issues - Seton Hall University

— those she had never even
considered. “I didn’t come
to teaching,” Rennie says.
“It came to me. In fact, it
was never even part of my
career plan.”
As Rennie drew closer to
graduating from the MACPC
program, she began taking on
freelance writing assignments.
Not knowing how to correctly
price her work, she asked a
professor in the program for
advice. During that conversation,
she learned about an
undergraduate teaching position.
“The professor suggested
I think about combining the
freelance work with teaching,”
Rennie says. “I loved what
I was doing, but I knew this
was a great opportunity that
would open many doors for
me professionally.”
A year after completing her
master’s degree, Rennie
returned to the University as a
professor. And, as she soon
found out, teaching others
about the subject she loves the
most helps her to love it even
more. “Talking to
friends about a
wonderful vacation
seems to enhance
the trip. Sharing a
career — challenges
and all — with students
enhances the
career,” Rennie
says. “It also, as
I have learned,
enhances the sharing,
which is how
I view teaching.”
Though her
teaching career
has progressed, her
public relations
consulting work has
increased as well. As a consultant,
Rennie writes and edits
annual reports, executive
speeches, newsletters, press
releases, pitch letters, video
scripts and brochures, and provides
media relations support
for a client list that includes
Wella, AT&T, Penn Federal
Savings Bank and Atlantic
Healthcare System. In addition
to her consulting work and
Delighted that her communication students will talk to her about anything, Kathleen
Donohue Rennie, M.A. ’93, takes to heart her advice to them: Never stop learning.
teaching, Rennie is committed
to learning.
“Furthering my education
will, and already has, added to
my knowledge base,” Rennie
says. She is pursuing a Ph.D.
in Higher Education Administration
at Seton Hall, a degree
that “can improve my understanding
of the University
system and help me to be the
best I can be,” she says. “I tell
my students never to stop
learning — even
after they graduate.
My message to them
is: ‘You don’t necessarily
have to go
back to school but
learn something —
do what you love.’ ”
A well-known
and popular professor
on campus, Rennie
was recognized
with the 2000 President’s
Award for
Student Service.
“My students know
they can talk to me
about anything,”
she says.
Rennie encour-
ages each of her
students to find his
or her own passion.
“Although some credit me for
their career choice and
successes, I’m not comfortable
at all with that,” Rennie continues.
“I may introduce students
to do something that
sparks their interest, but what
they do with that spark is all
theirs. I’m more proud about
where they take their lessons
than the lessons themselves.
Being talented, ethical communications
professionals who are
enthused about their work —
that speaks to their abilities.
“If I could write a sequel to
Do What You Love, The Money
Will Follow, it would be Share
What You Love, You’ll Get Back
Even More,” Rennie says.
“Playing a small part in helping
someone else find what they
love to do is amazing. So many
people never find their right
livelihood — work that
expresses and fulfills their
needs and talents. If I can
introduce students to a subject
or career they love or remind
them to continue their search
for that subject — that’s what
it’s all about. Sharing what I
love to do also takes the doing
to a new level.”
WINTER 2001 15