A Letter from HSU Senior Staff Writers

Hello HSU friends and family,

If you are familiar with the news section of our university website, you may have run across the names Macee Hall and Felicity Neptune. Over the past two years, much of the online Hardin-Simmons University news content you see has been written by us. Now, as graduating seniors in the class of 2020, we want to share some of our experiences with the good old purple and gold.

HSU’s class of 2020 has seen many changes during our time on the Forty Acres. Throughout the ups and downs, however, we have made countless memories we will hold for years to come.

Although this past semester has not gone as planned, due mainly to the COVID-19 outbreak, the comradery and banding together we have witnessed within our class and around the world is inspiring to see as we walk into graduate programs and full-time careers.

As the final year of our undergraduate careers at HSU comes to a close, we would like to take a moment to look back at some of the memories, lessons, and experiences we have shared as both students and staff writers for the HSU Marketing Department.

Why we came to HSU

Macee Hall is a Staff Writer for University Marketing and a Senior with a major in Strategic Communication.

Macee: I’m from Colorado, but basically my whole family is from Texas, so I decided very early on in life that I was going to go to college in Texas. Back in the summer of 2015, I was touring colleges around the state and a friend who was attending HSU at the time invited me to tour the campus while she talked to the registrar. The moment I stepped out of the car, I knew that God had a plan for me at HSU.

Felicity: I’m actually from the Abilene area, Merkel to be specific. I heard about HSU from a few friends at church who were students and really loved it. I had also already met several professors through volunteering in the preschool ministry where their kids attended. I did look at another school out of town but the deciding factor was the Cowboy Band. Although it was never actually in God’s plan for me to join the band, I’m still grateful I came to tour the Cowboy Band Hall.

What we’ve learned working for Marketing

Macee: The biggest lesson I’ve learned while working for university marketing is how to delegate and work alongside my team. I am the type to take control of a situation and finish tasks myself. This job has allowed me to learn to ask for help, and to break up tasks so that my team grows together and pushes each other to improve.

Felicity: Working for University Marketing has taught me how to speak up for myself and ask questions. In other writing positions, I have not always been brave enough to ask why my writing was edited in a certain way. Since the very first day working for HSU though, I have been given the encouragement to ask questions and even explain why I am confused.

What writing means to us

Macee: As a Strategic Communication major, I have learned to connect with people and speak with passion and logic. Writing, however, allows me to use my love for communicating and telling stories to reach more people. Writing gives me the opportunity to help people feel seen and heard.

Felicity: Since I learned how to read and write, I have known I wanted to be a writer. Until high school, I always thought I would be an author and write novels. After competing in high school for the University Interscholastic League (UIL) events for journalism such as news, feature, headline, and editorial writing, I learned how much I enjoyed news writing. Writing is important to me because there are so many different kinds of writing to choose from and, in most cases, the writer is the rule maker. Varying from poetry, prose, short stories, journaling, and even stories for children, there is a place for everyone in the writing field!

How we came to work at Marketing

Macee: Even though she technically started working in Marketing after me, Felicity actually got me this job. I was in a workplace where I experienced a lull in my personal and professional growth. Felicity had received a job offer as a Staff Writer, but was unable to accept the position. She referred me, then, when we needed another writer, I helped bring her back on the team. It was kind of a funny cycle.

Felicity Neptune is a Staff Writer for University Marketing and a Senior with a major in Strategic Communication.

Felicity: This is my favorite story! I applied for a position as a writer in 2018 but was suddenly unable to accept the position. I had already interviewed, toured the office, and set everything up with payroll. I had actually already accepted the position. I met with Dr. Kristina Campos-Davis, previous Director of Communications & Content Strategy for HSU, explained my situation and recommended Macee for the position. Macee did get the job and roughly a year later, the marketing department was looking for another writer and she helped me join the team!

Lessons learned while attending HSU

Macee: The biggest lesson HSU has taught me is that my voice matters and I deserve to be heard. Especially through my bible and honors courses, I have been shown that people can have vastly differing ways of thinking and still both be worthy of respect. Coming from the cookie-cutter world of high-school, that was a huge lesson for me in 2016, and it still is the most important thing I have learned in my four years here.

Felicity: I think the most important lesson I’ve learned since my freshman year in 2016 is that professors genuinely care about your success professionally, academically, and even personally. Knowing this has really helped me be more involved in classes and reach out when I am confused about a project or if I feel like I’m struggling with something.

Significant Memories

Macee: One time I was able to pet Gilbert the goose. I have this insane fear of geese, so I decided to get over it and do something that terrified me. I have a video of it on my Instagram.

Felicity: Meeting Dr. Tim Chandler’s dog, Bucky, and Dr. Joseph Bailey’s dog, Gringo were very exciting times for me. I’m not sure if Bucky and I are friends just yet but Gringo and I are pretty tight, despite what Dr. Bailey says.

Grace Sosa worked with us in the Marketing Department for almost three years. Although she now works in children’s ministry, we asked her what she learned while working at HSU as well as what some of her favorite memories include.

“I learned so much being a writer for HSU’s Marketing Department. I improved my writing skills, attended university events, and had lots of fun,” said Sosa. “Some of my favorite memories are the Christmas parties where we did white elephant gift exchanges and shooting rubber chickens around the office. One time, we had a marshmallow shooter, and we took turns trying to catch marshmallows in our mouths. The Marketing Department is a rare place that balances hard work with lots of laughs and great memories. I’m so grateful for the experiences I had and the people I met that made it all possible.”

For more news stories, visit the news section on the HSU website.