Amy Oliver小蝌蚪APP檚 journey to the Smithsonian Institution started with the life-changing decision to transfer to UL Lafayette and study advertising.
Now, Amy currently holds a dual position with the Smithsonian Institution: She is the visitor and science center manager with the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory and a public affairs officer with the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
Shaped by the 小蝌蚪APP Culture
Amy小蝌蚪APP檚 favorite part about the 小蝌蚪APP is the culture that the students and professors bring to campus.
小蝌蚪APP淭he learning environment was different because UL Lafayette prides itself on being open to other cultures and communities,小蝌蚪APP Amy explained. 小蝌蚪APP淚 had professors from France, Italy, India, and South Korea. These were important experiences to my development as a young adult and ultimately as a professional."
小蝌蚪APP淚 was exposed to southern culture and to Acadiana, and to the Cajun way of life while learning about languages and cultures from around the world,小蝌蚪APP she said. 小蝌蚪APP淲hat seems like the daily norm for Louisianans is not the norm everywhere. I am infinitely better as a result of the cultural diversity of UL Lafayette, and I always look back on the time I spent there fondly, and I miss that culture all the time."
小蝌蚪APP淚 grew up in a very tight-laced community,小蝌蚪APP she continued. 小蝌蚪APP淎nd I grew up in a very competitive environment. My best friend was also my biggest frenemy. It was amazing to move to a place where culturally that just is not 小蝌蚪APP榯he way.小蝌蚪APP That experience of living outside of my inborn culture and going to school with people and professors from around the world intrinsically changed me.小蝌蚪APP
Professional Opportunities in Student Organizations
While Amy was a student, she was involved with Speech and Debate team. In fact, her decision to transfer to UL Lafayette was largely because of the Speech and Debate Team.
小蝌蚪APP淚小蝌蚪APP檇 competed (in speech and debate competitions) against UL Lafayette multiple times, and the then-coach of the UL Lafayette Speech and Debate Team helped me make what was, at the time, a very tough decision to transfer schools 小蝌蚪APP but ultimately became one of the best decisions of my life," she said.
小蝌蚪APP淚 could have transferred to any one of a number of schools,小蝌蚪APP she said. 小蝌蚪APP淏ut UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 competitive speech program came with excellent team members and a strong coach.小蝌蚪APP
She was also involved in honor societies Sigma Gamma Mu and Phi Beta Delta.
小蝌蚪APP淢ost vividly,小蝌蚪APP she said. 小蝌蚪APP淚 remember that Phi Beta Delta gave me my first design 小蝌蚪APP榞ig小蝌蚪APP and asked me to design the brochure for the society. That was a key piece in my portfolio that landed me my first advertising job and my first advertising agency job.小蝌蚪APP
Jumpstarting a Career in Communications
Amy took the first steps in her communications career when she was still a senior at UL Lafayette. In a few short years, she served as a director of advertising, a media assistant, a media buyer, and a senior manager of media and public relations. She was moving through a traditional communications career path with agency and independent company experience.
However, she soon took advantage of an opportunity that she calls a 小蝌蚪APP渘o-brainer.小蝌蚪APP
小蝌蚪APP淚 love chemistry,小蝌蚪APP she said. 小蝌蚪APP淚 love stars. I love museums. So, when a position opened at the for an associate manager of marketing and public relations, it was a no-brainer."
小蝌蚪APP淚t was a step back in my career progression,小蝌蚪APP she said. 小蝌蚪APP淏ut one I don小蝌蚪APP檛 regret.小蝌蚪APP
It was this step that lead her to her current career in science communication. She was recruited to work at a big-name advertising and PR firm as a public relations manager and eventually got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Working for the Smithsonian
小蝌蚪APP淲hen I got the opportunity to pick up and move to Arizona, to become part of the Smithsonian Institution, to work in an observatory that needed someone with top-notch public relations and marketing skills who could also run a museum and do public science education," she said, "how could I say no?小蝌蚪APP
Amy has two main responsibilities in her current role.
小蝌蚪APP淥ne, to uplift and promote the positive image of scientific research conducted at the ,小蝌蚪APP she explained. 小蝌蚪APP淎nd two, to provide vision and direction for the ."
小蝌蚪APP淢y day-to-day is never the same because I am both serving the needs of scientists, media, and the public through press activity,小蝌蚪APP she said, "as well as managing and executing on the day-to-day of a public science center and museum."
小蝌蚪APP淥ne of the most important things I do every day is to interface with my volunteers and with the public,小蝌蚪APP Amy explained, "and ensure that their educational needs are being met with the services and information that we provide.小蝌蚪APP
She credits the communication program at UL Lafayette and the broad scope offered with giving her a strong foundation to start with opportunities in multiple directions.
小蝌蚪APP淚 wasn小蝌蚪APP檛 focused on public relations at the time, but I learned how to write a press release," she said. "I wasn小蝌蚪APP檛 focused in design, but I learned graphic design anyway. The program was interesting and engaging. And honestly, every step in my career, I have leaned on something I learned at UL Lafayette.小蝌蚪APP
