Communications and Public Affairs: The Campaigners and Adventurers
Thinking about applying to be an Associate Vice President? Don’t worry, USC Voice’s got your back! We’re super excited to bring you this series of AVP profiles that will hopefully inspire you even more to #replaceus. For all five of the current portfolios, we’ll also be assigning some personality types to give you a sense of what kind of people may be the most suitable for the roles.
And of course, we have to start with the BEST (yes, I’m totally biased) portfolio within the USC: Communications and Public Affairs (the Comms team)!
The Comms team this year is made up of three AVPs and four Coordinators (including me!). We are responsible for social media campaigns, USC Voice, and community engagement initiatives, among other things—our job is to bring the USC to students.
Next year, each portfolio will have one AVP, but this year’s team—Reagan Cockburn (AVP Communications), Tamsen Long (AVP Public Affairs), and Celine Tsang (AVP Community Engagement)—is here to inform you about what being in the Comms portfolio is all about.
If you’re dipping your toes into the USC for the first time, welcome! Our AVPs and Coordinators come from all walks of life and have different stories and experiences that influenced their decisions to join the USC.
Tamsen was always USC-adjacent as a Soph, in Clubs, and working at the Spoke—she applied to the Comms team on a whim. Meanwhile, Reagan has been involved in Model U.N. since first year, and she was drawn to the Comms team to learn new skills and meet new people. Celine was an Arts and Humanities Soph and Councillor, and was looking to gain a better understanding of the behind-the-scenes operations of the USC.
The Comms portfolio is truly unique because you’re given a lot of freedom to come up with communication initiatives that you’re passionate and excited about. For example, in Celine’s role as AVP Community Engagement, she collaborates with her Multimedia Coordinator, Sean, to come up with some amazing ideas to engage students with the USC, like USC in the Wild. The initiative brought the USC directly to its students: for one morning, USC student leaders popped up all around campus to talk to students and give out free bagel vouchers. “When I think about community engagement, it’s not just about engaging with students but also engaging the people in the USC with each other and the USC itself,” says Celine.
Reagan loves her position as AVP Communications because it allows her to work in all areas of the USC. “Aside from helping the VP Communications and Public Affairs with administrative work, my Campaigns Coordinator (shoutout Mansi!) and I also liaise with different programming and services such as Food Support Services, USC Charity and the Gender Equality Network, to ideate on new campaigns that better all areas of your student experience.”
Tamsen’s pride and joy in her role as AVP Public Affairs is without a doubt USC Voice. “The Brand Journalism program showcases student voices and initiatives from the USC, and this year I feel like the portfolio has truly grown. My two Coordinators (Light and Anushka) and I have received a lot of positive feedback, and it is really exciting to see our ideas and efforts come to life in a written form.”
When asked what skills they think are essential for their roles, all three AVPs had something to bring to the table. Reagan said that the role has required her to be open-minded and “be able to adapt your ideas to changing circumstances”. Tamsen and Celine both believe that creativity is an asset. “This role is rewarding because, unlike in the other jobs and internships I’ve had, this role really gives you the freedom to do things you want. It’s so new yet so rewarding and I’ve become a lot more confident in myself as a result,” says Celine.
While an AVP position with the USC may appear daunting at first, Reagan assures that it is not as scary as it seems. “When I first applied to join the Comms team, I had this preconceived notion that I wasn’t going to be an asset to the team because I lacked Communications experience. However, once I started, I was immediately surrounded by a really supportive and uplifting group of people who are willing to teach you all you need to know to be successful. Where you lack concrete skills, you can make up for it with the right motivation and drive to make a positive difference on campus.”
Tamsen encourages students to “apply even if you don’t think you’re the most qualified candidate because this is all a great learning experience. Look at how you can apply the skills you have to the team.” And if you have questions: “You can reach out to someone in the USC and I can guarantee they’d be willing to speak to you and help you out with your application,” says Celine.
If you would like to speak with Celine, Tamsen, or Reagan about their positions, you can request a “coffee chat” with them here! Applications for Associate Vice Presidents and Coordinators close on Monday, March 27th at 11:59pm. Apply to become the next AVP Communications and Public Affairs!
