Student Profile:  Terryne McClurge

Name:             Terryne McClurge

Age:                20

Concentration: Public Relations

Year:               Junior

Hometown:      New Orleans, LA

Terryne McClurge

An Educational Journey

Eastern Illinois University has been a huge influence on Terryne McLurge’s education. From her freshman year to planning her career, Eastern continues to be a central part of Terryne's educational journey.

Eastern was a natural fit for Terryne. Several qualities made it stand out among other institutions. Although Terryne is originally from New Orleans, her family lives in Indiana. Terryne thus decided that Eastern’s campus was perfect, because it is closer to her family, yet far enough for the "away-from-home" experience. In addition, Eastern offers small class sizes with an average instructor-to-student ratio of 15 to one. Terryne enjoys the close attention she receives in her classes, which many other schools do not offer.

While studying at Eastern, Terryne made many new friends. She also received support from several mentors who helped her organize her first college year. One person in particular stood out; her advisor Jackie Sanders. Jackie helped Terryne decide on a major and transition from business to communication. Terryne switched, because she realized that she wanted to work closely with organizational publics.

Terryne has also gotten involved in various activities on campus. She has seized the opportunity to visit communication fairs and events on campus. EIU offers a number of different events and programs such as Communication Day, job fairs, and business workshops. Terryne attends these events often to build her resume and network. Furthermore, Terryne actively participates in student organizations such as Minority Entertainment (ME) and The Technical Association on the Graphic Arts (TAGA). Through her work with ME and TAGA, Terryne has also gained practical public relations experience. She has, for instance, planned, promoted and facilitated events such as the Travis Porter concert. In the near future, Terryne wants to get even more involved and join PRSSA, Eastern’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America.

Eastern is a great fit for Terryne. The university has provided Terryne with an abundance of information and resources for her future. Although Terryne is still unsure about her post college plans, the excellent advising services and her involvement in student organizations helped Terryne gather the necessary tools to succeed in the future.

Written by Genevieve (Kia) Wilson