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Casey Cargle found his niche in the Georgia Southern University Communication Arts Department, after making a dicey move of choosing the university without ever visiting. Now, as an account coordinator at Rountree Group Integrated Communications, Cargle wouldn’t have changed a thing about his time in the department.
Originally, he thought that he wanted to do broadcast news, but he ended up taking a different route:public relations with a minor in marketing.
Cargle describes himself as a communicator who enjoys working with others, and he felt that this path would suit him more. He chose to minor in marketing because of his interest in the behavioral sciences that come into play when applying techniques to grab an audience.Shortly after he started attending classes at GSU, he joined student media and started working at The George-Anne on campus.Starting off as an assistant news editor, Cargle made his way up the ladder to eventually become editor-in-chief of The George-Anne his senior year. He was also a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).Attending one particular PRSSA conference in Atlanta helped Cargle land his first internship after graduation. He mentioned that the student-run newspaper taught him what he needed to know about the communication business and that being a part of it helped shape who he is today.“I learned how to write, how to interview people, to manage my colleges, how to work with others,”Cargle said.
Cargle studied abroad during one summer, in Italy, and had current Communication Arts Department chair, Pamela Bourland-Davis, come along with him on the trip. Although he didn’t have her as a teacher for his classes abroad, she did take him under her wing.They grew close and continued to remain in contact after the trip. To Cargle, this experience was like noother. Studying abroad gave him a new perspective on culture and different ways of life, and hee ncourages students to take advantage of any study abroad opportunities. Cargle also encourages students to get involved on campus.“Find something on campus to join, have a group, have something to do outside of classes to find your real interests, to find out who you are and what you want to be,” Cargle said.He found that those he worked alongside with in Student Media were usually on track to graduate in four years, which motivated and pushed him to follow suit. Surrounding oneself with successful people is essential, Cargle said.By investing his time in organizations on campus, Cargle was able to acquire skills and experience that aided him once he entered the real world, and he sets a shining example for others in the Communication Arts Department. Vignette: Casey Cargle By: Halie Hatch Former editor - in - chief of Georgia Southern’s student newspaper, The George - Anne, Casey Cargle is an now an account coordinator at Rountree Group Integrated Communications. Photo courtesy: Casey Cargle.
