Today’s Girl Boss is Emily Padgett. Following Emily’s graduation from the MCOM program in 2012, her internship mentor helped to create a new position just for her here at the College. Emily’s experience teaches us to always hold yourself to a higher standard, be persistent, and focus on cultivating a great relationship with your mentor. Here’s a glimpse into Emily’s professional life.
Tell me a little about yourself.
E: I’m originally from the Upstate but have lived in Charleston now for close to 10 years. I like to travel and see live music in my free time as well as get outdoors as much as possible.
Tell me about your career.
E: My current title is Assistant Director of Scholarships and Donor Relations for the College of Charleston. I work in Institutional Advancement for the College and also work with the College of Charleston Foundation. My job is to connect our scholarship recipients with their donors and vice versa. I do this through educating students on the role philanthropy plays in their lives. I create videos for donors as well as develop a whole host of other print materials and assist in planning events for donors and scholarship recipients.
I also work part-time for another non-profit called Raise Up Charleston. It’s a mentoring and scholarship program designed to equip young men with the educational skills and necessary materials to maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA and score above average on the ACT and/or SAT in order to gain acceptance into a post-secondary school. The program is designed to teach young men the personal responsibility, self-discipline and social skills required to succeed in post-secondary education and their future careers.
What made you decide to pursue your Master’s degree in Communication?
E: I was one of the unfortunate people that graduated right before the big recession (Coastal Carolina University class of 2006). After finally landing a position for a small development company, I quickly realized that I needed to do more with myself and my life. I loved my communication courses in undergrad and wanted to expand upon them so decided to go back and get my Masters as a full-time student.
How did your experience in the MCOM program prepare you for your career?
E: I actually started working for Institutional Advancement during my graduate experience as a student worker. I was lucky that it was such a good fit and I found a phenomenal boss and mentor that believed in me and helped to create my position for me. The MCOM program helped me prepare for my career by truly incorporating coursework with real work experiences. I was able to learn in the classroom and take it directly to work.
Share your biggest accomplishment in your current position.
E: One of my biggest accomplishments is still in the works, somewhat, but we are currently working towards implementing a new online scholarship application process that will help students better connect to available funding opportunities. It’s been a long time coming and it’s a lot of work, but definitely worth it!
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your graduate/work experience?
E: I had some of the best professors in the program and really lucked out with my advisor, Dr. Amanda Ruth McSwain. She was instrumental in helping me make it through.
