Meet the Honors Student Staff: Communications Team
By Mahidhar Sai Lakkavaram
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Welcome to Commonwealth Honors College (CHC)! At CHC, we have a variety of student staff teams that are dedicated to helping you make the most of your experience here. This series will highlight all their different functions and how you can make use of these resources, and potentially join them in the future!
The communications team is composed of communications assistants and photographers who work together to manage all the content needs of the Honors College. This includes writing articles, making videos, designing and handling social media posts, and a lot more creative work.
Nina Prenosil joined the communications team in Spring 2023: “I wanted to become a communications assistant because I had been looking for real world experience that I could complete during my time as an undergraduate.” A psychology and journalism major, Nina found the position to be a “wonderful opportunity” to gain hands-on experience in these fields.
As a communications assistant, one aspect of Nina’s work is designing graphics for social media through Canva:
“Creating posts for social media has opened up a new creative pathway for me which I really enjoy. Watching a graphic come together cohesively is really satisfying, and then pairing it with the written work brings it all together,” Nina explained.
In addition, Nina also writes student life blogs. Her most recent one was a reflection on the fall semester.
“The communications team does a wonderful job of conveying the Honors experience, so I was overjoyed to have been a part of it,” Nina explained.
Similar to Nina, Myles Braxton, a CHC photographer, joined to continue developing his photography skills, a field he had ventured into recently: “During the interview process, I not only learned about the Honors college's values but also internalized their dedication to fostering a positive impact on students' lives. This resonated deeply with me, reinforcing my eagerness to contribute to their mission.”
Myles felt a “strong yearning” to be a part of CHC’s endeavor and wanted to play a role in shaping a constructive experience for Honors students.
Having been a part of the team since Spring 2022, Myles focuses on capturing the essence of CHC’s diverse range of events. “With my camera in hand, I am immersed in these events, keenly observing and seeking out optimal angles to encapsulate students' interactions. My goal is to encapsulate these moments in a way that allows the CHC team to share the vibrancy of these experiences across a multitude of media platforms,” he explained.
As for their favorite parts of their job, Nina said she liked the creative freedom she receives from her boss, Matt Medeiros, the director of communications. “He really encourages us to write authentically. I think in the field of communications, things tend to be rather structured, but I really appreciate that Matt and the communications team allow for so much creative freedom.”
For Myles, he likes being able to do “something that [he] loves for work.”
“I really do enjoy taking photos, capturing moments and being able to enhance and memorialize those moments forever in my editing process.”
He also echoed Nina’s thoughts about the team: “[Everyone is] so welcoming, and if I need anything outside of work or academically, they are always more than willing to lend a hand!” Myles also mentioned the flexible hours and how it's helpful for him to balance all his commitments. “[Being a CHC photographer] never hinders my college experience, it only makes it better,” he said.
If you have any questions, reach out to the Director of Communications Matt Medeiros.
Featuring
Mahidhar Sai Lakkavaram
Mahidhar Lakkavaram is a communications assistant in Commonwealth Honors College.
