With graduation just around the corner, Katie Link reflects on her transformative journey at St. Ambrose University, where she pursued her passion for multimedia journalism with a minor in marketing and digital media production. We sat down to discuss her reasons for choosing St. Ambrose, her evolution from a music education major to a journalism enthusiast, highlights of her university experience, challenges she faced, and her exciting plans for the future.
Q: What led you to choose St. Ambrose University?
A: Coming from Wahlert Catholic High School in Dubuque, I had heard about St. Ambrose and decided to visit the campus. It was love at first sight. The welcoming atmosphere, combined with my music scholarship and the approachability of Dr. Windt, who I auditioned for, made it feel like home. I was initially a music education major, but after orientation, I felt overwhelmed with choices and started my freshman year undecided.
Q: Multimedia Journalism seems like a different choice compared to Music Education. How did you decide on this major?
A: Interestingly, my involvement in theatre played a crucial role in my decision. Theatre has always been a significant part of my life, and when I was asked to write the newsletter for the theatre department, it felt like a natural fit. I discovered a passion for writing and fell in love with that style of journalism. It just clicked for me, and I knew it was the right path.
Q: What are some key highlights from your time at St. Ambrose?
A: Being involved in theatre has been a major highlight for me. I auditioned for Big Fish my freshman year and was fortunate to be cast. I also participated in the KCACTF (Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival) and the Musical Theater Intensive, achieving high rankings. Additionally, being part of Chorale and Chamber singers was a significant part of my experience. I seized opportunities in multimedia, such as working on our student news broadcast, formerly known as Dateline and now SAU Weekly, and serving as Editor-in-Chief of The Buzz, our student newspaper. These experiences pushed me to broaden my skills and surprised me with what I could achieve.
Q: What have been your biggest challenges?
A: Contrary to popular belief, I am quite introverted and reserved. So, some of the multimedia elements, such as interviewing and being on TV, required me to find more confidence in myself. It was a challenge to step out of my comfort zone, but it also helped me grow as a person and a professional.
Q: What's next for you?
A: I recently accepted an offer as a Communication Specialist at Cottingham Butler in Dubuque. Interestingly, their office building is located right next to the community theatre where I performed throughout my childhood.
Q: That's certainly a coincidence. It seems theatre and your multimedia pathways intersect a lot!
Yeah, it's actually pretty serendipitous, but it makes me think I'm making the right choices.
Q: What is the biggest lesson you've learned so far?
A: The biggest lesson I've learned is that everything will fall into place as it's meant to be. Despite uncertainties and challenges, I've realized that things have a way of aligning in unexpected ways. Trusting the process and staying true to myself has brought me to where I am today, and I'm excited to see where the future takes me.
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