by Hank Neal, graduate student
Sydney Novak, a 2018 graduate of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications, has just celebrated her one-year anniversary at Swanson Russell Associates, where she is a project manager. Novak works with three different clients: Propane Education Research Council (PERC), SiteOne Landscape Supply and Runza. Her job is to be the bridge between the creative team at Swanson and the client, meaning she gets to manage the day-to-day activity of multiple different projects.
While attending UNL, Novak interned at multiple organizations that helped her find her current career path. Her internship at the university’s Office of Research and Economic Development allowed her to be in charge of the social media efforts. She also worked for the nonprofit organization Ten Thousand Villages where she was responsible for event planning and marketing coordination.
Two internships in particular had the biggest impact on her life and helped her get the job she has today. First was her internship with the marketing and fan experience office in the Nebraska Athletic Department. Novak said she is able to draw on those experiences in her current position.
Her former boss at Nebraska, Matt Tomjack, said Novak has a bright future.
“I knew she would be successful in whatever she pursued,” he said. “Over the course of her time with marketing, she picked up on things very quickly. She was a thrill to work with and I’m excited to see where she goes in the future.”
Novak’s last internship was as an editorial intern with a startup in Australia called Urban Walk About.
“This experience was one of the most terrifying things I have ever done,” she said.
Novak said that leaving home on her own for the first time in a foreign country at a brand new job was frightening. But she was able to push herself to learn differently, speak out and ask questions. Novak said that from the experience she met many brilliant people.
“I met crazy talented people and was more worried about failing myself if I didn’t take advantage of the chance,” she said.
Novak is excited about her future at Swanson Russell and can’t wait to take on more as she gains more experience.
.JPG)