Going to Nebraska gave graduating senior Savanna Hebbert an opportunity to discover the passion that drives her future career. To Hebbert, her degree represents the hard work, personal growth and strong connections she's built along the way.
While at the university, she double majored in advertising and public relations and sports media and communication and minored in international relations. Her favorite college memory is from the summer of her freshman year when she studied in Spain. CoJMC faculty John Shrader and Brian Petrotta led the global sports, media and entertainment education abroad program.
For three weeks, Hebbert, who is originally from Liberal, Kansas, got real-world experience networking with media organizations and soccer clubs based in Barcelona and Madrid.
"I met some of my best friends and made lifelong memories and connections," Hebbert said. "The trip truly opened my eyes to how many opportunities are out there."
Throughout her time at the university, Hebbert gained experience through multiple internships. For two and a half years, she worked as a sports intern for the Huskers Athletic Department, drafting media guides, managing press conferences and developing relationships with athletes and staff while organizing team events.
Hebbert also worked as an Adidas campus ambassador, promoting the Adidas brand at UNL through content creation. That experience led her to an account management role at The Nebraska NIL Store, where she marketed athletes and grew their Husker fan base, posting daily and weekly social media content.
At Settje Agri-Services and Engineering, Inc., Hebbert gained experience and connections in a new industry. As a marketing team member, she crafted campaigns and organized content calendars for their social media.
Most recently, Hebbert spent last summer in Gulf Shores, Alabama, as a media intern for Ultimate Team Products (UTP), covering youth world series tournaments and promoting UTP's services.
Hebbert also gained industry experience through her classes, winning a silver ADDY and a Judge's Citation Award at last year's Creative Nebraska Awards for a magazine ad initially created for a class group project.
Last spring, in her sports media and communication capstone, Hebbert worked on a campaign for the college's first international capstone client, RCD Espanyol de Barcelona. In her final ADPR capstone course, she developed a campaign for Nonpartisan Nebraska, applying the skills she's learned in her three and a half years at Nebraska to help the nonprofit promote its mission and values.
"I'm thankful to the CoJMC for providing me with the tools, mentorship, and opportunities to grow throughout my college experience," Hebbert said. "The skills I've gained will undoubtedly shape my next steps as I move forward in my career."
After graduation, Hebbert looks forward to continuing to build meaningful connections and growing personally and professionally. She's currently searching for a role in sports marketing or a brand strategy role at an ad agency and can't wait to come back to Nebraska for another Husker game day.
"I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the incredible support I've received along the way," Hebbert said. "To the classmates who become lifelong friends and the Husker community who embraced me like family, thank you."
---
Hebbert's thank you to her professors, family and friends:
To the professors in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications—thank you for going to the ends of the earth to ensure we had the best possible experience in class and were prepared for our futures. Your dedication, encouragement, and willingness to share your knowledge made all the difference, and I truly wouldn’t be where I am today without your guidance.
To my family and friends—you have been my rock over the last 3 ½ years. Thank you for always believing in me, cheering me on, and being there through every challenge and success. Your unwavering support, love, and encouragement kept me grounded and motivated to chase my dreams. This journey wouldn’t have been the same without each of you, and I am forever grateful for the role you played in helping me reach this milestone. Thank you for everything!
