What Great Minds Can Do: Sabrina Browne  

"The work will challenge you in ways you are not expecting and push you to new levels. The growth you will experience will shape you both personally and professionally and mature you to become a better version of yourself. And the opportunities afforded to you with a Seton Hall University education will elevate your career."

After working for a year within the consumer communication industry, Sabrina Browne '13/M.A. '16 had gained a lot of insight into media relations, influencer campaigns, and brand strategy. But she wanted to learn more, especially regarding how communication works in business. And she knew exactly where she would find such knowledge — graduate school.

So, she decided to pursue the M.A. in Strategic Communication program at Seton Hall University. For Browne, the chance to attend the University marked a homecoming of sorts since she had graduated with a B.A. in Public Relations in 2013. But more than that, it was an opportunity to enhance her knowledge of the industry she is so passionate about, which proved to be the case.

"My experience attending Seton Hall University has contributed tremendously to my personal and professional growth," Browne said. "My graduate experience provided me with new insights, expertise, and opportunities to see communication as a business function. Through the Strategic Communication program, I've learned the critical role communication plays in business, ways to effectively measure results for clients, and how to integrate new and traditional communication."

Browne found one lesson to be "life-changing." During her graduate studies she learned how to create value for herself and others by always examining her reason for doing something instead of just focusing on the task itself. By thinking about why she makes decisions and how those choices affect others, she explained that she was able to see life from a new perspective.

"I now understand the importance of living with purpose and working with passion," Browne said. "When those two elements are combined, you can make significant strides in your life."

That lesson and countless others were taught to Browne by her professors, who she credits for preparing her for her current career as a communication professional. She pointed out that many brought first-hand knowledge from their own industry experience into the classroom. As a result, she found that she could go beyond the textbook to get a better perspective of all that communication entails.

Aside from the faculty, Browne also reaped the benefits of the University's numerous campus resources throughout her graduate years. More than anything else though, she said the Career Center was "essential" in enhancing her job-seeking skills by teaching her how to display result-driven work on her resume so that future employers can see how she could meet and exceed expectations. Similarly, she praised Robert Franco — who works at the Career Center in addition to serving as an adjunct instructor within the College — for his guidance in preparing for job interviews, discussing career talking points, and negotiating deals.

With this support Browne was able to land a position with the world's third-largest public relations firm Burson Cohn & Wolfe, where she now works as a senior account executive driving media relations, brand strategy, and social and digital media for corporate and financial practice clients. But she is by no means an anomaly. The proud Pirate is the first to admit that she is one of the many who have thrived after graduating from College's Strategic Communication program. And she would urge anyone thinking about entering the communication field to enroll for all the benefits it will provide.

"The work will challenge you in ways you are not expecting and push you to new levels," Browne said. "The growth you will experience will shape you both personally and professionally and mature you to become a better version of yourself. And the opportunities afforded to you with a Seton Hall University education will elevate your career."

This profile was written by Sean Quinn, a Graduate Assistant for Graduate Studies within the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media and an M.A. in Public Relations student.