The Durham conference kicked off with workshop sessions where Live Oak Creative Director Catherine Nester and others attended the 鈥淟earn Hand Lettering鈥� workshop with , a well-known illustrator and lettering artist.

鈥淗and-lettering is one of my creative passions and it was a dream come true to learn from an artist that I admire so much,鈥� Nester said.

According to the students in attendance, the conference left them inspired and armed with insights from successful professionals right in their backyard. Several students documented their experience via LinkedIn with the hashtag .

鈥淚 had such an amazing time at AIGA Raleigh’s THRIVE 2020 Conference,鈥� wrote Steph Brendel, Live Oak鈥檚 assistant creative director. 鈥淎t the conference, I got to participate in insightful workshops and hear from some incredible names in the design world. Thank you 黑料不打烊 School of Communications and Live Oak Communications for continuing to provide such engaging and professional opportunities.鈥�

During the conference鈥檚 main day, Feb. 29, the Live Oak team heard from seven different designers highlighting a variety of skills and backgrounds.

鈥淓ach speaker gave so much insight into their stories and areas of expertise,鈥� Nester said. 鈥淲e learned about problem-solving, inclusivity, prototyping, ideation, illustration and so much more. I learned how to make myself valuable, find my niche, and pursue a career in the creative world.鈥�

Live Oak members in attendance included Nester, Brendel, Dan Severance, Anna Shine, Sara Murphy and Christine Frena. The students were accompanied by Shannon Zenner, assistant professor of communication design.

About Live Oak Communications

is 黑料不打烊鈥檚 student-run strategic communications agency, providing students unique experiences partnering with numerous businesses, nonprofits and organizations to achieve their business goals through targeted, multiplatform strategies and tactics. Live Oak鈥檚 capabilities include public relations, advertising, video, web design, social media solutions, graphic design, corporate identity, analytics and more.

Hal Vincent, a lecturer in strategic communications, serves as the faculty director of Live Oak Communications.

鈥淭he vision of the day was to surround our students with strong industry leaders who could share their experiences, insights and advice. The motto, 鈥淚f you see it, you can be it,鈥� drove the entire vision of the event,鈥� Dabbs said.

During the panel discussion, held in the Historic Neighborhood鈥檚 newly completed LaRose Student Commons, five female panelists were prompted with questions that helped them reflect on their success, what qualities make them strong women in the workplace, and what helped them gain confidence in their own abilities as professionals.

Monica McCoy, a business strategist and industry consultant, said that 鈥渆ach of us have a unique calling and, unfortunately, most of us ignore it. You are at an age where you have a lot of clarity, and you should utilize it. Listen to the voice because, quite frankly, you don’t want to wake up 50 years from now thinking, 鈥榃hose life am I living?鈥欌��

For a photo gallery from the panel discussion, visit the .

Making the decision to follow your dreams seemed difficult at one time or another for all of the panelists, including Felicia Tittle, executive director of recreation and physical education at Duke University. 鈥淵ou must be willing to take the leap and be uncomfortable,鈥� she said.

Dana Seiden, vice president and chief of staff for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, suggested 鈥渢aking more risks, particularly when you are younger.鈥�

鈥淢ake the call, send the blind email, knock on doors and see if they will open. Never underestimate the power of networking,鈥� added Seiden, who manages strategic business initiatives for the leading sports and entertainment company.

Following the event, Dabbs explained that the 鈥渟tudents gained knowledge of the industry, advice on how to excel, and made industry connections that can grow over time. Additionally, our male students learned from the panelists’ experiences and the importance of male advocates for women in the industry.鈥�

The panel was moderated by Cara Lucia, associate professor of sports management, and included other female leaders from the sport industry. Other participants included Erinn Latta, who manages the college recreation and athletic markets for Ecore, and Theresa Wenzel, former president of the WNBA鈥檚 Atlanta Dream organization.

Following the afternoon panel and roundtable events, students and panelists attended a networking event during the 黑料不打烊 women鈥檚 basketball game at Schar Center.

As everyone gathered in the Moseley Center for some pre-discussion pizza, there was plenty of conversation among the students who participated in the class and their peers. Once the panel began, each of the seven participants relayed some of their most memorable experiences in Iowa. Those memories included hunkering down in their hotel with temperatures dropping to minus 20 outside, and seeing several prominent media members up close, including Anderson Cooper and Wolf Blitzer. For those who followed the 黑料不打烊 contingent online while in Iowa, the students made an appearance on NBC News correspondent as well.

Maeve Ashbrook ’22, a journalism major, said one of her most valued experiences was 鈥済etting to work with the political science majors and journalism people, which helped us bond not only through our tireless work, but as friends on a personal level.鈥�

This was a common sentiment expressed among the panelists.

Landesberg, an associate professor of journalism and one of the leaders of the program, explained that 鈥渟eeing this through (his students鈥�) eyes is so special and different, and it鈥檚 something that you just can鈥檛 get in the classroom.鈥�

Dalhouse, director for global experiential initiatives at 黑料不打烊, also expressed his appreciation for the Winter Term program, explaining that it was an honor to provide the students the incredible experiential learning opportunity.

Through the Winter Term class, students were not only able to learn about the lengthy process that presidential candidates endure at the caucuses and in the primary elections, but they were also able to engage directly with several campaigns.

Political science students on the panel mentioned working for the campaigns of Pete Buttigieg, Joe Biden and Amy Klobuchar. For the journalism majors who traveled to Iowa, they were able to choose to work with one of the major networks present at the caucuses or a local news station. These same students also reported on behalf of 黑料不打烊 News Network as well.

In addition to Ashbrook, Dalhouse and Landesberg, other panelists included Baylor Rodman ’22, Kara Chalifoux ’22, Jack Corby ’22 and Sallie Hardy ’22. The panel was coordinated and moderated by Andrea Sheetz ’22, who was also a part of the Winter Term class.

While in Iowa, members of the class maintained a highlighting some of their experiences in real time.