Bachelor of Communication Studies student Eva Driessen was walking through her neighbourhood last August, thinking about her program’s field placement requirement, when an idea struck.

“I realized there were no networking events for communications students, and decided to pitch the idea to the department,” she explains. “I wanted to create a fun and stress-free experience for students to connect with industry professionals in communications, public relations and journalism.”

Last month, that idea came to fruition. After months of planning, the networking event, Reach for the Stars, took place in Allard Hall.

It wasn’t a solo endeavour – Driessen engaged fellow communications students Breanna Kitchen and Mandy Mah to help plan, coordinate and promote the event. They secured a grant, designed a website, established a social media presence and made connections with industry professionals. The trio even secured a local broadcasting icon to speak at the event. “We knew we wanted a celebrity keynote speaker, but we were a little nervous because this was a first-time event,” explains Kitchen. “Luckily, one of the journalism professors linked us up with Gord Steinke. He gave a fantastic keynote speech and even did a Q&A afterward.”

The event was, by all measures, a success. The group exceeded their goals for both the number of students and the number of industry professionals attending. “People were happy, students were thriving and it was an experience we’ve learned from,” says Mah. “Those connections are really important.”

Know a student who is doing great things? Email communications@macewan.ca to suggest them for a Student Snapshot story.