Center Spotlight: Jessica Barker!

This Monday’s Center spotlight is on one of our communication specialists, Jessica Barker! Jessica is currently working towards her Masters of Science in Communication degree, which she is expected to receive this coming May. In addition to being a graduate student and communication specialist for the Center, Jessica is also a graduate teaching assistant for the Department of Communication at NC State. Jessica was introduced to the Center through a class project during her first semester, shortly after her professor recommended the job to her. As a communication specialist at CFACE Jessica’s main focus is on internal and external communication. Current internal and external communication projects that Jessica is a part of include content creation/management for the Center website and social media, internal communication planning and marketing/branding. Jessica’s favorite thing about working at CFACE is being able to apply what she’s learned in the classroom through hands on experience. Jessica writes: “I feel like I have truly been able to put theory into practice. It is one thing to read and learn about organizations, and it is an entirely different thing to actually be a part of an organization. I have been able to apply what I have learned in school to a ‘real-world’ setting.”

Jessica’s greatest hobby is traveling! Last summer she went on a 6 week cross-country trip, has visited 80 national park sites, and camped in 18 national parks. Jessica is pictured above at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota! Jessica hopes to visit every national park in the U.S. and has visited over 20 state parks in North Carolina alone! She enjoys hiking, exploring caves, and learning about the history of every place she visits! Jessica writes “I’m still not sure what I want to do once I get my masters, but I plan to stay involved in local nonprofits. Especially ones that serve children and better their lives.”

To learn more about Jessica, please visit her staff profile.