Welcome to the #DragonFamily: Kay Beckermann
Meet MSUM’s new School of Communication & Journalism professor, Dr. Kay Beckermann. She is so excited to work with students, fellow faculty and teach all things digital media and public relations!
Start date: August 26, 2019
Q: What drew you to MSUM?
A: I actually have my undergraduate from MSUM and I was actually a music major. Life takes you crazy places, and it came out this way. When I saw the opening, in that it was local and back at my alma mater, I really enjoyed the thought of coming back!
Q: What unique experience or skills do you bring to MSUM?
A: I spent 11 years doing PR at NDSU. I have had a lot of prior PR and higher education experience. It is fun now, I get pumped teaching how to write a news release because I’ve written several news releases in my life. It is really nice to be able to take that professional experience and use it. I know that this is how it is, not because the textbook says it, but because I have done it myself.
Q: What energizes you at work?
A: The students. It’s really fun getting to know all of the students, because it’s a totally different energy. Students are really fun to work with and have a lot of really interesting perspectives on life. That’s what I really like about teaching. The energy that students bring.
Q: What energizes you outside of work?
A: We live in an older neighborhood with a really great front porch. To just spend time on my front porch really is energizing, because my family will come and hang out and the neighborhood cats. There has also been a squirrel that’s getting a little aggressive, but he will sit there and wait for me to feed him peanuts and almonds.
Q: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
A: I would like to go to India or Thailand. The culture, to me, seems very different than going to Europe, where it seems like it would be kind of similar to here.
We are so happy that you are a part of the #DragonFamily, Dr. B!