JOHNSON CITY – As her high school graduation drew near, Knoxville native Haley Mullins toured colleges not far from where she grew up.
“None felt like home,” she said. “The day I stepped foot on ETSU’s campus, I knew I was home. Nestled in the mountains and filled with an abundance of kind and hospitable people, it was easy to make ETSU my next adventure.”
Mullins is set to graduate later this month with a master’s degree in brand and media strategy, her second degree from ETSU. And during her time in Johnson City, she has gained experience that veteran professionals could envy.
She has obtained 15 certifications from industry leaders like Adobe, Google, HubSpot, Hootsuite, the Digital Marketing Institute and more.
She also served as the project manager for an ETSU Research Corporation event earlier this semester called “Growing the Future: Symposium on Innovation and Education for the Bioeconomy.” The symposium brought together national leaders in education, government and industry to highlight global bioeconomy opportunities and initiatives in the Appalachian Highlands.
Part of her capstone experience course, she and others in the class created webpages, produced promotional videos and crafted various email and social media advertisements. More than 200 people attended the event, surpassing the class goal by 30%.
Hands-on learning is at the core of ETSU’s approach to education. The goal is to help students move seamlessly from enrollment to employment.
“I have grown as an independent young professional and gained confidence in my knowledge and abilities as a marketer, photographer and communicator,” said Mullins, who earned a bachelor’s degree in media and communication in 2020 and is the first in her family to graduate from college.
Mullins has even secured a full-time job, working as manager of communications at Emory & Henry College.
“The experiences I received at ETSU, especially from one of my irreplaceable mentors, Dr. Stephen Marshall, have truly set me up for success,” she said.