Bogdana Butnar
Bogdana Butnar, Romania
MA Mass Communications
"I was born in a small city in western Romania. My parents are both teachers and I was raised in a very humanities-oriented environment, with my mom "feeding" me every possible Romanian classic by the age of 10 and my dad inspiring me with his poetry writing.
I have spent a significant part of my life reading books and
literature has been an integral part of who I became over the years. I
grew up with a reading crazy family and a huge supply of books in the
house so naturally my first choice for a university was the Languages
and Literatures department of the University of Bucharest. I attended
the courses of the English department and spent my junior year in the
United States on an exchange course with Randolph Macon College in
Lynchburg, VA. The best experience about the United States was working
in the Romanian Embassy in Washington DC as an intern.
While at university in Romania, I worked for some time in the English
department of Radio Romania International helping with editing work,
interviews and translations of incoming materials. Working in radio
first opened my eyes to the world of communication and media, and I
realised soon enough that while my love for literature had remained the
same I no longer wanted to pursue a career in teaching. Therefore,
after graduating I applied for a job in the creative and communication
industries and was offered a job in the Communications department of a
major Romanian company and then was promoted to Brand Manager after
couple of years.
I was pleased to find the combination of subjects I wanted to do in the
MA Mass Communications course at London Met and decided to apply to
study here immediately. I applied for and was offered a place on the
course and then I applied for a scholarship and I was delighted to be
awarded one.
I found London Met an exciting place to be and was impressed by the University's efforts to become a significant "destination" for international and home students alike. My teachers and colleagues made the London experience more fulfilling and living in a university dorm taught me more about making friends and empathising with people than my four years working in communication. Living in London has definitely inspired me to become a more open and adventurous person.
The MA in Mass Communications I was awarded a scholarship to study at London Met proved to be a very flexible and stimulating course. I was able to attend courses that were both interesting and useful for my home career. The teachers and staff were always open to suggestions and involvement from the students. As student representative I voiced my colleagues concerns and found that our suggestions were always duly noted and appreciated. Student life in London Met is flamboyant and busy and I never experienced a dull moment.
I worked in internships in the City of London while doing my course which allowed me to get a glimpse of the famous London communication industry. I also worked for a while in a branding company on a consulting project and then was involved in a project for Romania with a major advertising agency. There are many employment opportunities in London.
Having returned to Romania I am sure that both my academic training and the life experience I acquired at London Met and in London will benefit me in my future endeavours. I have currently resumed my position as Strategic Planner in an independent Bucharest based advertising agency."
