OC alum speaks with students about working in corporate PR with Walmart

Earlier this semester, Oklahoma Christian University Communication alumnus Blake Jackson, senior director of global communications at Walmart, took time out of his day to speak with Public Relations and Communication students about his experiences in the PR field. He also shared how students could prepare themselves for their lives after college. During his talk, students were able to ask Jackson questions and learn from his experience.

Josh Watson, associate professor of communication at OC, worked with Jackson last year to plan for his visit with students this spring.

“Blake is one of our most-accomplished alumni working at the corporate level, and he was so generous with his time,” Watson said. “He genuinely wanted to invest in OC students who are where he was just a few years before. I’m so thankful for the time and effort he put into investing in OC students.”

After Jackson met with the Media Practicum: PR class (which is the meeting of OC’s student-run firm, Eagle PR) and the PR and Social Media Influencers Principles class, he hosted a session afterward with seniors. His intention with this session was to focus on how they could prepare for their upcoming roles as full-time communication employees, as well as offer his personal advice. One student who attended the session was Naomi Reagan, a senior Family Science major and Communication minor graduating this spring. She is serving as a co-director of Eagle PR this year.

“It was such a treat to hear from Blake because he has both experience at OC and an extremely successful career that I admire,” Reagan said. “I was touched by how kind he was to spend his time asking me intentional questions about my future and offering insight that would help me personally excel.”

After his visit, Jackson gave his email to the students and asked them to reach out about any job opportunities or questions they may have.