⌛ By Abbey Vidrine ⌛

On January 13, our team gained a new member! We are excited to welcome Abbey Vidrine, Marshall University senior public relations student to Hourglass Media!

It’s Abbey, a 21-year-old from Ripley, West Virginia! I am currently studying Public Relations at Marshall University and have an associates degree in Business Administration from West Virginia University at Parkersburg!
During my free time (when I have it) I love spending time with my friends, traveling, and doing car related things because I’m a huge car enthusiast!
After graduating in May, I hope to get a job doing public relations work in the car industry!

This week, we’re getting to know the newest face #behindthehourglass! Stay tuned — because Abbey will be at the helm of MANY blog posts during this Spring 2020 semester!

Q&A with Abbey Vidrine

What did you want to be as a child?

During my elementary school years I was so passionate about playing soccer. I had been playing for the local youth league team since I was 6! My dream was to become THE BEST soccer player there ever was, but that definitely did not happen! I certainly dreamed big though!

Was there ever an indication that you would be in a communications-based major/profession?

Most certainly! My family would always tell me I should go to law school, because I loved to argue so much (I always disagreed). I was always very vocal, passionate, and loved to advocate for the things I believed in. While I may not be as outspoken as I once was, those values remain at the core of everything I do, especially in my college and professional careers.

Name a woman (or women) past or present, whom you admire or look up to.

I have been so honored to be apart of a family filled with strong, radiant women. Honestly, I admire every single one of them. The last decade was filled with a lot of pain for my family. The way my mom, aunts, and grandma have handled themselves during those tough times, is why I am such a strong woman today. I definitely learned from some of the best, and cherish their active roles in my life.

What is your dream job?

This has always been a tough question for me and one I have battled for many years. However, in the recent years, this question has become more easy to answer. During high school, I started to get into the car scene and became an avid car enthusiast. More specifically, Hondas and Acuras and front wheel drive racing. So every since then, my dream job has consisted of doing something car related. My passion for public relations and communications began to grow stronger as well, and I wanted to have a job where the two combined. So to answer the question, my dream job is to work for Honda, Acura, a related racing company, or a racetrack doing public relations related work!

What are you most passionate about?

I am very passionate about my career. I truly love the path I have taken in public relations, and I am excited to see where it leads me. But overall, I am passionate about everything I do. Hobbies, school, work, I am passionate about all of it almost equally!

What is your favorite part about public relations?

My favorite part of public relations is building relationships through effective communication. I love communicating, and it is a vital part of maintaining and growing relationships. So being able to do something I have always been passionate about, is my favorite thing about this profession.

You’re the VP of MU PRSSA. What are some things you hope to achieve with PRSSA?

We have so many things planned for this semester, and we are very excited to see them through! One of our goals was member retention, which is beginning to doing significantly better this semester! We have an outstanding group of students. We will also be kicking the semester off with workshops like public relations writing, legal issues in public relations, event planning, and many more throughout the upcoming months. Another goal we would like to achieve is securing fundraising dollars for our members to attend PRSSA nationals and other events!

Where do you see yourself after you graduate from college? What are some career goals you have once you graduate?

Right out of college, I plan to stay in the Charleston, WV area for a year or so. Hopefully, I will find a job in that area that I really enjoy. As much as I want to move, I am not in a position to do that yet. However, when I am able, I would love to relocate to Columbus or Washington D.C. But for now my main career goal is to find a job that I have love and passion for. I want a career that makes me happy and makes me feel good about the work I am doing.

What are some ways you maintain your creative side?

I really try to push myself outside of the box with everything I do, especially in creative aspects. So, just pushing the boundaries of what I’m working on has helped me achieve a fresh outlook. Also, I love looking at other creators work. It always gives me confidence in what I’m doing and that I can creative something great. Music is also something that sparks my creative side, because it just enhances my creative outlook.

What tool, object, or ritual could you not live without in your work/school day?

Very cliche, but definitely my phone or laptop. Almost everything I do now is digital! So not having either one of those items would make my day very difficult. Although, maybe I will give it a try one day just to see what it’s like!

In moments of self-doubt or adversity, how do you build yourself back up?

I have faced a lot of adversity in my life, and I never really knew how to deal with it up until the last few years. Remaining positive. That’s how I build myself back up. I really believe I have to make positivity my state of mind. I cannot let outside forces decide how I am going to act today, because I decide how I act. I decide what bothers me and what tears me down. So I decided that things that tore me down, I would use to build myself up instead.

Which of your personal traits are you most proud of?

I would say I am most proud of my ability to empathize. It really gives me a different outlook on everything I do. To understand someone’s problems, fears, goals, dreams, etc. encourages acceptance, which we all need more of in this world. I always feel very connected to people and try to help in any way, because I would never want myself feeling the way they do.

What about professional traits?

I am definitely most proud of how passionate I am with everything I do. No matter what the assignment or project, I always give it the best I can. I am just a very passionate person and that spills over into my professional career, and I am proud of that. It makes me a better person, worker, coworker, etc. to always be giving it my all.

What are you most excited to help with during your internship with Hourglass Media?

I am very excited for everything I will be helping with during this internship! I love learning and gaining experience in any way I can. It’ll be an awesome experience working with different clients! I am also very excited to help with the planning of Huntington’s 150th Birthday Celebration! I love event planning and I am excited to see all the planning that goes into it!

How do you feel your personality fits into the Hourglass Media brand and its overall business practices?

From the first time I met Kaylin, I felt our personalities clicked. As she explained Hourglass Media’s brand and practices, I really felt right at home. I am an introverted person that loves communication, and that fits right into what I feel Hourglass Media represents!

When you’re not in school or professional mode, what are some of your favorite things to do?

Outside of school and work, cars take up the majority of my time! It is definitely my favorite thing to do or be around. Luckily, having this hobby, I get to travel to some really cool places as well for car meets, shows, and races! Not to mention all of the great people I have met through this hobby!

What does success mean to you?

Success to me means happiness. As long as I am happy in life then I will consider myself successful.

Abbey Vidrine is a West Virginia native and current Public Relations major at Marshall University. She loves all things communication and hopes to do great things within the profession! Connect with Abbey on LinkedIn.

Let's Get To Know Abbey!