for attendees, especially when navigating from SMU to careers in communications. These were our top three tips!

1. Be outgoing and network!

All three speakers shared they’ve secured previous roles by networking and using LinkedIn as a tool. Brownlee shared that being outgoing is best when networking. “Do prior research to demonstrate you invested time into them,” she says, and they will return the favor. Saniha suggested attendees set monthly networking goals such as “two coffee chats a month.” Using LinkedIn and searching for people working in roles that interest you is critical. And, of course, it doesn’t hurt if they went to SMU. 

2. Use the skills you learned at SMU

Darian emphasized that the skills “SMU instills in us are picked up on and used in the workplace.” He’s grateful for learning to be a strong public speaker at SMU and feels his presenting skills allow him to go above and beyond at work. Saniha and Darian discussed how their double majors and minors have not gone to waste. “Use your minors and double majors to your advantage,” says Darian. Having a broad skill set will boost your success in the future when you need to draw from your diverse range of abilities. 

3. Stay connected and read the news

Brownlee shared that working in public relations requires frequent media monitoring. She suggests students build a habit of reading the news daily. Need a recommendation? Brownlee enjoys reading the Axios a.m. and p.m. newsletters. Saniha prefers to read the news in the morning and end the day with opinion articles. Darian shared that he avoids checking his phone before the office and likes to read the news after the work day. No matter what your routine looks like, find a way to build this crucial habit! 

Join PRSSA for Future Events

The journey from SMU to communications careers is filled with valuable insights from our accomplished alumni. The PRSSA chapter is dedicated to giving students the opportunity to connect with professionals in the field. If you missed this event, there are plenty more to come! Find the organization on Instagram @SMUPRSSA to stay up to date on future events like these. Use the link in bio to join the organization so you can grow your network and gain inspiration from those who have successfully navigated their careers in communications.