Pushed to Excel

Jenna Louden, a 2024 graduate who majored in public relations with a minor in business marketing, found college life to be more than she expected. Like many other students, she chose Franklin College for its small class sizes and sense of community because she wanted to develop real connections with her peers and professors. 

“Our professors are awesome. You can just go up to them and ask: ‘what do you think?’ There is immediate feedback when you go up to them. They immediately have something to say back to you, which is really helpful in all areas … All my classes and my teachers are that way,” she said. 

At first Louden planned to get a marketing degree. However, she quickly fell in love with public relations when she took a class freshman year because this field fosters creativity.  

Among the many business classes she has taken to fulfill her curriculum, her contemporary marketing class stands out.  

“I liked Jeremy VanAndel’s marketing class,” Louden said. “I really liked that because he pushed us, and we had to dig into companies and explain why they had a good campaign.” 

Louden said she cherishes her connections with professors and the academic challenges they provided, but she has found that her social and personal development is truly the highlight of her college career.  

“I have loved every part of my experience at Franklin College, and I have made so many friends that I know I will have the rest of my life. I’ve just grown up a lot and been able to figure out who I am as a person, and I think that is a really big deal, especially going into the ‘real world’. I am proud of who I have become and of learning stuff that I wouldn’t have if I didn’t come to Franklin College.” — Jenna Louden ’24