Why Join?

Written by Austin Berry, President

The unique journey that Happy Valley Comm provides to each and every student that joins is core to the organization. HVC is where unsure and overwhelmed students can learn about their industry and better prepare themselves for a successful career post-graduation. Asking the question “Why Join?” to all our members will result in just as many answers, instead consider asking yourself the following.

• Are you interested in meeting like-minded peers?
• Are you a hands-on individual who learns by doing?
• Are you excited by the idea of getting your work out into the real world?
• Are you switching majors and joining the Bellisario College of Communications?
• Are you lost about what it means to work in advertising, public relations, & marketing?

HVC is an organization where Penn State students can grow in their academic journey and advance their communications and marketing knowledge. The real world experiences provided by this organization are its greatest asset; collaborating with peers, developing campaigns that are actually used, and managing client relationships. 

Joining HVC has been the best decision I made during my time at Penn State. It’s provided me with countless opportunities to get thrown into the deep end of a project and figure it out along the way. Something that nearly all young professionals will experience when they enter the workforce, HVC provides students an opportunity to learn this reality by working with our local community. Giving our members an advantage over their peers, and our clients an advantage over their competition through the perspective of young consumers.

Our tagline truly says it all, “Student Run. Community Focused.”, without the thoughtful, creative, and collaborative work of our students, HVC would not have stuck around since 2009. And, of course there is no work to be completed without local businesses believing that these students can and will assist them in achieving their communication goals. There is no Happy Valley without these students and the community of Penn State and State College, their successful collaboration is essential.

Currently, our members study in five different Penn State colleges, with each member bringing a unique lived experience to our organization. We are actively and passionately looking to expand our reach within Penn State as HVC offers students countless opportunities to grow. If you are at all passionate about people, writing, strategy, design, and collaboration, then you should highly consider joining. HVC will forever be my favorite and most formative part of my Penn State journey. Could the same be true for you?