About Nicole
“Welcome to Tech Tonight. I’m Nicole Bowman.”
My college career began behind a news desk. I entered my freshman year and confidently declared my major as communication, with a not-so-confident focus in multimedia journalism. I quickly became involved in the news department of Virginia Tech Television as a national and then lead anchor, ultimately becoming the news director two years later. However, after my freshman year, I realized that journalism was not my passion. I quickly changed my communication focus to public relations and added a second degree in professional writing.
Despite this change of paths, I will always regard my journalism experience as immensely helpful. Studying PR wouldn’t be the same without my insider perspective of journalism, since the two are often intertwined. But it was my English classes that really complimented my public relations degree by introducing diverse courses and projects that I continue to learn from today. My experience with the English department allowed me to narrow my focus of interest to technology, leading me to the field of digital public relations.
At first glance, the connection between digital PR and an English degree may seem a tad vague. However, several professional writing courses made that connection blatantly clear. In both Designing Documents for Print and Creating User Documentation, I learned how to design and produce content for specific audiences and digital platforms. The course that truly piqued my interest in technology was Developing Online Content, where I learned about the crazy world of coding. During this course, I created a website for a client at Virginia Tech, redesigned an existing website for a local business and developed a personal portfolio. My view of the online world was changed irreversibly, and I knew that I wanted to combine my new interest with public relations.
My most recent job was as a digital content developer at Modea in Blacksburg. Working for successful telecom clients such as Verizon, I used XML and Photoshop to create interactive support products. I gained valuable experience working in a team-based environment every day, and I loved the excitment of producing digital products from start to finish.
Today, I'm on the hunt for a job that combines my love of technology, writing, and digital media. I'm eager to put my skills to work for a company that values the digital landscape and the constantly evolving needs that go hand-in-hand with the online world.
