Organizational communications major
Hometown: East Earl, Pa.  

Elizabeth Scarff, an organizational communications major from East Earl, Pa., will graduate with a bachelor of arts degree and a résumé chock full of personal and professional experiences.  

Though she originally came to Findlay for its top-notch English equestrian program, Scarff decided early on in her college career that she didn’t want to make her passion her profession. However, she did continue to compete as a three-year member of the English equestrian varsity team – of which she was vice president during the 2009-10 season – and enjoys riding when she visits home.  

Elizabeth guides a horse over a jump at the English equestrian farm.

Scarff remembered a class she took her freshman year with Cheri Hampton-Farmer, Ph.D., assistant professor of communication, and reconnected with Hampton-Farmer when she started researching an alternative field of study. Scarff credits Hampton-Farmer with fostering her development in the field of communication.  

“She introduced me to the entire communication department and showed me what they had to offer,” she said. “It seemed like a great fit for me … I not only get the communication skills, but also the business background, which I love. The business aspect has been one of my favorite parts of my education. It just makes sense to me.”  

Since then, Scarff’s opportunities for both personal and professional development have included conferences, networking events and internships.  

In fall of 2010, she attended the Public Relations Student Society of America’s national conference in Washington, D.C., where she met people from across the country, including an agricultural PR professional. “It would be my ultimate goal to work in the agricultural communications field, and she offered a tremendous amount of advice,” Scarff said. She served as secretary of the campus PRSSA chapter during the fall 2010 semester.  

During the spring of 2011, Scarff was invited by Shiv Gupta, D.B.A., professor of marketing and economics, to work on a business economics presentation with a team of graduate students. The group traveled to Chicago and presented their project at the Midwest Business Association Administration International Conference.  

Elizabeth poses for a photo with Board of Trustees member A.R. Charnes following the spring 2011 Board of Trustees meeting where she spoke about her experience in a business research class.

She also was one of several students invited to speak at the spring 2011 Board of Trustees meeting at the University. Dan Yates, Ph.D., assistant professor of business, asked Scarff to talk about her experience in a business research class, which uses a hands-on approach to learning about small business. Scarff was placed in Yates’ class as a substitute for a required course that was unavailable. “I was at a disadvantage, and Dr. Yates took extra time to foster my growth and development,” she said.  

Scarff has taken advantage of internship opportunities, as well, including a position with the communication department of the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, the public affairs arm of Pennsylvania’s Catholic bishops and the 10 Catholic dioceses, which includes 3.2 million Catholic Church members. She assisted the director with daily operations and communications and the director of elementary and secondary education with promotional efforts surrounding the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Advocate for Catholic Education in Pennsylvania.  

The highlight of her involvement with the conference was “when the state budget was approved and our efforts proved to be highly successful. EITC anticipated a cut of $25 million over two years; instead, it remained level-funded at $60 million … It was a phenomenal experience for me because I was able to put my education in communications to practice in an unfamiliar field. It was neat to see how the principles of my education and practice in communication remained the same even though the context and content changed.”  

As she completes her final semester at Findlay, Scarff is an intern in UF’s Office of Public Information, where she assists with both internal and external University communications.  

Though Scarff has spent a lot of time building her professional portfolio, she also has made time to enjoy being a student. One of her best memories of being a student at Findlay is experiencing the Findlay Oilers men’s basketball team win the NCAA Division II national championship in March 2009.

“The suspense and anticipation that went into that season, and ultimately the big win, was unreal — an unforgettable experience,” said Scarff.   Looking back, Scarff recognizes that she “was blessed with many great experiences, people and opportunities.” She wishes the same collegiate experiences for new students.