Qualifications in journalism and public relations can open up a wide range of career opportunities. Just ask Bond alumnus Chelsea McLean.
Chelsea was awarded a scholarship to study journalism at Bond after attending our Open Day back in 1994. Fresh from St Hilda’s School at Southport, she started her BA the following year, incorporating majors in journalism, public relations and Japanese.
In addition to getting fully involved in the Bond lifestyle by joining the Bond Media Association and contributing to the university newspaper, Chelsea complemented her academic studies with a work experience placement at Sea World Nara Resort.
As so many other Bond students have discovered, this personal contact with a potential employer was a pivotal moment, leading to the offer of a full-time position before Chelsea had even finished her degree.
“In my experience, many local employers regard Bond University very highly and favour graduates for Journalism and Public Relations positions because they understand the high academic standards,” says Chelsea.
With a few years’ experience as the resort’s Public Relations Officer under her belt, Chelsea moved to Brisbane to work with a public relations consultancy and then to Sydney where she was appointed Promotional Publicity Coordinator for The Rocks and Darling Harbour, working for the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority.
Returning to the Gold Coast in 2003, she was able to explore her interest in health and well-being issues after securing a position with the Golden Door Health Retreat and the Golden Door Spa and Health Club at Marina Mirage.
This, in turn, has led to her current role as a freelance editorial copywriter and book publicist, focussing on titles relating to health, wellness and personal growth.
“I help journalists find great stories and, at the same time, get valuable media publicity for authors who have useful information to share,” says Chelsea.
In this capacity, she has worked with authors such as Amanda Clark (‘Portion Perfection’), Casey Conrad (‘Winning the Struggle to be Thin’), Scott Groves (‘The Power of Subconscious Goal Setting’) and many others; helping them spread their messages through programs such as Today Tonight, Sunrise, Mornings with Kerri-Anne and Brisbane Extra, as well as through national newspapers and magazines.
At Bond University we are committed to maintaining links and providing ongoing opportunities for our alumni.
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