The Olson Family Endowed Communication Award Recipient: Emma Tomsich
The Olson Family Endowed Communication Award is given to students with “demonstrated personal initiative in the exploration of current and emerging communication technologies, who have a strong balance between classroom and experiential learning, and who have excellent oral and written communication skills.” Students who have demonstrated service such as participating in student broadcast, multi-media and communication activities, or advanced technology internships are excellent candidates. One award is given annually to a student with junior standing. This year’s recipient, Emma Tomsich, shared some reflections on what this means to her.
I am a junior majoring in Corporate Communications and minoring in Public Relations and Marketing. I am from Pleasant Ridge, Michigan, which is a tiny suburb of Detroit.
Being the recipient of this award means a lot to me. I’ve always been highly motivated and goal-oriented in my academic and professional life, and this award is certainly a milestone in both. It validates my hard work and persevering work ethic, and it reminds me how passionate I am about communications and communication technology. I truly love the field I am pursuing, and it humbles me to know that so many faculty members in the Diederich College recognize my passion and notice my excelling. I am so honored and humbled to be the recipient of the Olson Family Award, and above all, this award reminds me that I’m on the right path. Every day I think about how lucky I am to be at Marquette, and I thank myself for making that decision. I am certainly making the most out of my college experience, and through this award, I am able to leave my lasting legacy at Marquette.
While I have a lot of favorite Marquette memories, I’ll never forget the times spent with my friends outside on campus or in the city. We love to sit at picnic tables in the sun and do our homework, or take a day to go by the water or explore a new part of Milwaukee. We do this regularly, but it’s definitely something that I take for granted and will miss when I graduate. Milwaukee is an exciting city with a lot to do, and Marquette’s campus is beautiful all year-round. I will definitely miss simple, blissful moments like these.
The beauty of a Corporate Communications degree is that I can do a lot with it. While I have a general idea of where I see myself in five years, I know that could be subject to change, and I am excited to see where I end up. For now, I see myself with a master’s degree in Corporate Communications, living in a big urban environment. I am attracted to being in Detroit, Milwaukee, or Chicago after graduation, or maybe even moving to New York City, Seattle or somewhere in California. Whether working for an agency or a corporation, I hope to be doing something I love and pursuing a job that makes me excited to get up in the morning. While gaining personal fulfillment and learning experiences in this position, I hope to cultivate enough knowledge to one day hold a C level position at an ethical organization that exemplifies corporate ethos.