When Caroline Saunders started applying to colleges, Rutgers wasn’t originally on her radar. In fact, she expected to go to an out-of-state school, until one Rutgers-New Brunswick campus tour shifted everything.

“I realized that I couldn’t see myself at any other place and knew this was the school where I wanted to spend the next 4 years of my life,” she recalls. Guided by her gut feeling, Saunders carved out a path of bold ambition at SC&I, simultaneously pursuing the Master of Communication and Media (MCM) 5+1 BA/MCM Program and gaining real-world experience through her internship with Burt’s Bees this semester.

Choosing SC&I

Saunders knew she wanted a college experience that would give her space to embrace her creativity and open doors. SC&I’s collaborative environment, offering promising professional connections and dedicated faculty, sealed the deal. “I wanted to join a school that would allow me to embrace my creative side during my undergraduate degree years and have professors and mentors that genuinely care about their students and want to help them succeed,” she says.

She declared a major in Communication, a choice that appealed to her precisely because of its flexibility. “I wanted a major that was extremely versatile and would allow me to have many options for a future career,” she explained. Not yet certain what direction she wanted to take, she valued communications as a field that would broaden her options, not narrow them.

To strengthen that foundation, Saunders decided to minor in Digital Communication, Information, and Media (DCIM).The decision reflected her understanding that technology is constantly reshaping every field, and that success demands the ability to adapt. “This minor has taught me the importance of learning how to use technology to our advantage and how it can improve our careers in different ways,” she says.

She declared a major in Communication, a choice that appealed to her precisely because of its flexibility. “I wanted a major that was extremely versatile and would allow me to have many options for a future career,” she explained.

Professors Who Make A Difference

When Saunders looks back on her Rutgers experience so far, three professors stand out.

When she was a sophomore starting her fall semester, she took her first communication course, — Intro to Communication and Information, with Associate Teaching Professor of Communication Nick Lindardopoulos. She said this course offered her an eye-opening introduction to the major. “I really appreciated the way he cared about his students and showed us the different aspects of the communications major that I had no idea about,” she says.

Professor of Communication Maria Venetis’ Interpersonal Communication course had a great impact on Saunders during her junior year. “She was always willing to listen to students' ideas or needs, and help accommodate them which is something I really value with a professor,” Saunders says. For her, that support made the class more than just lectures, but an environment where ideas were nurtured.

The most influential figure has been Assistant Professor of Professional Practice, Communication Mark Beal.  “Professor Beal was the first professor who helped me realize all of my potential, and what I can offer in the work field,” Saunders says. Like many professors at SC&I, his guidance extended well beyond the classroom, driven by a genuine commitment to seeing students succeed. It was through his support that Saunders secured her summer internship at The Clorox Company, where she worked on the Burt’s Bees’ TikTok Shop campaigns.

The internship challenged Saunders to elevate the direct-to-consumer shopping experience, so she developed strategies to optimize the brand’s digital shelf on social media platforms to  influence users to buy products directly from Burt’s Bees TikTok Shop. “If it wasn’t for Professor Beal vouching for me, I may not have been able to have that experience,” Saunders said.

Saunders’ time at Rutgers also led her to discover a new passion: event management. In spring 2025, she enrolled in Topics in Communication III taught by Mark Beal. The class required students to plan and execute the #COMMchella Music Festival, an annual event promoting the communication major on campus.

#COMMchella Music Festival

Saunders’ time at Rutgers also led her to discover a new passion: event management. In spring 2025, she enrolled in Topics in Communication III taught by Beal. The class required students to plan and execute the #COMMchella Music Festival, an annual event promoting the communication major on campus. As part of the Earned Media team, Saunders spent 12 weeks immersed in planning and logistics, helping secure media coverage and ensuring everything was prepared for the day of the event. “This class helped me realize that one of the future careers I would want to pursue is event management,” she says. “This class taught me a lot about how important working in a team is, and that clear communication is absolutely essential to be successful.”

Building Toward the Future

Currently, Saunders is part of SC&I’s Master of Communication and Media (MCM) 5+1 BA/MCM Program, which enables her to take graduate-level courses while finishing her undergraduate degree. She’ll graduate with her bachelor's degree in Communication in May 2026 and her master’s the following year.

The program, she says, is another example of the opportunities that students should take advantage of at SC&I. “I will be able to continue to learn what the best practices are in fields such as public relations, marketing, advertising, event management, and social media that I will be able to apply to my future career path,” she said.

In the short term, Saunders hopes to finish her internship at The Clorox Company on a strong note—contributing to successful holiday product campaigns while building her reputation as a dedicated, hardworking professional, inspired by the example of her colleagues. Long-term, she envisions herself orchestrating million-dollar events for companies. “I would hope to start out in smaller companies, and then work my way up to bigger companies' event management teams,” she says.

Currently, Saunders is part of SC&I’s Master of Communication and Media (MCM) 5+1 BA/MCM Program, which enables her to take graduate-level courses while finishing her undergraduate degree. She’ll graduate with her bachelor's degree in Communication in May 2026 and her master’s the following year.

Words of Advice

For Saunders, the most valuable lesson she has learned is the importance of leaning on professors as mentors. “They want to help you and see you succeed in every way,” she says. Reaching out to professors—whether for academic support, career guidance, or letters of recommendation—can yield lasting rewards for students who advocate for themselves.

To students still deciding on a major, her message is equally clear: choose SC&I. “This place is filled with people who are here to help one another and raise you up even when you don’t think you can achieve something,” she says. Her choice to major in communication stands proudly as one of the highlights of her college career, leading her to both opportunities that wouldn’t have been possible without SC&I and the people who supported her on her journey. “Every opinion and thought you have is valued here and not taken for granted," she added.

Saunders' final piece of advice for Rutgers students? — “#BeCOMM all day, every day!”

From discovering her place at Rutgers to finding her passion in SC&I’s classrooms, Saunders’ journey is one of growth, support, and vision. As she looks ahead to graduation and a career in communication, whether she pursues event management, advertising, or marketing, she carries with her the lessons and relationships that have already made her college career unforgettable and the world her oyster.

Her final piece of advice for Rutgers students? — “#BeCOMM all day, every day!”

Learn more about the Communication major and the Master of Communication and Media (MCM) 5+1 BA/MCM Program