BA in Communication

Jessica Farley, 2013

What work are you doing now?

I work in the hospitality field as a front office manager for Kimpton Hotels. 

What do you like about it? 

I love that I get to interact with a diverse pool of people on a daily basis. I enjoy that my work environment is unorthodox and anything but mundane. I especially love that I am in the business of creating lasting memories and impressions for people. 

How did your degree in the college prepare you to do this work?

My studies at Mason, particularly surrounding interpersonal and professional communication, have helped me tenfold in the hospitality sector. I feel equipped to properly and effectively engage with a diverse assortment of people and personalities, and that my degree affords me the knowledge of how to engage in the most fruitful way possible. 

What advice would you give current students about developing their careers?

My best advice is to seek something that you are passionate about. I thought my end goal would be a job in the journalism field. In college, I worked part time at a hotel and fell in love. My coursework at Mason, particularly surrounding interpersonal communication, further reinforced my passion for the hospitality sector. Because I pursued a field I was immensely passionate and energetic about, I found that opportunity came quickly.