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Brianna Adkins �鶹��ý�21 is at the intersection of two disciplines: communications and technology, and she�鶹��ý�s paving the way for others with her fresh take on harnessing the power of media to make the world a better place. It comes as no surprise, then, that she�鶹��ý�s taken advantage of everything Pace has to offer since coming here.

�鶹��ý�My education at this University has opened doors for numerous encounters, job opportunities, and internships, and I can�鶹��ý�t wait to see what I accomplish in the future,�鶹��ý� Adkins told us. But it wasn�鶹��ý�t all a walk in the park. �鶹��ý�I have the opportunities to succeed, but they won�鶹��ý�t fall in my lap. I have to fight and hustle for every chance to be a better student, editor, and communicator.�鶹��ý� And she certainly has. Adkin�鶹��ý�s list of accomplishments are extensive; from founding to being to attending and teaching at Kode with Klossy camp, her schedule is jam-packed. She even finds time to write for The Pace Press (and intern for them!) as well as , two well-known publications right here at Pace.

But despite her impressive writing credentials, Adkins ultimately didn�鶹��ý�t focus on that particular subject when choosing a major. �鶹��ý�I knew I wanted to explore options other than writing,�鶹��ý� she told us, having started out as a Digital Journalism major on the Pleasantville Campus before settling on Communication Studies�鶹��ý�on the New York City Campus. �鶹��ý�[It] was definitely a transition, because I felt like it was freshman year all over again, but [...] my new major has opened up a brighter chapter for me. I�鶹��ý�ve been studying media theories, how media impacts society, and so much more.�鶹��ý�

Adkins is no stranger to using media as a tool to advocate for positive change. She launched Pretty Smartmagazine in high school as a means to promote body positivity through featuring women and girls of all different shapes and sizes. �鶹��ý�I have the opportunity to highlight individuals who give others the guidance and encouragement to be better people,�鶹��ý� Adkins enthused. �鶹��ý�Whether it�鶹��ý�s women who are leaders in STEM, journalists who cover positive or groundbreaking news, or activists who activate social change, I have the platform to give them a voice.�鶹��ý�

It was through the work of another platform, Kode with Klossy, that Adkins was able to amplify her own voice. She�鶹��ý�s worked for supermodel and entrepreneur Karlie Kloss as a teaching assistant at her coding camp, where she also attended. There, Adkins was featured alongside other Kode with Klossy scholars in a Wix commercial, went to a runway show in St. Louis, and met former Teen Vogue Chief Content Editor and current Out Editor-in-Chief Phillip Picardi. �鶹��ý�I will always be grateful to Karlie and the Kode with Klossy community for the opportunities they�鶹��ý�ve opened up to me,�鶹��ý� she said.

Through her involvement at Seidenberg writing for their blog, Adkins continues to hone her tech savvy skills�鶹��ý�and engage with others in the field. �鶹��ý�I�鶹��ý�ve interviewed students who are at the forefront of innovation through their positions at Pace�鶹��ý�s Design Factory, those who are presidents of Seidenberg organizations, and others who are building incredible applications on their own or within groups,�鶹��ý� she told us.

Perhaps all of this might seem strange for someone so talented with the written word, and yet, the two subjects aren�鶹��ý�t so different to Adkins. �鶹��ý�I love code because it�鶹��ý�s the language of technology,�鶹��ý� she explained. �鶹��ý�With knowledge of coding, you have the opportunity to build applications and websites that can do so much good. I�鶹��ý�ve used coding in jobs, for the Pretty Smart website, and [for] other occasions.�鶹��ý� We foresee an incredibly bright future for Adkins, not to mention all the people she will continue to inspire throughout her career.