From Chile to UT, PR Masters Grad Valentina Gomez is Ready to Help Families Like Hers
Valentina Gomez (‘23, ‘24) is set to receive her master’s degree in public relations in just three semesters, following her undergraduate studies at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she majored in journalism.
She will graduate from the College of Communication and Information with a job already secured. During her time at UT, both for her undergraduate and master’s degrees, Gomez took full advantage of the opportunities available to her. She became involved in several student organizations, worked on campus, and completed multiple internships.
Pursuing her Undergraduate in Journalism
Gomez moved from Chile to Knoxville with her family due to her father’s position as the executive director of the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, a role he has held for the past five years. She credits both her parents’ careers with inspiring her passion for journalism and public relations.
“A lot of why I ended up in PR has to do with my parents. My dad has always worked at museums, and my mom did PR for museums. They worked in the same network of museums back in Chile. I always saw them working. They would take me to work after hours for openings or inaugurations, and I would watch them do their thing as an 11-year-old,” she explained.
She continued, “I always knew I wanted to pursue communications. I remember being in sixth grade and declaring that I wanted to be a journalist.”
Before relocating to the United States, Gomez had completed several college courses in journalism that transferred to UT, allowing her to finish her undergraduate degree.
“In Chile, journalism is the only pathway into communications. However, here you can study public relations in college, and it is a recognized career,” she stated. “Journalism provides you with essential tools for effective communication and encourages you to question everything, which I truly enjoy.”
Gomez enrolled at UT in the spring of 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. She found this unique circumstance made her undergraduate experience interesting, but it did not deter her from getting involved on campus.
During her time at UT, Gomez actively participated in various campus activities and organizations. She worked at the Center for Global Engagement (CGE) as a social media student assistant and held a marketing role with Aramark for Vol Dining. Additionally, she minored in both women, gender, and sexuality, as well as retail and merchandising management.
From Journalism to PR
After completing her undergraduate degree, Gomez transitioned to the master’s program in public relations at the Tombras School.
“I decided to go to graduate school because I knew I wanted to pursue a career in public relations and wanted to focus more on event planning, outreach, and even public administration. I think our program does a great job of offering a diverse range of classes that encompass all aspects of the field. We have courses in crisis management as well as public relations management, so everything ties together very nicely,” she explained.
While pursuing her master’s degree, Gomez secured an assistantship at CGE with International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) and joined the Graduate Student Senate (GSS).
One of her significant contributions to GSS was helping to create a newsletter, which she hopes will continue even after her graduation.
“When I first started with GSS, I remember thinking, ‘What’s happening?’ because their social media and communication strategies were not very established. We wanted to increase our followers and improve communication with the graduate student community, and there was a desire to create a newsletter. I had never done one before, but with the support of Graduate Student Senate Program Coordinator Nick Jakel and the graduate school staff, along with two other women who were senators, we built it from the ground up. The newsletter is brief but it highlights activities in Knoxville for graduate students, features a graduate student or organization, and shares updates about GSS,” she said.
Gomez shared that she has truly enjoyed her time working with ISSS and helping families go through the same process her family had to go through when coming to this country.
Professional Development Through Internships
Gomez has been actively involved in on-campus activities and has sought job opportunities through internships, allowing her to transform her classroom learning into real-world skills.
After graduating from her undergraduate program, Gomez completed an internship with the International Radio and Television Society Foundation (IRTS) in New York. During her time there, she lived in New York University dorms, gained hands-on experience with VidMob, a software company, and developed skills in marketing, social media, and general communications.
Most recently, she interned at the Tombras Agency, where she worked with national brands and large clients.
“I had the opportunity to use this amazing software that helps find journalists’ contacts or anyone you want to communicate with, interview, or pitch ideas to. It contains everyone’s email and also monitors news for their clients. The Tombras Agency collaborates with major national brands, handling projects worth millions of dollars, and is located right here in Knoxville. They are an amazing resource who works so closely with our school,” she said.
Transitioning from Student to a Career Professional
Gomez praises her professors for their mentorship and support. She specifically noted that Professor Beth Foster and Associate Professor Michael Palenchar have been instrumental in helping her succeed beyond the classroom.
“My professors have been incredibly supportive, and I believe I have learned a lot from them. I feel confident graduating with a master’s degree, knowing that I have gained substantial knowledge,” she said. “I truly feel that the professors and staff I have worked with genuinely care about their students.”
Gomez has secured a full-time position at CGE starting after her graduation. In her role as the communications and marketing special events coordinator, she will be responsible for planning and supporting various CGE events through content creation, logistics, and overseeing numerous tasks. She will also help plan and manage a diverse range of internationally focused events and outreach efforts, both campus-wide and within the community.
Reflecting on Her Time at UT
Gomez describes her time at UT as invaluable. Although her father’s job at the university initially brought her here, she believes attending UT was one of the best decisions she could have made. She feels that being part of an R1 research institution, with its diverse perspectives and research areas, has deepened her desire to learn more about the world around her.
“I’ve been exposed to opportunities that simply aren’t available in Chile, where we don’t have institutions with campuses like this, or researchers from all over the globe focusing on such specific topics,” she said.
She credits her parents for setting an example and encouraging her throughout her academic journey. She has enjoyed being so close to her father, who is just one building away from CCI, and appreciates the work he has done at the McClung Museum.
“I loved having the chance to visit him and say hi,” she explained. “I love museums, so I am very proud of him.”
Gomez will be moving down the street to her new job with CGE. She expressed excitement about beginning her career and continuing her involvement with Vol Nation, helping to guide families like hers to become VFLs.
From Chile to UT, PR Masters Grad Valentina Gomez is Ready to Help Families Like Hers written by Kristen Gallant and originally published on the College of Communication & Information site.