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Meet Libby Mercier
Class of 2020, Communication

Meet Libby Mercier (Communication), Class of 2020

 

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[music]

 

0:03

 

My graduating class was 120 kids and I wasn’t ready for anything that was overly huge where I would get lost in the sea of people. I wanted something where I would know the professor, where I would know the students in my class, and that’s what I got when I came to Curry.

 

0:18

 

I have been a part of Sing! since I got here my first year. I think I’ve only not been able to take it one semester. I love working with Professor Bryson, getting all the new music, learning the new notes. It’s my happy class.

 

0:34

 

I know that I want to work in the music industry, whether that’s behind the scenes with PR and marketing or directly with artists, I want to do something with that because it’s something that I’m passionate about and I’m learning the skills here at Curry and they’re preparing me for going into the real world. My PR class right now is run like a real-world business. I can use that to my advantage in the music industry.

 

0:59

 

Working in admissions and then working on the orientation team, I was able to see parallels and I was able to see people that I had given tours to in the past. I believe it was the second session at orientation, I had recognized two students that were in my group and they were like, ‘You were our tour guide and we took you aside and hammered you with questions for like 45 minutes. And you gave us all of the answers we needed you answered every single question.’ That was a really good moment for me because I was like, ‘Wow, I actually was able to impact someone’s decision about coming here.’

 

1:36

 

Everyone always told me that college probably wasn’t going to be a cup of tea for me because I didn’t like high school. I was someone who just wanted to get it done. At Curry I’ve taken an interest in my education and I’ve taken the initiative to kind of be the best I can be.

 

1:53

 

I was able to go home my freshman year and say, ‘I don’t care what you thought when I left. I proved you wrong.’

At Curry College, Libby Mercier, Class of 2020, is bringing together her passion for music with her career aspirations in Communication and Public Relations. 

When she started at Curry, Libby was undecided about her major. To get a feel for what she liked best, she took classes in many different fields, including Psychology, Sociology, and Criminal Justice.

“Ultimately, it was my friends here who suggested that I try Communication and Public Relations. I had always been a shy person, but I really came out of my shell at Curry. They were right. COM is definitely where I’ve succeeded most. And, through my PR courses, I’ve loved being able to learn what goes on behind the scenes in something that’s become vital in our society today.”

Libby talks highly of her classes with Communication Professor Brenda Wrigley, who recently joined Curry following a 21-year career in broadcast journalism and corporate marketing communication management. “She shapes her classes with a real-world perspective. In my PR class with Dr. Wrigley, we created these mock non-profit organizations, and the students served as PR directors.”

So, why a Music minor?

“I was definitely a music kid. In high school, you could always find me in the Music Department. I wanted to be able to build on music because that’s where my passion lies. I think when you really like what you do, it doesn’t feel like work.”

Beginning her first year at Curry, Libby has been part of Sing!, a Curry ensemble and class that can be taken for course credit. Sing! prepares music selected from a cappella and accompanied choral repertoire from a variety of styles and genres for performances both on and off campus.  “It’s been a blast! I love working with my music professor, who has helped me get over stage fright and learn all about rhythm and notes. It’s my happy class, where I can go to have fun and relax.”

Since her first year, Libby has also been working as an admissions assistant/tour guide in Curry’s Admissions Office, but it wasn’t a role that she initially saw as a good fit for her because of her shyness. “It’s allowed me to get comfortable being in front of a large group of people that I didn’t know. I’ve also made so many friends through my work in Admissions. My current roommate is one of my co-workers from my first year.”

Libby also took the step to become an Orientation Leader last summer. “In the second Orientation session, two students in my group remembered that I gave them their tour on Accepted Students Day. They said I gave them the best tour and answered all of their questions, which really made me feel good. I thought, ‘Wow, I was able to impact someone’s decision about coming here. I was able to give them a tour and a feel for the college before their first year.’ ”

After graduation, Libby wants to work in the music industry. “Whether it’s in Los Angeles, New Orleans, or Nashville, I can be helping behind the scenes in public relations or marketing or working directly with artists. I really want to put all of my music knowledge to good use.”

To help her reach that goal, Libby is working as a Public Relations intern in Curry’s Office of Marketing and Communication, where she’s helping to communicate the benefits of Curry’s innovative programs, including those in its Departments of Communication and Fine and Applied Arts, to the media and the public.