Skyler Perry (Class of 2023)

photo of Skyler Perry

  • Sophomore majoring in Journalism and Professional Writing
  • From New Albany, OH
  • Assistant magazine editor and writer for The Miami Student
  • Member of Phi Sigma Sigma sorority and Miami Equestrian Team
  • Marketing assistant for the Center for Analytics and Data Science (CADS)
"No one forces you to do things in college. You may be slightly nudged, but at the end of the day it’s your choice. College is the life you create for yourself, so I’ve made this life one where I can learn, grow, make friends, and feel like a part of a community. Even after I graduate and these experiences fizzle away, I’ll still have the skills, the memories, and all the fun because of everything I do on campus."

Why Miami?

"I visited Miami with my family to dip our toes into the college experience. We took the regular tour, walked around, toured Williams Hall, home of the Department of Media, Journalism & Film (MJF). We got back in the car and I was like, 'This school is perfect for me.' My mom loved the school too. Miami stayed at the top of my list.

"It's nice because you can walk through the MJF department and feel like you've seen everyone here at least once before. Everyone is really welcoming to students, and the professors believe in you so much. I always feel like they believe in me more than I even do sometimes! I appreciate and love that they boost me to do a lot of things I probably wouldn’t have done otherwise.

"One of the other big benefits of Miami for me was that they have an equestrian team. If I had gone to another college, I don't think I'd seek that opportunity specifically — but at Miami, it was already here for me. I've been riding since I was 7!"

Best Miami Experiences

Skyler jumping her horse as a member of the Miami Equestrian Team.

"As a journalism major, The Miami Student student newspaper is a big help when it comes to learning new skills and getting connected on campus. I joined in fall of my freshman year. I feel like both MJF and The Miami Student work cohesively to provide a supportive, communal feel. I get to explore what I want to do, and there is so much opportunity. Assignments I do for The Miami Student often translate to class which makes me feel a lot more prepared.

"An assignment for professor of journalism James Tobin’s Scholars in Media Writing class got me into The Miami Student, where we had to write a news story for them. Once I did that, the news section editors kept assigning me more stories which I was excited about. I told myself, 'I guess I'm a news writer now!' Profiles are definitely my favorite thing to do for the newspaper: talking to people, learning about them, getting to know their stories. It's all super fun.

"I joined my sorority, Phi Sigma Sigma, during the spring of my freshman year. I love it because it has helped make campus feel smaller. I get to know so many people with so many interests, and everyone is always there for me. I know I could text anyone in my sorority and they would help me with anything."

Miami and the Liberal Arts

Skyler Perry at Miami hockey game with her parents

"I feel that Miami offers the best courses to help me reach my career aspirations. One day, I hope to either work for a podcast or magazine, and almost every journalism class I have taken has taught me at least one skill that I could see myself using in these fields.

"My other major, professional writing, is so expansive that it feels like a focus on writing and rhetoric across the board. My professors teach you how to communicate using different formats across different fields. One of my favorite classes thus far has been ENG/IMS 224: Digital Writing and Rhetoric, taught by associate professor of English Michele Simmons. We spent the semester learning how to communicate an organization's identity through social media and slowly developed a cumulative content strategy plan. I often find myself applying the skills I learned in that class to my on-campus job.

"There are also many class options that give me the chance to explore fields outside of my two majors. Some I may like, and some I may not. However, I think a really big part of being a college student is figuring out what you don't like. It’s not like you have to hate those things, but it's just about narrowing down your interests to discover what you would actually shoot for a job in."

Exploring Skills for Post-Grad Work

"At the Center for Analytics and Data Science (CADS), I mainly work on social media advertising events like our annual DataFest and our various workshops. I had a brief social media internship in high school and wanted to continue to explore that passion, so I applied for the marketing assistant position at CADS as soon as I got on campus. I work closely with the other marketing assistants to push out who we are and what we do on campus. It’s nice because my bosses give me a lot of room to experiment. They have a lot of trust in me, and it allows me to explore the process of social media and how to do it well.

"This year, I'm an assistant magazine editor for The Miami Student, where I work with writers and designers to help them collaborate. It's exciting to be a big part of deciding what stories are published and to get real experience working as an editor for the first time.

"In addition to editing, I also host the newspaper's podcast Behind the Brick. This podcast profiles everyday people from the Oxford community, including Miamians. For my first episode, I interviewed the co-owner of Bagel and Deli Gary Franks about his life outside of the shop. One of my favorites thus far featured the marketing coordinator for the Farmer School of Business, Jay Murdock. In his spare time, he likes to chase storms!"

Advice to Students

"No one forces you to do things in college. You may be slightly nudged, but at the end of the day it's your choice. College is the life you create for yourself, so I've made this life one where I can learn, grow, make friends, and feel like a part of a community. Even after I graduate and these experiences fizzle away, I'll still have the skills, the memories, and all the fun because of everything I do on campus.

"Talk to your professors — introduce yourself. The more you connect with them, the easier time you will have. You can utilize the faculty as a support system and get a lot out of those relationships. Go to class, always — that's how you'll meet new peers.

"Finally, get involved! However, if you don't like something, don't feel pressure to stay in it. Feel free to explore and take this time to look around and take advantage of everything that Miami provides for you. Just see what you like, see what you don't like, but don't be afraid to try!"

[April 2021]