Carey Courson, junior communication major, was inspired to pursue her bachelor’s degree by her mother, Linda Wade-Gardner. Similar to Courson, Wade-Gardner went to school later in life to earn a master’s degree.
“My mom is someone who encouraged me to go back to school. She worked really hard. She didn’t have a lot of opportunities,” Courson said. “I think there is this part of her that’s proud that I’m going back to school. She always taught me anything’s possible, no matter what age, what stage of life you are.”
When Courson began her journey at NSU in 2013, she worked in the Shepard Broad College of Law as the executive assistant to Dean Athornia Steele. Now, she is the administrative coordinator for the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts.
Courson’s decision to go back to school, after previously being enrolled in Broward College, was also influenced by Dr. Shanti Bruce, department chair of DCMA.
“Dr. Bruce definitely encouraged me. She really believed that it was something that I should try, and I should challenge myself. But personally, I think I just had this conviction to be a part of all the things that I was exposed to here,” Courson said.
Bruce was glad to have Courson work alongside her and wanted to see Courson push herself further.
“Carey is a fantastic colleague. She has so many creative talents in addition to her expertise in project management,” Bruce said.
Courson wanted to immerse herself in the department’s activities after seeing all the arts events it hosts.
“I was so excited to go to the performances and I was so excited to get to know the artists that were visiting, and to watch their installations go up with the exhibits,” Courson said.
Courson is currently enrolled in Practicum B, where she completes projects for Mako TV.
“It’s always fun to teach everybody new things and it’s always fun to see how willing to learn everyone is, and that’s especially Carey,” Madison Kasper, sophomore marketing major and Mako TV general manager, said. “She’s always super willing to learn new things and be put into situations that she’s not usually put into. She’s just really a team player.”
Courson just recently got the chance to try reporting.
“She reported for the first time at the Senior Art Exhibition and I know she was super nervous about it beforehand, but it came out really well and she did amazing. It made me very proud,” Kasper said.
With Courson’s dual role as a student and employee, she appreciates the chance to interact with so many students and faculty in DCMA.
“I love being part of DCMA because I feel like [there are] so many creative people. Since I’ve been in this department, I’ve had the opportunity to witness a lot of great performances, to meet a lot of talented people,” Courson said. “As a whole, I really enjoy just coming to work every day and getting to interact and work with people who care about each other, the students and the product that we’re putting out. If there’s ever an issue, we all are willing to work together and make the best thing possible.”
When Courson is not focusing on her academics, she coordinates department meetings, and for the last two years has planned major donor events to support the department’s Mark Lyndsay Duncan Legacy Endowment for the Arts, as DCMA’s administrative coordinator.
Rebecca Fazio, senior art + design major and office assistant for DCMA, works with Courson.
“From the day I met her and she became one of my bosses, she’s always gone above and beyond, and I feel like we’re a great team and we try to go above and beyond on everything that we can,” Fazio said. “Specifically one thing that she goes above and beyond with is the staff and faculty meetings that they have once a month. She makes that a really good experience for everybody. She creates a theme depending on the month, does decorations and she orders the food.”
Courson’s goal is to create a legacy at the department.
“I want people to think that what I did mattered in their lives, not that I need to be recognized, but just that there once was a special person when I was struggling and she helped me work things out and then I accomplished my goal, whether it’s personally, professionally, academically,” Courson said. “Because so many times people get stuck on that little obstacle, and if they don’t have that support, they could easily get stuck or they could easily back away.”
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