Major: Mass Communication
Kimberly Wilson wasn’t sure what she wanted to study in college, but she knew that she loved writing and storytelling and hoped to incorporate those two passions into her studies.
“I’ve always loved to read and immerse myself in different stories,” she said. “One of my favorite things about writing is that it allows me to clearly express my feelings and opinions, as well as tell stories.”
Wilson came to College of DuPage to take general education classes and save money before transitioning to a four-year university. Wilson wasn’t sure what to expect, but she decided to make the most out of her experience and get involved with various student clubs on campus. She joined the school newspaper, The Courier, which sparked an immediate interest in journalism.
“Educational and career-wise, being on the school newspaper was a great experience in terms of learning about the technical aspects of journalism and the journalistic writing style,” she said. “COD also offers a wide range of classes and programs, so I had fun taking a variety of classes and learning about different things.”
Wilson quickly met the cumulative GPA requirements for the COD Honors Program. She was then selected to be a student editor for the National Collegiate Honors Council’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (UReCA) web journal. Wilson joined a national team to review and edit submissions for the 2018-2019 publication.
“I really learned a lot about the editing process and sharpened my editing skills through the position on UReCA, which was great because editing is something I am thinking about dabbling in professionally once I graduate college.”
Wilson credits COD for helping her grow her leadership skills, a personal goal.
“The College’s Living Leadership Program was hugely beneficial for me because I learned a lot about how to be an effective leader. Through my experiences at the College, I learned that leadership comes from utilizing your individual strengths.”
Wilson transferred to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences with highest distinction in Sociology. While there, she interned for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ Office of Communications and Marketing as a student writer.
COD is a really great institution to begin your college career if you do the work in your classes and make use of all the resources offered.
Kimberly Wilson
She then completed a Master of Science in Comparative and International Education at Oxford University. After serving as the Children and Youth Services coordinator for World Relief DuPage, Wilson is now in law school at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Her advice to other potential COD students is to get involved.
“COD is a really great institution to begin your college career if you do the work in your classes and make use of all the resources offered,” she said. “I also really encourage students to get involved on campus. Being on the school newspaper, as well as serving as a new student orientation leader, were transformative experiences and helped to make my time at COD special. I also recommend getting to know your professors because they give great advice and want to see you succeed.”
Learn more about the Mass Communications program at College of DuPage