Michelle Koo

2021 Graduate

Major: Corporate Communication
Minor: Management

Hello! My name is Michelle Koo and I studied Corporate Communication with a minor in Management. I pursued the Degree in 3, which means I received my B.A. in three years and graduated a year early! I’m from Saratoga, California, which is in the Bay Area, about an hour south of San Francisco.

I decided to pursue my major in Corporate Communication because of its balance between business and communications. Both of my parents are real estate agents, so business and communications were very heavily intertwined and influenced my career path from a very young age. I knew I was always comfortable talking to people and considered myself a people person, so I thought getting a degree in Communication would be a great fit for me. Communication is also very versatile and allows me to explore various career fields that I am passionate about.

Purdue has given me the sense of belonging from the beginning, as my advisors and the resources on campus made themselves known and very accessible when I was still exploring what college to attend. It became very clear that the Boilermaker spirit was something I wanted to be a part of.

I loved being a liberal arts student at Purdue because I was able to form such great relationships with my professors. Beyond being an Ambassador for the College of Liberal Arts, I was a research assistant for the Department of Anthropology and I was able to get this opportunity just by reaching out to a professor I loved having in one of my classes from freshman year. The faculty in CLA were all so approachable and support you in all your pursuits at Purdue, which made it really easy to get involved in various ways.

I did not decide to pursue my Degree in 3 plan until the beginning of my sophomore year. I was stressed that I came into the decision too late, but my advisors made it so easy to adjust my plan of study and stay on track for the accelerated program!

My biggest advice to future Boilermakers is to never limit yourself in what you’re doing in college. I never thought I would be conducting research as a liberal arts student, and I did not think I was capable of completing my degree in three years (both while getting scholarships for it!).

If there is anything that catches your attention in college, or something that even makes you slightly nervous, take advantage of those interests! I’ve always found that looking back at all the times I was unsure or nervous about something, it always ended up being a great opportunity and I was proud of myself for pursuing it. There are tons of ways you can get involved at Purdue. Never hesitate to reach out to your professors or peers because, in the end, we’re all here to Boiler Up together!