Amanda Limoges Loughran '15 credits her time at Elon, specifically at Live Oak Communications, for her success in the COVID-19 communications industry.
For many individuals across the country, the global COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a decline of opportunities in the workplace. For Elon alumna Amanda Limoges Loughran ‘15, it gave her one of the biggest roles in her career.
A graduate of Elon’s School of Communications, Loughran took her skill set into the industry post-graduation working for APCO Worldwide. After several years of success topped by reaching the position of associate director of campaigns and advocacy for the firm’s health care division, she moved to GCI Health in the role of vice president for public affairs during the pandemic.
She spends much of her time in this position helping prepare and counsel clients while leading a team that regularly joins meetings with the FDA and CDC related to COVID-19 vaccination. She is often working on multiple projects at once, a characteristic of the job that reminds her of her time at Elon.
“I learned how to juggle many priorities while I was at Elon which has helped me navigate post-graduation life, including working in a pandemic,” Loughran said.
During her time at Elon, Loughran was heavily involved with Live Oak Communications. This student-run agency gives Elon students the opportunity to work with real-life clients on communications campaigns that include strategy, message development, content creation, website design, media relations, video production and much more. Loughran was fortunate to work on campaigns for companies such as Four Seasons and Verizon through a partnership Live Oak had with PACE Communications. These experiences, as well as guidance from Live Oak faculty, like Senior Lecturer Hal Vincent, played a huge role in her life after graduation.
“Live Oak prepared me immensely for my career, I started my first job with experience working directly with clients which was invaluable,” Loughran said. “Hal Vincent provided us the opportunity to work independently but was also great at bringing his career experience to the table. Real-life programs like Live Oak are critical to student success after graduation.”
While Loughran learned a lot through her time at Live Oak Communications, she feels that Elon as a whole had a hand in shaping her successes in the real world. Loughran noted that the way Elon prepares its students for interviews is a level above other institutions.
“I came with a portfolio, copies of my resume and sent thank you notes after my first interview,” she said. “People were impressed — that is not something other colleges instill in their students like Elon does and trust me, it matters.”
Loughran encourages current Elon students to try as many student organizations, whether that be Live Oak Communications, Greek life, sports or studying abroad, to find something they are passionate about. Through these organizations and the connections made at Elon, she has found friends for life, including her husband. She acknowledges the hard work required to attend Elon but insists that time flies and reminds students to enjoy as much of it as possible.
As we continue living with COVID-19 and information around the vaccine becomes more readily available, Loughran’s job is not over yet. Moving forward she will work alongside her clients to evaluate and accurately communicate new COVID-19 news, like vaccine efficacy against the emerging Omicron variant, and work on campaigns to address vaccine hesitancy. Elon is proud to have an alumna so involved on the frontline and fighting to make the country a healthier place.