Name: Hannah Thornton
Major: Communication Studies 
Hometown: Meridian, Mississippi 

Hannah Thornton ’20 knew Texas Christian University was the school for her the minute she stepped on campus. Thornton wanted a change of scenery from her hometown and that led her to add TCU to her long list of potential colleges. “I honestly wanted to stop searching after I walked on campus for the first time,” she said. “TCU had the perfect mix of everything I was looking for in a university – excellent academics, small class sizes, reputable sports programs and a welcoming sense of community.”   

From day one, every professor, peer and staff member that Thornton encountered treated her with so much hospitality that she never doubted that she belonged to the Horned Frog family. At the same time, the TCU community pushed and challenged her beyond what she thought she was capable of and helped her create the best version of herself, preparing for the world after graduation.  

Thornton would like to work in public relations or manage corporate social responsibility for a nonprofit or for an entertainment production company.  

Thornton said her experience in the Bob Schieffer College of Communication was nothing short of incredible. “I felt welcomed by every member in the field, which allowed me to explore so many different facets of the college within and outside of my major, such as working for the campus radio station alongside film, television and digital media and sports broadcasting majors. I loved how everyone in Schieffer College worked together across all programs and was so supportive of my education and skill development.”   

Because of the skills Thornton acquired through her communication studies major, she was able to land a job as an editorial intern in New York City for award-winning filmmaker, Michele Mitchell. She also worked for Relix music magazine as a music festival and marketing intern. Both jobs required very different communication strategies and her classroom experience helped her to successfully execute the tasks she was given. Her internship with Relix created several meaningful friendships and through that network she was able to work at other festivals later. Her experience with Michele Mitchell led to a full-time job as assistant editor and co-creator for the Cocktail Conversations podcast.   

Thornton was also involved around campus. She volunteered at the TCU campus radio station, was the TCU Table Tennis Club vice president, served on the ministry team for TCU’s Reformed University Fellowship, was involved in Greek life, and was a member of TCU’s Leadership Scholars Program.  

Thornton encourages students to look into communication studies as a major because it offers very valuable skills that are applicable to almost any situation or area of interest. She says an education in communication broadens the world’s opportunities so you can pursue almost any career path you wish.