Name: Grace Graubart
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Major: Communication Studies 

Grace Graubart had her life planned out ever since she was a little girl and Texas Christian University was never in the picture. Her mother went to Southern Methodist University, so Graubart always thought she would end up there. When she was old enough to tour colleges, she stopped by TCU after visiting SMU. TCU had an overwhelming impact on her. “Right when I stepped out of the car, I fell in love with TCU,” she said. “I just had a feeling about this place.” She applied to TCU and has loved every minute of it since.  

Graubart started college as a journalism major. She later realized that her confidence and friendliness could be utilized in communication studies, which ended up being the perfect fit for her. “I’ve always had an outgoing and personable personality,” she said. “I thought that majoring in communication studies would benefit me the most.”  

One of Graubart’s favorite aspects of the Communication Studies department is the teachers. “TCU has a really good range of teachers, especially in the Bob Schieffer College of Communication,” she said. “Many of my professors have impressive degrees, and I know I’m getting the best education from the best teachers.” One of her favorite professors is Dr. Qinghua Yang, who teaches Communication Theory. “Dr. Yang is awesome! She is very understanding, supportive, and wants me to do my best,” Graubart said.  

Graubart frequently uses her communication skills outside of school. She holds a leadership role in her sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma, as the recruitment logistics chairman. Her position involves much of the behind-the-scenes work of the recruitment process. She oversees several members in the organization, giving each one a task to complete. This position has taught her skills in organization, leadership and delegation. “My role requires a lot of communication and responsibility, which I believe has contributed a lot from my major,” she said.  

Although Graubart is new to the Communication Studies department, she has had past work experience involving communication. In 2019, she worked as an intern with the Stevens Group, a public relations firm in Houston. Her tasks involved running the company’s Instagram and marketing their brand. Last summer, she had planned to work for PaperCity Magazine in Houston, but COVID-19 ceased the opportunity.  

With Graubart’s public relations background, she has a dream job of being an event planner. “I want to open up my own event planning company, specifically specializing in weddings,” she said. “I’ve always loved going to weddings and embraced how beautiful the decor is, so that is definitely something I want to do down the line.”  

Outside of school, Graubart likes to spend her time cooking. During COVID-19, she has found a passion for cooking and started to spend much of her time learning recipes. “This was a great way to pass the time and hang out with my roommates,” she said. “I started an Instagram account in which I post all of my meals to keep my followers updated.” 

Graubart’s advice to first-year students is to step out of their comfort zone and recognize that college can be a very transitional part of their life. “Be open and try not to say no to new things,” she said. “You would be surprised how many opportunities can lead you to be the person you are today.”  

Click here to learn more about the communication studies major at TCU.