“I left Germany not knowing how my journey in the US would go but I never, not even once, regretted taking the risk of trying something new. I knew it wouldn’t be the easiest way, but it was the way I wanted to go – and so I made it happen.”
Integrated Marketing Communications alumna Katharina Muehlbauer took a chance on Tallahassee, Florida. Leaving her home country of Germany and the security of a position at Intel, her enrollment in the College of Communication and Information’s IMC program was the culmination of her hard work as an undergraduate student in Munich.
“I researched all the IMC programs in the US. After my undergraduate degree I worked four jobs in Germany to finance my Master’s degree in the US.”
After getting exposure to the marketing industry as an intern with Philip Morris International, Muehlbauer also gained experience in a more communications focused role at Intel where she worked on global employee communications, CSR, and industry events.
“The internship at Philip Morris sparked my interest in marketing and my time with Intel greatly contributed to my interest in communications. I did not want to choose between either and found the IMC program – which let me follow both of my passions.”
As a student at Florida State University, Muehlbauer’s passion shone through her work and she developed a close mentor relationship with Dr.’s Jay Rayburn and Gary Heald. She credits them with helping her choose a path for her career post graduation.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of Dr. Rayburn and Dr. Heald, who not just gave me great career advice but also prepared me for my role here at Ketchum.”
Today, Katharina is a Senior Research Associate at Ketchum PR in New York City, “What I love most about my job that it is very diverse – one day I am working on a reputation study for a large tech client and the next day I do a social media audit for a pharmaceutical company, secondary research for a CPG client or qualitative research/an in depth interview with healthcare professionals in Germany.”
For students preparing to graduate this May, or even to those considering grad school, Muehlbauer has this advice: “It may be a bumpy road but it is always worth it if this is your dream. Don’t wait for things to happen but go out and make them happen.“