Hi, I’m Anne Shipman Claussen.  I graduated from Bradley with a BA in Speech Communication in 1999 and earned an MA in Organizational Communication from Purdue University in 2001.  

I knew that I was interested in a career in the private sector and was fascinated by the field of Organizational Communication and the type of work I could do with an advanced degree in that field.  At Purdue, I focused my graduate studies on corporate discourse, critical and feminist theory, and gendered workplace identities.  I also conducted research through a joint Department of Aviation / Communication program, specifically focusing on safety communication improvements for United Airlines and FedEx.  

After receiving my degree, I accepted a position in consulting with Accenture and initially thought I'd work in the Aviation or Travel and Tourism industry, but I wound up working in Healthcare.  I worked for Accenture for three years before accepting a position with Deloitte Consulting, where I am currently part of Deloitte's Strategy & Operations group.  

At Deloitte, I have had the opportunity to work with world-class healthcare clients primarily in large health plans.  I find that consulting is exciting, interesting, and challenging work, and my career affords me the opportunity to work with top-tier people in a very diverse environment.  While there can be long hours and frequent travel required by my job, there are flexible options that help consultants balance work and life.  I personally can't imagine choosing another career path. 

 For students pursuing a degree in Organizational Communication, whether you are interested in going into consulting or not, I would strongly encourage you to seek experience in an industry setting through research or internship opportunities.  Whether you choose to continue your career in academia or pursue work in the private sector, pragmatic application of organizational communication concepts can only enhance your learning and understanding of the field.