The Class of 2019: Julia Machuga – Ready for the Real World

After living in Southern California for most of her life, Julia Machuga knew she wanted to attend college far away from home. She looked at schools all over the U.S. and fell in love with TCU after her first visit. She knew that TCU would offer her the great community and school spirit she was seeking. Machuga reflects on her choices that led her to graduating with a degree in strategic communication and clear plans for her career.

The main reason Machuga chose TCU was the Bob Schieffer College of Communication. Machuga enjoyed writing and being creative and believed that the Schieffer College could offer her many different paths to success.

Machuga chose strategic communication as her major, with a minor in business. She chose this combination because she wanted to pursue a career that allowed her to be creative. Machuga says she heard nothing but great things about the program and liked the options the major gave her. The program allowed her to choose to focus on advertising or public relations, or she could study both. Strategic communication felt like the best option for her because of the creativity, flexibility and options.

After beginning her journey, Machuga was confident that she made the right choice. She credits her success to the close relationships and friendships she has made.

“My favorite part about strategic communication is definitely the people in my major,” Machuga said. “Because the classes are small, I feel like I’ve gotten to know everyone really well, both students and teachers.”

From her time in strategic communication, Machuga has gained knowledge, professional relationships and real-world experience. In her favorite class, Creative Strategy, she was able to create advertising campaigns for real clients as well as pieces for her portfolio. She credits her instructor for pushing her and her classmates to create incredible campaigns.

Now that her time at TCU and the Schieffer College is over, Machuga is starting the pathway to her real-world achievements. After having many advertising and marketing internships, Machuga wants to work at an advertising agency, hopefully in a creative or strategy role. She says she has gained so many skills and hands-on experiences at the Bob Schieffer College of Communication that she feels completely prepared for this industry.