Name: Angela Goodwin
Hometown: New Kensington, PA
Now living in: Pittsburgh, PA
Job title: Senior Assistant Registrar and COMM 101 instructor
Employer: Point Park University
Degree earned: BA Broadcasting '11, MBA '19
Campus activities, awards, and alumni involvement: WPPJ, College Students in Broadcasting club (CSB), Alumni Association Board of Directors
Describe Point Park in one word: Home

 

This Is It

Angela Goodwin was a junior in high school when a mentor told her she should pursue her interests at Point Park University. It only took one visit to campus for Angela to realize she didn’t want to go anywhere else.

“I came to campus and I was just like ‘yes I'm coming here.’ Because I love the fact that it's right in the city, it was just far enough away from home. It was a perfect fit, like love at first sight. Sounds cheesy but it's true.”

Angela started in 2007 and planned to earn her undergraduate degree in Broadcast Journalism. Her confidence in her decision to go to Point Park was confirmed the very day she moved into the 13th floor of Lawrence Hall.

“I was very excited to live in a dorm. I made such great friends; it was an instant family. I just really felt like I belonged right away. This is where I'm supposed to be, I never questioned that these are my people.”

One of the things Angela was most excited about was joining the radio station, WPPJ. She got involved immediately and still reflects fondly on the memories and friends she made.

“I made a lot of friends and we became a tight-knit group. You know the diehard radio students. I still talk to a lot of them today. And a lot of them are out doing radio and TV work. I’m very proud of them.”

 

Point Park Pride

For Angela, getting involved and expanding her experiences was easy because of Point Park’s central downtown location. She found that being a Point Park student gave her an edge while she applied to different radio internships.

“When I was interviewing, as soon as I said I’m from Point Park, it was ‘oh you're from Point Park! So and so down the hall is also an alum and my brother [is] an alum we love Point Park’. I've never heard anyone say anything bad about Point Park in my experiences out in the journalism world. That was another moment where I knew I picked the right school.”

Looking back on her time at Point Park Angela reflects that both in and out of the classroom, confidence was the key to getting the most out of her college experience.

“Putting myself out there and getting involved [was my greatest lesson]. I had to learn to not be afraid or too shy to introduce myself. I needed to go to that first meeting at the radio station or apply for internships - those all seemed scary to me in high school, but now I'm very grateful that I [learned those lessons].”

 

All Signs Point to Home

Although Angela knew she was in the right place at Point Park, she faced a lot of uncertainty financially during her first couple of years. In order to offset the burden of paying for college, she took on multiple part-time jobs throughout her time in college. One of these part-time jobs led her to the career she has now.

“I needed an activity that paid me and I wanted to do a work-study, so I took on a role in the Registrar's Office. I really enjoyed the people that I worked with, and I learned a lot from them. I cannot speak more highly of it.”

When Angela graduated in 2010, she began searching for jobs in the radio field. She found numerous part-time jobs to support herself, both in and out of the radio industry. Everything changed in 2015 when she received a call about an open position in the Registrar’s Office.

“I got hired, and I’ve been here ever since. I never thought about a career in higher ed, but over the last five years, I’ve really grown to enjoy it. I've been promoted from Registration Coordinator to Assistant Registrar to Senior Assistant Registrar.”

Through her career at Point Park, Angela has completed her MBA, taught classes, and volunteered at annual events like Move-In. One of her favorite things to do is watch incoming freshman begin their own Point Park journeys and to see seniors making their next steps into the real world.

 

Enjoy the Time

Looking back at her own time as a Point Park student, Angela has very little she would change but does wish she could impart some advice on her younger self, a lesson that she knows many current students could also benefit from.

“Slow down, calm down and enjoy it. Because I was so wrapped in finances that I maybe took on a little bit more than I could chew. Still, it all worked out and I wouldn't change a thing. But a part of me just wants to go back to be like slow down, you don't have to work that extra shift. It'll all work out. You will get that scholarship and we'll pay the bill you're worried about now and we'll get paid. Go you know go out to dinner with your friends. Calm down, because it does work out.”

Angela has seen a lot of changes at Point Park since she first stepped on campus. No matter how much the campus changes, she encourages all students to make the best of their experiences by taking advantage of all the benefits the university has to offer, like the Pioneer Pantry and Point Closet.

“Enjoy it. Put yourself out there, use all of the available resources, make friends with the faculty and staff. Don’t be afraid to reach out.”

 

More About: alumni, School of Communication, Alumni Association Board, MBA