Emma Wyatt, soon to be Helmandollar, is a double major in musical theatre and public relations, with a concentration in social media, at Anderson University. Wyatt is rounding the corner of an early graduation in December 2024 and is looking forward to returning home to Sevierville, Tennessee.
Wyatt is entering the workforce as a double threat, except her plan did not start that way. Her original plan was to stick to musical theatre and roll out of graduation towards a career on Broadway. However, she realized she had a capacity for education that was much larger than just one focus.
“I didn’t add public relations as a major until the middle of my sophomore year,” she said, “I’ve achieved so much more than I ever thought I could; I’m like four different Barbie characters.”
As part of her public relations experience, she has been interning with a local organization, the A Town Center, since January 2024.
The A Town Center is an art center and artist cooperative that sponsors the arts in Anderson, Indiana. Throughout the year, it organizes various events and community projects that bring creativity to the streets of downtown Anderson.
Founded in 2016. A Town Center aims to bring new life to the local community by attracting new businesses, industries and educational opportunities. The name “A Town Center” reflects their mission to preserve and enjoy the city of Anderson’s history while making it a focal point of new growth and economic initiatives.
The A Town Center is known to participate in the city’s First Fridays festivities, where they host live music events featuring local artists, creative workshops for all ages and sponsor the city’s recent installment of Artist Allies.
Wyatt's work with the A Town Center primarily involves managing their social media platforms. Her internship is based around creating and scheduling content that would help promote upcoming events hosted by the organization. This hands-on involvement enabled her to apply what she learned in the classroom to real-world situations. The internship has given her experience in branding development, planning a social media campaign and catering content directed toward a specific audience.
“I was given a lot of creative freedom,” expressed Wyatt. “It made me feel more secure in trusting myself when making decisions.”
Wyatt continued to add, “Most of the time when you’re in a professional setting there are not that many PR professionals, it’s you and maybe three or four others. This experience made me realize I was ready for a setting like that because of the classes and education I’ve had.”
After graduation, she wishes to continue her career in PR while still being able to perform and direct. She also anticipates being able to establish a home with her husband, Elijah, as a newlywed.
Ultimately, Wyatt has learned to keep an open mind when dealing with new opportunities. She learned, first and foremost, to trust herself and her education with the experience she has been provided through the A Town Center. She now eagerly awaits her next steps after graduation.
Cecilia López is a senior from Anderson, Indiana, majoring in public relations and minoring in cinema and media arts. López is an associate with Fifth Street Communications®, a student-run public relations agency at Anderson University.
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