Heather Hoskins (HCom ’05) turned her experiences as a student journalist into a career.

While her major didn’t include a concentration in public relations – the subject that most interested her – the professor in charge of journalism and media studies allowed her to plan the events surrounding the grand opening of the Otter Realm newsroom. She was also a staff writer and arts and entertainment editor of the student paper, and worked as a public relations intern for Youth Music Monterey.

“Among all these experiences, I got a good grasp of the industry I hoped to break into,” she said.

After graduating, she moved to Las Vegas to work as a product manager for an advertising company. She worked with corporate clients including Microsoft and MTV, and trained company employees in two offices in China.

Now a resident of Olympia, Wash., she works as director of search engine optimization and communications for Kitson Boards, a designer and manufacturer of paddle boards, wakeboards and surfboards, and for WineRackStore.com, an online seller of wine rack and wine cellars.

She oversees media relations for both companies. “Because of my news reporting experiences at CSUMB, I have been able to form good relationships with local and national media, which greatly benefits the businesses I work for.

“And the writing techniques I picked up as a student journalist helped give me an SEO advantage, as I battle it out with Google every month for top keyword rankings,” she said.

Because the Monterey area still holds a special place in her heart, and she returns once or twice a year. And she has fond memories of her time at the university.

“I sport my alumni license plate holder with pride, and I actually have an otter key chain from freshman orientation still attached to my car keys.

“I loved everything about my time at CSU Monterey Bay, and I definitely recommend it to others.” Learn more about CSUMB's Alumni Association here. Learn more about Human Communication here.