Lauryn (Congemi ’15) Miller

Communication

Biography

I graduated from Taylor in 2015. During my time at TU, I lived on 3rd West Olson and majored in Interpersonal/Public Communication with a minor in Psychology. I was very active at TU with residence life, which ultimately led me to knowing I wanted to work with people in some capacity. After I graduated, I was hired at N2 Publishing, a company that serves affluent neighborhoods around the country with neighborhood magazines. These magazines represented 50% neighborhood content (family features, kid features, community events, etc) that was provided by the residents and then the other half represented local businesses who wanted to advertise to these communities. My weeks/days consisted of making sales calls, appointments, community events and more. I eventually took over a territory that was under profit and I sold into it to make it profitable once again. I was the owner of the magazine/territory, but I eventually sold the business to pursue a different path. After N2, I worked for a brief time at Judson University as their Director of Advancement. It was at JU where I found my love for sales and fundraising. I worked with the President's office to secure large donations, grants and other advancement projects. While my time at JU was short, I know that the Lord had me there to understand my gifts and abilities. While at JU, I was recruited to come back and work at my high-school alma mater, Harvest Christian Academy, where I currently still work. Here at HCA, I work both in the admissions office recruiting and enrolling all new families (sales). I am the first interaction families have when they are inquiring about the academy and I love the opportunity to guide each one through the admissions process. I also oversee all of our development efforts at HCA (fundraising). I have had the opportunity to run and create new programs such as the annual Walk-a-Thon, Gala Auction, Corporate Sponsor program and more. I also help with donor relations and our alumni program.

What were some of your most valuable experiences at Taylor?

Working with Residence Life (serving as both DA and PA) and missions trips (Cancun and Ethiopia).

How did your classes or interactions with professors at Taylor impact your growth?

I loved working with the professors, faculty, and staff while at TU. I soaked in each of my comm classes and learned so much. One professor in particular helped prepare me for what was ahead and what I could do with a communication degree.

How can Taylor graduates use their unique Taylor education and its liberal arts foundational core as an asset in your discipline?

I treasured my time at TU because I not only felt prepared in an academic/professional sense, but my liberal arts foundation prepared me for all other areas of my life as well. Whether it is serving in ministry, or working alongside co-workers, being a parent, etc. The experiences and lessons I learned at TU will not be forgotten as they have in many ways shaped me to be who I am today.

What advice or encouragement could you provide for Taylor students in your vocational discipline?

For anyone majoring in communication, my encouragement would be to take the risk and try something new! The opportunities within communication can seem overwhelming, but the Lord has already ordered our steps. I think when I graduated, I expected to stay at the same job and not leave. This type of thinking was so wrong! I needed each of my post-graduate professional experiences to see what I truly enjoyed and what I did not. The beauty of a communications degree is that you can use it anywhere, you just have to find the right fit!