Success Through Syracuse

When Amanda Quick ’14, G’16 enrolled in Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, she intended to follow the trail blazed by renowned broadcasters like Dick Clark ’51, Bob Costas ’74 and Mike Tirico ’88—and she had a four-year plan mapped to help her achieve that goal. But just a few weeks into her first semester, Quick attended the Involvement Fair—where students learn about student organizations and other opportunities on campus—and found herself drawn to a range of activities that were not part of her plan. “I realized there was so much available to me at Syracuse University—so many things I wanted to participate in—I decided to be flexible and open to opportunity.”

Spontaneous commitment to the Division I women’s rowing team is just one of many opportunities Quick embraced during her time at Syracuse. She also added minors in marketing and Chinese studies, interned at the Olympics in London, studied abroad in Hong Kong, traveled the country to interview young entrepreneurs and earned a master’s degree in a new field. Ultimately, Quick’s Syracuse experiences helped her launch a rewarding career working for Fortune 500 companies—a professional trajectory she could not have imagined when she first stepped on campus, but one that perfectly reflects the balance she found between being open to new experiences and ideas and keeping true to her core motivations.

Reflecting on all she learned in the process, Quick, who was recently celebrated with the Generation Orange Award and induction onto the board of Newhouse Emerging Leaders, shared some of the valuable takeaways.

Take Advantage of Professional Opportunity Through Alumni Connection

From the start, Quick—a broadcast and digital journalism major—sought to gain professional experiences. She joined a student-run radio station as DJ and business development director and participated in multiple internships.

Quick first experienced the supportive community of the Orange network during her internships. She relished interning with BrandYourself, a reputation management company founded by three Syracuse alumni (and which later appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank). Her connection with Syracuse also helped her secure three summer internships with NBC Sports, where she worked with alumni who ensured she had diverse and meaningful experiences. “This is really where the Syracuse connections come in. The Newhouse alumni I met made sure I had extraordinary access. I got to sit on set, meet the talent—it was amazing,” she says.

Focus on What You Love Doing More Than Job Titles

Quick’s professional experiences helped her clarify and refine her goals. “At first, I was focused on becoming a reporter and anchor. But I came to understand that at the core, my passion is storytelling. When I focused on that, rather than a particular job title, I found so many creative ways to tell stories,” she explains.

One of the projects Quick found most meaningful entailed research on college-aged entrepreneurs. “I was awarded funding through the Renée Crown University Honors Program and traveled to universities across the country to meet incredible students who were building companies and startups right from their dorm rooms,” she says. “The project also allowed me to tap into new mediums and platforms in exciting ways. I was telling stories, but not from an anchor desk.”