Journalism Alumna Lauryn Nania '21 is a Communications Coordinator at the Senator John Heinz History Center Alumni Profile
Meet Lauryn Nania '21
- Job Title & Employer
- Communications Coordinator, Senator John Heinz History Center
- Major/Program
- Journalism
- Hometown
- Murrysville, Pa.
- High School
- Franklin Regional Senior High School
- Hobbies & Interests
- Creative writing, journaling, reading, hanging out with friends
"The School of Communication faculty have real-life newsroom experience to help guide aspiring journalists. My assignments immersed me into the experience of being a reporter outside of an academic environment. We were taught to pitch our own stories and build stories or news packages filled with sources we discovered on our own."
Highlight your career path since graduating from Point Park.
The summer after I graduated from Point Park in 2021, I was a full-time intern reporter at Pittsburgh City Paper. After my internship, I worked for Dick’s Sporting Goods as an eCommerce content specialist in a contract position. In March, I began my current role as a communications coordinator at the Senator John Heinz History Center.
What does your role at the Heinz History Center entail?
The communications coordinator position is quite versatile, which I thoroughly enjoy. Some of my responsibilities include writing and distributing press releases, newsletter stories, website listings and blog posts. I also manage and create content for several social media accounts that are family museums of the History Center. Another key role involves media relations where I manage media lists, lead media monitoring efforts and analyze and report metrics to stakeholders throughout the organization.
How did your college experience prepare you for your career?
I owe a lot of the success in my career endeavors to my professors. They truly want to see their students succeed after graduation. Professor Helen Fallon helped me land an internship at Pittsburgh City Paper, which was an amazing experience and launched my career after college. It helped me become the writer I am today, and I couldn’t have done that without Professor Fallon.
What makes Point Park’s journalism program stand out among other universities?
Point Park's program has an amazing team of professors with real-life newsroom experience to help guide aspiring journalists. Most of my assignments immersed me into the experience of being a reporter outside of an academic environment. We were taught to pitch our own stories, whether they were local or localizing national events, and build stories or news packages filled with sources we discovered on our own. The independence students are granted in classes mirrored real-world journalism.
What advice do you have for high school students considering Point Park’s School of Communication?
You can't beat Point Park's location in Downtown Pittsburgh. There are so many career opportunities in the communications field in Pittsburgh. The professors encourage you to apply to internships that could lead to full-time positions after graduation or give relevant experience. Point Park also has the Center for Media and Innovation, which provides great, hands-on experience to anyone interested in working on camera or behind the scenes.
What were your favorite places to spend time on campus and in Downtown Pittsburgh?
When the weather was nice, I loved spending time at Point State Park. I would bring a blanket and a book and spend hours admiring the city. For a spot to eat, my friends and I loved going to Genoa Pizza.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Your experience at Point Park is what you make of it. There are so many interesting extracurricular activities to join that not only add to your resume, but are filled with great people with similar interests to surround yourself with.