Student Spotlight: Julianna Okosun
Get to know Julianna Okosun, an ADP student originally from Copenhagen who is set to complete both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Diederich College in five short years.
My name is Julianna Okosun, and I am an accelerated degree program student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a minor in digital media by 2023 and a master’s degree in digital communication strategies by 2024. I am originally from Copenhagen, Denmark, but moved to Milwaukee in 2020 to further my education at Marquette University and become a member of the women’s basketball team.
As a student I feel that I still have so much to learn. Having a support system in the Diederich College and being curious and open to what professors and advisors have to say, has been critical to my academic success.
As I am still pursuing my degrees here at Marquette, I find it important to create connections linked to my professional life whenever possible. I am not sure whether my professional life will take place in the US or back home in Denmark. To help decide, I sought summer internships in both places to gain experience in both locations. The past two years I have interned at the Danish Broadcast Company, working in different kinds of TV, while also interning at Postindustrial Media as a production assistant. Juggling school, basketball and internships is definitely not easy, but I know the work I have put in will help prepare me for life after graduation.
The classes and experiences within the Diederich College of Communication have contributed greatly to the internships I wanted, as well as furthering my interest in communication, ultimately motivating me to pursue both a bachelors and masters degree in four years. My advisors have played a tremendous role in making this journey possible, and my professors have been key in allowing me the opportunity to learn outside of the classroom setting.
As a student I feel that I still have so much to learn. Having a support system in the Diederich College and being curious and open to what professors and advisors have to say, has been critical to my academic success. That, in combination with putting in a great amount of effort into time management has helped put myself in the position I am right now.
One of my favorite memories within my time at the Diederich College is taking a communication ethics course with Dr. Berg. The way students were able to create an open environment for discussion and truly learn from each other’s perspectives and experiences was very special to me. What I learned from that class is something that I try to take with me in everything I do, both personally and professionally.