Ava Rutherford
Ava Rutherford
B.A. Communication, Public Relations, 2021
M.A. Communication, 2023
“Maroon and white runs in my blood. My father attended Mississippi State University in the 90’s. I grew up attending football and basketball games on campus. There was never another thought in my mind of another school that I would attend,” said Ava Rutherford, a 2021 Mississippi State graduate.
“The College of Arts and Sciences will always have a special place in my heart. I realized at a young age that I had a passion for writing, and as I got older, I sought to find ways to see what major would align with this passion. The College of Arts and Sciences fit my every need and desire that I was seeking as a college student.”
“I will always appreciate being a student worker within the College of Arts and Sciences. I had the opportunity to work alongside Director of Communication Karyn Brown, who today is the assistant dean for communication and media. Through this position, I was able to sharpen my communication skills outside of what I learned in the classroom. There are many tasks that I completed as a student worker that mirror the tasks I do in my current field today such as drafting newsletters and writing feature stories,” said Rutherford.
Another favorite memory for Rutherford was her time as a tutor for MSU’s Writing Center. “I truly enjoyed being able to assist my peers in developing their writing and critical thinking. I was very appreciative of that particular opportunity as it aided in my development as a leader and a mentor,” she said.
Rutherford’s dedication to her course work during her time at MSU proved to be beneficial in a unique way after college. “My career journey is a wonderful representation of how making the most of your time at MSU can have a lasting impact. During my first semester of senior year, our capstone class for public relations required us to create a strategic public relations plan for the MSU Alumni Association. At that time, the association was seeking assistance in increasing the participation of younger alumni. My team actually won and our strategic plan was selected,” said Rutherford.
“That next semester, I was completing an internship under the director of marketing and public relations at Starkville Academy. As this was my last semester, I was searching for a full-time role. My director shared a job opportunity that she’d become aware of through a mutual connection––the MSU Alumni Association was seeking a coordinator of young alumni programs and alumni outreach. This new position essentially would be a full-time role to fulfill the strategic PR plan that my team had completed the semester before. I was ecstatic about this opportunity. Not only did I have directly related experience, but I also had a professional connection. This was all due to making the most of my time at MSU. I worked in that role for two and a half years. It was incredibly rewarding and gave me all the necessary skills I needed to pursue the role I am currently in.”
Rutherford recently married Joseph Rutherford, whom she met at MSU. They live in Gluckstadt, Miss., where she currently works as a program specialist at Strayer University. She remains connected to MSU by mentoring through the Bulldog Mentor Program.
“My advice to today’s MSU students is to make the most of your college experience. You’re at school to get an education first, but you will make life-long memories and career-changing experiences through the connections you make. Involvement is so important! I can’t say it enough.”