The Durham conference kicked off with workshop sessions where Live Oak Creative Director Catherine Nester and others attended the “Learn Hand Lettering” workshop with , a well-known illustrator and lettering artist.

“Hand-lettering is one of my creative passions and it was a dream come true to learn from an artist that I admire so much,” Nester said.

According to the students in attendance, the conference left them inspired and armed with insights from successful professionals right in their backyard. Several students documented their experience via LinkedIn with the hashtag .

“I had such an amazing time at AIGA Raleigh’s THRIVE 2020 Conference,” wrote Steph Brendel, Live Oak’s assistant creative director. “At the conference, I got to participate in insightful workshops and hear from some incredible names in the design world. Thank you �þ��� School of Communications and Live Oak Communications for continuing to provide such engaging and professional opportunities.”

During the conference’s main day, Feb. 29, the Live Oak team heard from seven different designers highlighting a variety of skills and backgrounds.

“Each speaker gave so much insight into their stories and areas of expertise,” Nester said. “We learned about problem-solving, inclusivity, prototyping, ideation, illustration and so much more. I learned how to make myself valuable, find my niche, and pursue a career in the creative world.”

Live Oak members in attendance included Nester, Brendel, Dan Severance, Anna Shine, Sara Murphy and Christine Frena. The students were accompanied by Shannon Zenner, assistant professor of communication design.

About Live Oak Communications

is �þ���’s student-run strategic communications agency, providing students unique experiences partnering with numerous businesses, nonprofits and organizations to achieve their business goals through targeted, multiplatform strategies and tactics. Live Oak’s capabilities include public relations, advertising, video, web design, social media solutions, graphic design, corporate identity, analytics and more.

Hal Vincent, a lecturer in strategic communications, serves as the faculty director of Live Oak Communications.

“The vision of the day was to surround our students with strong industry leaders who could share their experiences, insights and advice. The motto, “If you see it, you can be it,” drove the entire vision of the event,” Dabbs said.

During the panel discussion, held in the Historic Neighborhood’s newly completed LaRose Student Commons, five female panelists were prompted with questions that helped them reflect on their success, what qualities make them strong women in the workplace, and what helped them gain confidence in their own abilities as professionals.

Monica McCoy, a business strategist and industry consultant, said that “each of us have a unique calling and, unfortunately, most of us ignore it. You are at an age where you have a lot of clarity, and you should utilize it. Listen to the voice because, quite frankly, you don’t want to wake up 50 years from now thinking, ‘Whose life am I living?’”

For a photo gallery from the panel discussion, visit the .

Making the decision to follow your dreams seemed difficult at one time or another for all of the panelists, including Felicia Tittle, executive director of recreation and physical education at Duke University. “You must be willing to take the leap and be uncomfortable,” she said.

Dana Seiden, vice president and chief of staff for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, suggested “taking more risks, particularly when you are younger.”

“Make the call, send the blind email, knock on doors and see if they will open. Never underestimate the power of networking,” added Seiden, who manages strategic business initiatives for the leading sports and entertainment company.

Following the event, Dabbs explained that the “students gained knowledge of the industry, advice on how to excel, and made industry connections that can grow over time. Additionally, our male students learned from the panelists’ experiences and the importance of male advocates for women in the industry.”

The panel was moderated by Cara Lucia, associate professor of sports management, and included other female leaders from the sport industry. Other participants included Erinn Latta, who manages the college recreation and athletic markets for Ecore, and Theresa Wenzel, former president of the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream organization.

Following the afternoon panel and roundtable events, students and panelists attended a networking event during the Elon women’s basketball game at Schar Center.

As everyone gathered in the Moseley Center for some pre-discussion pizza, there was plenty of conversation among the students who participated in the class and their peers. Once the panel began, each of the seven participants relayed some of their most memorable experiences in Iowa. Those memories included hunkering down in their hotel with temperatures dropping to minus 20 outside, and seeing several prominent media members up close, including Anderson Cooper and Wolf Blitzer. For those who followed the Elon contingent online while in Iowa, the students made an appearance on NBC News correspondent as well.

Maeve Ashbrook ’22, a journalism major, said one of her most valued experiences was “getting to work with the political science majors and journalism people, which helped us bond not only through our tireless work, but as friends on a personal level.”

This was a common sentiment expressed among the panelists.

Landesberg, an associate professor of journalism and one of the leaders of the program, explained that “seeing this through (his students’) eyes is so special and different, and it’s something that you just can’t get in the classroom.”

Dalhouse, director for global experiential initiatives at Elon, also expressed his appreciation for the Winter Term program, explaining that it was an honor to provide the students the incredible experiential learning opportunity.

Through the Winter Term class, students were not only able to learn about the lengthy process that presidential candidates endure at the caucuses and in the primary elections, but they were also able to engage directly with several campaigns.

Political science students on the panel mentioned working for the campaigns of Pete Buttigieg, Joe Biden and Amy Klobuchar. For the journalism majors who traveled to Iowa, they were able to choose to work with one of the major networks present at the caucuses or a local news station. These same students also reported on behalf of Elon News Network as well.

In addition to Ashbrook, Dalhouse and Landesberg, other panelists included Baylor Rodman ’22, Kara Chalifoux ’22, Jack Corby ’22 and Sallie Hardy ’22. The panel was coordinated and moderated by Andrea Sheetz ’22, who was also a part of the Winter Term class.

While in Iowa, members of the class maintained a highlighting some of their experiences in real time.