Alumni Spotlight: Diana La Torre

Name: Diana La Torre

Title and company: Public Relations and Marketing Intern, Kreps PR & Marketing

Degrees earned while at Seminole State: Associate in Arts and Social Media Development Certificate (2022)

 What factors played into you deciding to attend Seminole State College? 

Seminole State College was the right choice for me during the pandemic. I graduated from Oviedo High School in 2020 and decided to start my college education at Seminole State. All of my classes were fully online and very affordable. It was great to be able to attend a college that offered a lot of flexible class times, affordable prices and great extracurricular opportunities.

What were your steps after Seminole State? 

After Seminole State, I was accepted into three universities; University of Florida, University of Central Florida and University of Miami (UM). I decided to go to UM for the opportunity to live in a fast-paced environment that offered a large market for public relations jobs. I went to UM for the 2022-23 academic year and then decided to go after an internship with the Walt Disney World Public Relations Team in Orlando. I took a year off of school to pursue this internship and learned more than I could have imagined. It was a great experience.

How did your education at Seminole State help prepare you for where you are now?

Seminole State prepared me for the “real world” by offering extracurricular activities that allowed me to lead teams of people. I was president of the Student Government Association (SGA) in my second year at Seminole State, participated in Seminole State Volunteers as an executive board member, and even met other students of color in H.O.P.E Scholars. I learned what it was like to delegate tasks and collaborate with different personalities. These roles even led to a work study position with the Seminole State Marketing Department that opened up more doors for me in my professional career.

Who or what class was your greatest influence at Seminole State College?

My greatest influence at Seminole State was definitely my SGA team of 2022. I worked with very passionate and hardworking individuals who trusted me to lead us into a great academic year. I would recommend SGA to anyone looking for not only a great space to meet some of your closest friends but also a place that will teach you to become a more proactive individual. It prepared me for the later roles I was involved in professionally.

Professionally or academically, of what are you most proud?

I am most proud of how far I have come professionally. I really worked hard to get the internships I worked in and got a lot of amazing learning experiences in return. I will always be proud of how much I have grown and am excited to see what the future has in store for me.

What advice do you have for current or prospective Seminole State students?

My biggest piece of advice I can think of for prospective Seminole State students is to not take these extracurricular opportunities for granted. Really go out of your way to find clubs and organizations that you can be part of that are not only fun but incredibly helpful to your own growth. Whether that be professional, academic or personal growth. Having leadership positions helps you look great in your resume (when applying to schools or even jobs) and even teaches you a lot of lessons you will be able to apply later in life.

What do you like to do for fun?

I love a good karaoke night! My friends always get together to do different themed karaoke nights. It’s a ton of fun!