Kelly O’Brien ‘15 is a recent Bradley graduate with a passion for journalism, volunteer work, bike riding and Taylor Swift. Her degree is in journalism with social media marketing minor.
“My time at Bradley was an all-encompassing experience,” O’Brien stated. “I was afforded the most awe inspiring and fruitful four years of my life.”
Throughout her four years, Kelly was involved with numerous organizations, held seven internships ands awarded many prestigious honors including the Outstanding Student in Journalism by the Department of Communication. She received the “I am Brave” award for her work with Bradley SERVE, a student service organization, and received a certificate of appreciation from the Renaissance Park Community Association for her service to the Peoria community.
O’Brien’s internship experiences began her freshman year at Bradley when she started at the athletic department as a production assistant. There, she learned about sports production and gained various skills that led her to an internship with NBC Olympics her junior year.
She held positions at various radio stations, starting with US 99.5, a well-known country music station in Chicago. O’Brien spent a summer writing concert reviews for some of the biggest names in the country music and credits this internship for developing a love for entertainment journalism.
When she returned to Peoria for the following academic year, O’Brien continued her work in radio, interning with the local Cumulus Media group, Radio Peoria, and blogging about local topics of interest. This internship allowed O’Brien to discover her passion for radio promotions.
O’Brien stated. “The experiential learning that I've done as a student at Bradley bolstered my skill set and resume in ways I didn't think possible.” She goes on to say, “the fact that I can tailor my resume when applying to specific positions is such a luxury.”
When O’Brien wasn't writing, interning or volunteering, she was biking. She has pedaled over 8,000 miles while living in Peoria.
“As soon I get off my bike, I’m online trying to befriend Taylor Swift via social media,” she said. Her admiration for Taylor Swift led to the success of her personal twitter account that has garnered more than 5,500 followers. “I put my social media marketing minor to good use,” Kelly says, “I created a brand for myself.”
O’Brien continues to use her journalism and social media experience with her career and has accepted an offer with the Arlington International Racecourse. She will be the Seasonal Digital Marketing Assistant for the 2015 racehorse season. O’Brien is excited for the position, saying, “I have many horse memes planned.”
