Christie Abshire, UT Ad Alum talks about life after Graduate School

Q: What are your views of the University of Texas Advertising Program?

A: I, personally, believe I have been one of the many fortunate alumni that can say being a part of this spectacular program has truly changed the course of my life.

We have such an interesting organic program in that each year it breathes in a new, precisely diverse collection of wide-eyed learners and in a matter of only 24 surprisingly instantaneous months, it breathes back out a cohort of sculpted individuals, most of whom debut their professional careers with completely new perspectives on life.

Coming into this program, I had no idea the magnitude of how my world was about to change for the better. A friend of mine within the program says, "We are all a product of our environment" and this statement has resonated within me ever since. Our program offers its students an environment of endless possibilities, camaraderie among such diverse colleagues that quickly become your second family away from home, and a curriculum that cultivates individualism, creativity and professionalism. I consider myself fortunate to have been a product of this environment.

Q: What do you feel was most valuable about the program?

A: By far, the most valuable aspect of the program to me was having the opportunity to befriend and learn from some of the most amazing, uniquely talented and inspiring colleagues. It was during the past two years that I have received so much more than a Masters in Advertising. I was given the circumstance to have my entire belief system challenged and strengthened as well as the opportunity to crawl, walk, fall down, run, fall down again and at the end, have the support and guidance to make some sense of it all.

Two leaders within our program that had the most profound influence on my experience were Neal M. Burns, PhD. and Virginia Hueske. Dr. Burns sparked my curiosity in pursuing account planning by his passion for the discipline's pure connection with consumers and advertising strategies. He has a unique and inspiring approach to sharing his knowledge and insights that brings enthusiasm for the industry to the classroom.

Virginia Hueske is the amazing wizard behind the curtain making all this magic happen. Ask any one related to our program (past, present or future) and you will be reminded that Virginia gives the moral support to excel our courage, puts her heart into all that she does, and when we feel our brains have had all they can bear for one semester, she's there again... making tea and gently listening us through it all.

Q: Now that you have completed your Master's in Advertising, where is your career heading?

A: Upon graduating in August, I had the opportunity to continue consulting as a freelance account planner with RuffCoffinBreedlove on new business initiatives. Soon thereafter, two fortunate opportunities came about simultaneously. First, in spite of the momentum of having recently graduated and beginning the interviewing process, I realized it was time for a much deserved break before the storm. I decided to move to Spain this coming January to attend the Universidad Complutense de Madrid for the sake of taking courses in the Spanish language, culture and art history. Coincidentally, at the same time, I was contacted by a Planning Director I had met at the Account Planning Group Conference this past summer from Rapp Collins Worldwide in Dallas. She asked if I were interested in joining their Insight and Innovation team as a Planner on the DIRECTV account through the end of the year. My only reaction to these two plans merging was that I am incredibly thankful for having so many blessings.

Q: Any final thoughts?

A: I am well aware that I'm not the only architect of my future and am waking up each day doing the very best I can with the responsibilities and dreams that I have. As of today, I have jumped off the ivory tower's ledge, landed on my feet, and am running fast and furiously without brakes.

10/25/2002