Member Monday Recap: Johanna Stubenhofer

Johanna Stubenhofer is one of our recent featured members for our Member Mondays. Here is our Q&A with her!

Where are you from?

JS: The East Stroudsburg area of Pennsylvania.

What year are you?

JS: I am a second semester transferred junior at Temple, transferring from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. 

What is your major and minor if you have one?

JS: Public Relations! Although I had a minor in Psychology at ESU, I decided to drop it after transferring to Temple because I feel that I have more than enough opportunities to benefit from the programs provided for PR students at Temple, that I am no longer in need of that minor to excel.

How long have you been a member of PRSSA?

JS: I have been a member of PRSSA since Fall 2018, starting at ESU, and I am continuing to learn and participate in the Temple PRSSA chapter.

During Fall 2019 at ESU, I was privileged to run for the executive board position of PRSSA Historian and have prepared news releases on the speakers that have attended our meetings throughout the semester. 

What do you love about PRSSA?

JS: I love that PRSSA, particularly at Temple, is an organization for students of all majors to learn how to network and hone their skills in writing to prepare themselves to display themselves in a professional way to potential future employers.  I feel that the workshops provided by Temple PRSSA allow students that perhaps aren't studying communications to learn to present themselves in a way that helps them stand out by highlighting their strengths and experiences for whatever they are majoring in.  I believe that to be more impactful since Temple PRSSA has the reputation of welcoming students of all majors, even those outside of communications.

PRSSA has made a strong effort to let other students know that they want them to feel included and to feel comfortable asking for help when they have questions regarding professional development. Obviously, without being given the proper direction on how to create a resume or cover letter, it is highly unlikely for future employers to be able to distinctly differentiate the difference between you and another student applying for the same internship, which is why I think it is so helpful that PRSSA provides such workshops.

What are some of your interests/hobbies?

JS: Learning about cultures aside from the one I live in.  I feel that it is important to be open minded and educate myself on cultures that don't exactly align with the one I am accustomed to or are the polar opposite of mine!  I enjoy studying Asian culture, and because I am so inspired and fascinated by the ways in which their society encourages putting others before themselves, I have even applied some of those practices in my own life to 1) empathize with them a little better and 2) better humble myself as a person.  In my free time, I even enjoy teaching myself traditional and simplified Mandarin Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.

I have been learning how to speak these languages in a formal learning environment as well as on my own in self-study.  I have been learning these languages since 2014, and am happy to announce that I look forward to continuing to immerse myself in Eastern Asian culture as well as their various, fascinating languages!