糖心Vlog

Starting her university experience at the Hamilton campus, Kate Burnham quickly found her place in a vibrant and supportive community.

Living in the halls in her first year, she built lasting friendships and immersed herself in a student experience she describes as full of energy, opportunity and connection.

Drawn to Waikato for its internationally recognised management school and public relations programme, Kate enrolled in a Bachelor of Communication, majoring in Public Relations and minoring in Marketing.

The public relations programme at Waikato was the first in Australia and New Zealand to be certified by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) 鈥� the gold standard for PR education.

While Kate wasn鈥檛 certain of her exact career path at the start, the degree鈥檚 flexibility allowed her to explore different areas and discover her strengths. 鈥淚 loved that communications gave me such a broad skillset,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t meant I wasn鈥檛 limited to just one pathway.鈥�

Beginning her studies at the Hamilton campus, Kate later chose to take some of her papers online and at the Tauranga campus, while travelling back for key tutorials and collaborative sessions.

鈥淭hat flexibility was a huge advantage,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 could stay connected to campus while also being based in Tauranga.鈥�

Kate particularly valued the hands-on nature of her studies, working on real-world case studies and solving current industry challenges. 鈥淲e were developing practical skills in realistic contexts, which made everything feel relevant and engaging,鈥� she says.

She also credits her lecturers for creating a supportive learning environment. 鈥淭hey were incredibly passionate and generous with their knowledge. It made you feel confident to ask questions and really push yourself.鈥�

Through the work-integrated learning (WIL) paper, Kate secured an internship with , where she gained experience in marketing, promotions and live broadcasting. From working on major campaigns like The Rock 2000 to hearing her voice on air, the experience helped bring her learning to life.

She was also a finalist in the PUBRL305 PR Campaigns Competition, working as part of a team on a real client brief. The experience strengthened her practical skills and helped her secure her first role.

Now employed as a PR Consultant at , Kate says: "I get to apply all my skills across strategic communications, campaign planning, and client advisory, turning ideas into impactful campaigns. It鈥檚 so rewarding to take an idea and see it come to life."

Her advice to future students: 鈥淧ut yourself out there, step outside your comfort zone, and enjoy the experience. That鈥檚 where the real growth happens.鈥�