Alumni Spotlights
Katherine Vasile 2021
Employer
First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn/ Communications
Director
LinkedIn Profile
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-vasile-a52862132/
1. Tell us about your journey since graduation.
After graduation, I moved back to my hometown of Downers
Grove, IL, and became the communications director for First
Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn. During my time at the church, I've
collaborated on the development of comprehensive communication
strategies for a $6.3 million capital campaign, created branding and
style guidelines for social media and video, and oversaw a team of
volunteers. In my time at First Pres, I received a certificate in
Digital Marketing from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign,
to further my education. I've found community with old high school
friends and new people from church. Exploring new places is a yearly
goal of mine. Since graduation, I've been to Massachusetts, New York,
Maine, Florida, Texas, England, and Scotland. I still make pit stops
to Michigan and have enjoyed traversing through more of the state.
It's always fun to catch up with friends from GVSU whenever I can.
I'll be attending the University of Leeds this fall to complete my
master's degree in marketing and advertising. I'm excited to be
studying abroad and making new experiences as I get my degree.
2. Share a favorite Grand Valley memory.
During the four years at GVSU I created many wonderful
memories. I'm an avid scrapbooker and love seeing my memories play out
well, flipping the pages. There are a few moments that stick out to
me. Participating in three mission trips to Texas, Mississippi, and
Colorado. Taking pictures with an accordion camera and spending long
hours in the darkroom. Quiet and loud moments in the Mary Idema Pew
Library, studying with friends. Enjoying the time when the leaves
change from bright green to vibrant orange. Photographing sporting
events on the sidelines for the Lanthorn. Hunkering down with friends
during the polar vortex - with movies and popcorn. Even forgetting to
take a selfie when I ran into T-Haas, the (former) president of GVSU,
in the elevator. It's hard to pick one memory when all of these little
moments encapsulate my time at GVSU.
3. What's the best piece of advice you've ever
received?
The best piece of advice I've ever received is to exude
confidence even if you don’t feel it. I'm shy and don't always
showcase confidence externally. When starting at my job, my boss
noticed that I was self-assured in the work I produced, but that
didn't come across to others. He instilled in me that I needed to
radiate confidence.
4. List three words you would use to describe your
Grand Valley experience.
Wisdom Discovery Fun
5. What difference would you like to make in the
world?
I want to help people tell stories. Storytelling, in my
opinion, is a powerful tool for educating people about both themselves
and other people. Empathy is critical to creating a better world, and
I enjoy finding unique and creative ways to tell stories. Whether that
be through writing, photography, graphic design, or video, everyone
has a story to tell, and every story can make a difference in
someone's life.
July 2025
Interest Area(s)
Communications, Photography
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