April 28, 2023

Johannsen’s student involvement makes impact, paves path to future career

By Kayla Holman, communication assistant

Northwest Missouri State University student Makenna Johannsen’s involvement at the University has further prepared her for a career that she’ll soon begin in the advertising field.

Johannsen, of Bellevue, Nebraska, is graduating from Northwest this spring with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and communication with an emphasis in public relations.

Johannsen says she was an active child, and she carried her love for both social and academic involvement to Northwest. From the moment she visited the campus, she knew Northwest was a fit for her.

“I came and visited, and from the second I stepped foot on campus I saw myself walking to the Union,” Johannsen said. “I saw myself going to classes in Colden. I just saw it as a place that I could really make it my own and plant some roots.”

She served as the social media chair of Lambda Pi Eta, a communication honor society. She was an active member in the Phi Mu sorority and served as president of Panhellenic Council, the governing body of Northwest’s five sororities. She also was an ambassador for the Melvin D. and Valorie G. Booth School of Business, a public relations intern in the Office of Student Affairs and a social media coordinator for the University Police Department.

Makenna Johannsen, standing in front of Colden Hall, graduates from Northwest this spring with her bachelor's degree in marketing and communication with an emphasis in public relations. (Photo by Lauren Adams/Northwest Missouri State University)

Johannsen says her involvement made her Northwest experience a memorable one, and her networking and connections have made her career-ready.

“My involvement only led me to create so many connections with so many different people, and because of that I feel so tied to this University,” Johannsen said. “I feel like I’m making a difference every day. I wake up and I’m excited.” 

After graduation, Johannsen is moving to Kansas City and will begin work as an assistant account executive for Division-D advertising.

“I feel so capable,” she said. “I feel excited to enter this new work environment because I came into college scared. The professors here come with us every step of the way, and I feel like that prepared me to then be able to hold my own hand when I head out into the workforce.”