Amy Oliver杏吧专区檚 journey to the Smithsonian Institution started with the life-changing decision to transfer to UL Lafayette and study advertising.
Now, Amy currently holds a dual position with the Smithsonian Institution: She is the visitor and science center manager with the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory and a public affairs officer with the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
Shaped by the 杏吧专区 Culture
Amy杏吧专区檚 favorite part about the 杏吧专区 is the culture that the students and professors bring to campus.
杏吧专区淭he learning environment was different because UL Lafayette prides itself on being open to other cultures and communities,杏吧专区 Amy explained. 杏吧专区淚 had professors from France, Italy, India, and South Korea. These were important experiences to my development as a young adult and ultimately as a professional."
杏吧专区淚 was exposed to southern culture and to Acadiana, and to the Cajun way of life while learning about languages and cultures from around the world,杏吧专区 she said. 杏吧专区淲hat seems like the daily norm for Louisianans is not the norm everywhere. I am infinitely better as a result of the cultural diversity of UL Lafayette, and I always look back on the time I spent there fondly, and I miss that culture all the time."
杏吧专区淚 grew up in a very tight-laced community,杏吧专区 she continued. 杏吧专区淎nd I grew up in a very competitive environment. My best friend was also my biggest frenemy. It was amazing to move to a place where culturally that just is not 杏吧专区榯he way.杏吧专区 That experience of living outside of my inborn culture and going to school with people and professors from around the world intrinsically changed me.杏吧专区
Professional Opportunities in Student Organizations
While Amy was a student, she was involved with Speech and Debate team. In fact, her decision to transfer to UL Lafayette was largely because of the Speech and Debate Team.
杏吧专区淚杏吧专区檇 competed (in speech and debate competitions) against UL Lafayette multiple times, and the then-coach of the UL Lafayette Speech and Debate Team helped me make what was, at the time, a very tough decision to transfer schools 杏吧专区 but ultimately became one of the best decisions of my life," she said.
杏吧专区淚 could have transferred to any one of a number of schools,杏吧专区 she said. 杏吧专区淏ut UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 competitive speech program came with excellent team members and a strong coach.杏吧专区
She was also involved in honor societies Sigma Gamma Mu and Phi Beta Delta.
杏吧专区淢ost vividly,杏吧专区 she said. 杏吧专区淚 remember that Phi Beta Delta gave me my first design 杏吧专区榞ig杏吧专区 and asked me to design the brochure for the society. That was a key piece in my portfolio that landed me my first advertising job and my first advertising agency job.杏吧专区
Jumpstarting a Career in Communications
Amy took the first steps in her communications career when she was still a senior at UL Lafayette. In a few short years, she served as a director of advertising, a media assistant, a media buyer, and a senior manager of media and public relations. She was moving through a traditional communications career path with agency and independent company experience.
However, she soon took advantage of an opportunity that she calls a 杏吧专区渘o-brainer.杏吧专区
杏吧专区淚 love chemistry,杏吧专区 she said. 杏吧专区淚 love stars. I love museums. So, when a position opened at the for an associate manager of marketing and public relations, it was a no-brainer."
杏吧专区淚t was a step back in my career progression,杏吧专区 she said. 杏吧专区淏ut one I don杏吧专区檛 regret.杏吧专区
It was this step that lead her to her current career in science communication. She was recruited to work at a big-name advertising and PR firm as a public relations manager and eventually got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Working for the Smithsonian
杏吧专区淲hen I got the opportunity to pick up and move to Arizona, to become part of the Smithsonian Institution, to work in an observatory that needed someone with top-notch public relations and marketing skills who could also run a museum and do public science education," she said, "how could I say no?杏吧专区
Amy has two main responsibilities in her current role.
杏吧专区淥ne, to uplift and promote the positive image of scientific research conducted at the ,杏吧专区 she explained. 杏吧专区淎nd two, to provide vision and direction for the ."
杏吧专区淢y day-to-day is never the same because I am both serving the needs of scientists, media, and the public through press activity,杏吧专区 she said, "as well as managing and executing on the day-to-day of a public science center and museum."
杏吧专区淥ne of the most important things I do every day is to interface with my volunteers and with the public,杏吧专区 Amy explained, "and ensure that their educational needs are being met with the services and information that we provide.杏吧专区
She credits the communication program at UL Lafayette and the broad scope offered with giving her a strong foundation to start with opportunities in multiple directions.
杏吧专区淚 wasn杏吧专区檛 focused on public relations at the time, but I learned how to write a press release," she said. "I wasn杏吧专区檛 focused in design, but I learned graphic design anyway. The program was interesting and engaging. And honestly, every step in my career, I have leaned on something I learned at UL Lafayette.杏吧专区
