Career Outcomes
Your Success Story Is Waiting. Opportunities for those in communication studies are diverse. From advertising to politics, employers across professional fields are seeking candidates who have the talents and skills that a degree in communication studies provides.
Alumni Stories
Linh Nguyen ’22
Looking back on my time at Vanderbilt, I am wholeheartedly thankful for the decision to major in communication studies. I was immersed in a small cohort of diverse and talented students along with incredibly supportive and passionate professors. I remember Professor Travers encouraged me to conduct a class lecture on the Vietnam War, and Professor Bennett was willingly open to having me build a creative presentation comparing COVID–19 musical rhetoric between countries. The interdisciplinary nature of the CMST major fascinated me with not only the power of language but also how rhetoric has transformed and perpetuated itself from the past to the present, from media to daily life. The knowledge and skills I am endowed with from my CMST major have become transferable skills that help me navigate my daily responsibilities as a human resources partner at Amazon Air. I have not only learned how to become an effective advocate but also the ability to utilize language to persuade, motivate the target audience, and most importantly resolve conflict and deep dive into challenges with critical thinking and open–mindedness.
Taylor Grant ’21
After graduating early from Vanderbilt in December 2021, I spent my “gap semester” working and traveling before starting at Duke University School of Law in fall 2022. As of January 2023, I am in the second semester of my J.D. program. This summer, I look forward to beginning my legal career as a summer associate at a “big law” firm in D.C. In addition to my professional studies, I’m heavily involved with the Duke Black Graduate and Professional Students Association, and I work with Duke Men’s Basketball on game day operations. Ultimately, I hope to parlay my degree(s) into a job in sports and entertainment law.
I majored in communication studies (and law, history & society) because of how it uniquely combined my learning interests and my career goals. The practice of law tests the efficacy of both your verbal and written communication skills. Courses like Law, Media and Society and Rhetoric, Sports and Society—in addition to an interdisciplinary internship as a communications intern at Excel Sports Management—taught me how individuals create and respond to messages within the context of my professional interests. As a result, when I applied to law schools, and now when I apply to jobs, I feel confident that my coursework demonstrates a solid understanding of the enormous overlap between sports, entertainment, and communication.
Emma Mattson ’21
I’m finishing my master’s in speech language pathology and beginning work as a speech therapist in Chicago-area public schools this fall. I spend each day helping students communicate better—whether that’s with their voice, written language, or an assistive technology device. My focus is working with bilingual Spanish-English students who often get overlooked in school settings and private clinics. Providing accurate evaluations and services that are actually functional for what each student needs has been so rewarding.
Typical communication courses like Public Speaking and Intro to Communication Studies gave me a strong foundation for this work, but the unique electives Vanderbilt offers were what truly made a difference for me. Courses like Communicating Gender with Dr. Bohyeong Kim, Queer Rhetorics with Dr. Jeff Bennett, and Law, Media, and Society with Dr. Isaac West didn’t just make me a stronger communicator, they broadened my worldview and taught me to think critically about the systems I work in.
Brandon James ’20
I am currently in my final semester of the master of public policy program at Georgia State University, and am working for the state of Georgia as a housing policy analyst. After graduating from Georgia State, I will be joining Deloitte as a government and public sector business analyst. In my current role, my primary duties involve finding ways to best communicate, visualize, and analyze data related to government programs. My interest in government started when I joined the Vanderbilt University Debate Team. After debating and researching government policies, I wanted a better understanding of how rhetoric both shapes and is shaped by policy. So, I declared a major in communication studies. The Rhetoric of the American Experience classes allowed me to understand the myths and motifs that are used to define the nation, Politics and Mass Media helped me understand modern practices in political campaigns, and classes like Communicating Gender taught me how rhetoric informs our relationship to our identities. These classes, and many others offered by the communication studies faculty, have been influential in helping me understand how to effectively communicate government policy.
Tommy Oswalt ’20
I am a Vice President on Citi’s Global Communications team, where I lead business communications for our North America region. In this role, I shape the narrative of Citi’s five main business lines across the U.S. and Canada and use internal and external channels to tell the story of our work and impact. I also manage executive communications for one of the firm’s Executive Management Team members.
My Communication Studies major at Vanderbilt laid a strong foundation for the work I do today. Courses like Fundamentals of Public Speaking and Business Communication taught me how to present ideas clearly, structure persuasive messages, and engage with diverse audiences — skills I rely on daily when collaborating with colleagues and stakeholders. Another favorite course of mine Rhetoric and Civic Life helped me to think critically about the role of language in building community. That perspective has stayed with me, especially as I craft communications that make our employees and clients feel connected to Citi’s efforts across North America.”