1. Can you please state your name, the class, and the department you graduated from?
Maria Lloyd, c/o 2008, Mass Media Arts (Radio)
2. How has your life been after CAU?
Upon graduating from CAU, life has been adventurous. I’ve traveled the world, earned a lot of money, lost money, increased my intellectual capital, forged invaluable relationships, and evolved as an individual. Through trials and triumphs, I have — and will continue to — lived by CAU's motto: “Find a way or make one.”
3. Where do you currently work, and what do you currently do?
I'm an entrepreneur. I own a marketing copywriting firm named Management 24, LLC.
4. Now that you are out of college and you have had time to reflect on your experience, would you do anything differently?
Now that I've been able to reflect upon my time at CAU, here are two things I would've done differently: 1) I would've studied abroad. My first international trip occurred several years after I'd graduated from CAU, and now I'm hooked. It would've been amazing to have taken advantage of an opportunity to live abroad and take courses in a foreign country while I was matriculating at CAU; 2) I would've invested more time forging meaningful relationships on-campus vs. off-campus. I was juggling school, part-time employment, a scholarship program, and internships all four years of my matriculation. It's great that I established high-profile connections outside of CAU, but many CAU Panthers have led successful careers upon graduating and are now what I'd consider "high-profile" contacts. I'm fortunate to know them now, but it would've been nice to have built a rapport with them while we were at CAU.
5. What is the most valuable lesson that CAU has taught you?
The most valuable lesson CAU has taught me is resilience. There is absolutely nothing I can't do when I've put my mind to it.
6. What advice would you give to:
a) incoming freshman: Here's my advice to incoming freshmen: Don't sleep on your peers. Establish friendships with students who share your career interests. These people are your accountability partners, and you are their accountability partner. One day all of you will be highly successful in your industry, and at that point, trust will become more valuable than money.
b) graduating seniors: Here's my advice to graduating seniors: Keep learning. Your matriculation as a "student of life" is just beginning. Prioritize your mental and physical health. Get comfortable being uncomfortable, and never forget to "Find a way or make one."
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