Abby Garnes is a senior at the University of Minnesota, pursuing a major in Strategic Communications with a focus on Advertising and Public Relations, complemented by a minor in Management with a marketing focus. An early interest in critical thinking and problem-solving played a key role in shaping her academic journey, but it was her growing passion for creativity that ultimately steered her toward her current direction.
Growing up, Abby had a knack for problem-solving, developing a strong understanding of math and science early in her academic career. Upon high school graduation, several influential people around her suggested business as a career path for its projected financial stability and potential long-term success. So, while determining a major to pursue, she kept that in mind and initially went after a degree in finance, applying to the Carlson School of Business at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. While working toward this degree, courses that were designed to simulate her future career were repetitive with rigid curriculums that inspired little creativity and left Abby feeling unfulfilled. As a result, she made the difficult decision to abandon her initial degree plan and instead pursue a degree in Strategic Communications. This pivotal decision is what led Abby to rediscover her passion for creativity and uncover the career path of her dreams.
Blending business with artistry
Throughout her life and across various arbitrary ventures, Abby has discovered her passions are rooted in creativity and collaboration. Her entrepreneurial side started in elementary school where she was part of a select group of students who took part in a school program unnecessarily titled “G.T.”, an acronym meaning gifted and talented. Within this program, she took part in several simulation-type scenarios. This included a range of events from inventor’s fairs where pairs of students developed new products meant to positively impact society to events such as one titled “J.A. BizTown” wherein students simulated a town and developed their own businesses creating products and ‘selling’ them to other participants. Looking back on it now, this was where Abby first discovered her passion for combining innovation and imagination.
In the years that followed, this mentality carried over as she started her own ‘business’ selling candy canes decorated with googly eyes and pipe cleaners designed to look like reindeer out of her locker in middle school. This led to more recent endeavors where she designed iron-on images for her own University of Minnesota Twin Cities Athletics-themed apparel line. Abby has continued to channel her innovative spirit into increasingly ambitious projects that blend business with artistry.
Beginning in her later years of high school, Abby started working at a thrift store in her local area. Throughout the years spent within that business, she progressed from a typical retail sales associate and cashier to leading the online retail business as well as overseeing a smaller in-house team through the process of creating and developing the brand’s online presence. In this position, Abby helped open a new business office and developed the platform for which the store made online sales. From a more comprehensive perspective, this is where Abby first developed her skills in product photography, cataloging and organization, and online sales management. This was her first insight into the world of digital marketing and the spark that ignited her interest in a career where independence and creativity were at the forefront.
Abby worked for other organizations during her educational career, which led to the development of more universal and timeless skills. Some of her more recent work experience as a Shift Lead at Insomnia Cookies and a Crew Trainer at Raising Cane's are where she has honed her skills in leadership, communication, and customer service. Building on these experiences, Abby has been able to further expand her skillset in an effort to continually grow and shape her understanding of the career path she ultimately–and excitedly–chose to pursue.
Work experience is about more than just the position, but also about the connections, experiences, and skills you’ve gained along the way. Through the variety of experiences and jobs she has engaged in throughout her life, Abby has realized her capabilities and gained not only insight into the career path she would like to pursue but also a better understanding of the world around her.
Building a strong foundation
In her current day-to-day life, Abby uses her college courses to instill skills and strategies she will take with her into the commercial world. Journalism courses within the Hubbard School of Journalism at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities are what introduced Abby to applications and software tools that are standard within the strategic communication industry. Adobe Creative Cloud’s applications such as Adobe Express, Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and several more are utilized every day in courses taken throughout her academic career, which, in turn, help her build a strong foundation in digital content creation and brand communication. Through hands-on experience with these industry-standard applications, Abby has been able to develop the foundational skills and creative confidence to thrive in the ever-changing advertising and public relations world, wherein adaptability and innovation are essential. While acquiring this fundamental skill set, Abby has gained other helpful skills along the way. Having completed courses dedicated to learning how to utilize Microsoft Excel in business scenarios, Abby is proficient in data organization and analysis, allowing her to be able to prepare and present information effectively. Similarly, she has completed her training and received certification in Hootsuite’s Platform Certification Course which teaches proficiency in data organization, analysis and visualization, allowing her the ability to interpret and present information effectively. These technical abilities, combined with her creativity and strategic mindset, further enhance her adaptability when entering the commercial world.
Future Endeavors
Throughout her educational career, Abby has blended her knowledge of business, management, and marketing studies with her current learning experiences in strategic communications, advertising, and public relations courses to develop a well-rounded skill set bridging critical thinking and creative strategy. This interdisciplinary approach has led her to want to pursue a career path dedicated to utilizing the understanding of consumer behaviors, market trends, and effective brand communication in a creative manner. Abby is interested in careers surrounding creative roles such as creative director, copywriter, content strategist, etc., combining strategic thinking and creativity to develop campaigns that resonate with consumers.
After graduating from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, Abby plans to harness her current knowledge and continue practicing with industry-standard applications and software to master her craft and become the best asset to an agency she can be. As trends continue to change and technology progresses, Abby plans to continue growing her knowledge of the industry and consumer behaviors.
Abby is determined to utilize her education in Strategic Communications and Marketing to positively impact the communications industry. Abby’s ability to collaborate with teams effectively, coupled with a creative mindset, allows her to contribute positively to projects and initiatives as well as create an engaging and collaborative work environment. She is passionate about leveraging her skills and education to make impactful contributions in the marketing and communications field with the goal of pursuing a creative role within an advertising agency. Eagerly and enthusiastically, Abby plans to harness her creativity to expand her knowledge of the communications industry and refine her skill set. With graduation steadily approaching, she is currently eagerly seeking opportunities to kickstart her professional journey.