Big Plans

A promising career in public relations and event planning, thanks to scholarships

6/9/2021

First generation college student Makayla Agnew paints a crystal clear picture of life after commencement.

“If I could have everything work out perfectly, I would be an event planner. I love putting together events, from beginning to end—the early planning, decorations, programs, contacting vendors, then being at the event itself and seeing those happy faces. That’s my realm.”

Agnew graduates in June with a degree in public relations and journalism, and a minor in entrepreneurship.

“It feels good,” she says. “Of course it’s rewarding. And I hope to create a positive image for my younger cousins and nieces. If you don’t have representation around you, that can make you reluctant to try new things. So hopefully, when they see me walk across that stage (virtually), it will inspire them to pursue college and get a degree.”

Agnew received Diversity Excellence, PathwayOregon, and Harrington Family Foundation scholarships. She was also a Dell Scholar. Without the financial support, she says, she would not have been able to attend the UO.

“The people who chose me as a recipient for these scholarships—I can’t thank them enough for seeing something in me,” Agnew says. “I’m thankful I got this opportunity.”

Agnew is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the first Black sorority in the US. She’s also a communications codirector for Black Women of Achievement (BWA), a university and community organization that works to advance the cultural, educational, and physical development of women of color—specifically, but not limited to, African American women.

This May, BWA was able to safely host their first in-person event since COVID-19 started limiting campus activities. For 2021, Ethnic Hair Care Day happened outside at the EMU Amphitheater.

“Working with BWA taught me the value of the Black community at the University of Oregon,” Agnew says. “It’s been a struggle this year to do so much online, but we’ve been able to organize activities and really connect.”

That work involved managing budgets, planning events, and creating content. Agnew also worked at the UO’s Center for Multicultural and Academic Excellence and was a social media manager for Flux magazine, a student-run publication in the UO’s School of Journalism and Communication.

“It’s been a long four years,” Agnew says. “It is, of course, a little bittersweet. We didn’t get the full in-person experience that most seniors get. To be finished with this milestone is very rewarding. I’m excited. I’m ready to start my future and move past this point in my life.”

She isn’t wasting any time starting the next chapter. During her last week of classes, Agnew started an internship with Mitchell Communications Group, a strategic communications firm that’s part of Dentsu, an international public relations and advertising company with offices in more than 100 countries.

The remote internship is part of the Multicultural Advertising Intern Program (MAIP). Funded by the 4A’s Foundation, MAIP connects diverse entry-level advertising professionals with agencies across the US. During these paid, full-time summer internships, participants gain work experience, network with industry professionals, and participate in training programs.

For donors who support scholarships, Agnew has a message that’s rooted in her past—but very much future-focused.

“Thank you. Because of them, I’m able to learn, grow, and do what I want to do. I think about where I came from. Not a lot of people in my position get an opportunity to go to school and actually finish. I want them to know they’re making a difference in my life. I’m set up for success.”