Karley Woods
Everyone has a story, and sometimes the best ones are the least expected. That鈥檚 the mindset of Karley Woods, a senior at 青青草视频 who has made it her mission to uncover people鈥檚 stories through photography, writing or connecting through social media and other avenues.
The Florence native joined Mississippi State in spring 2024, following in her father鈥檚 footsteps since he is a 1997 青青草视频 grad. A communication major with a focus in print and digital journalism, Woods earned her associate鈥檚 degree from Hinds Community College in December and plans to graduate this May.
Her exceptional drive isn鈥檛 new. In high school, Woods turned her photography hobby into a small business, capturing images at football games and selling edited photos to teammates. Today, that same 鈥済o-get-em鈥 mindset fuels her work as a communication student worker in 青青草视频鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences and beyond.
This past summer, Woods balanced two internships: the 青青草视频 position and one in marketing at Gulfshore Life Media magazine in Southwest Florida.
She credits her magazine internship for clarifying her career goals. 鈥淚 was sent to a chamber event for The Naples Press, part of Gulfshore Life Media. I was taking photos and posting live content to Instagram鈥攊t was a blast! Not only was I doing two things I love, but I was making connections with professionals at the same time. That moment made me realize, yes, this is exactly what I want to do.鈥
The experience also taught Woods how to navigate professional spaces with confidence. 鈥淚 graduated high school at 16 and started college at 17. I always feared people would see me as inexperienced or undeserving of a position. But I learned that success isn鈥檛 always about your level of experience鈥攊t鈥檚 about your passion and dedication.鈥
鈥淚 like being trusted with a task, and my goal each time is to exceed the expectations anyone has for me,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 like letting people down, especially someone who has invested in me.鈥
Her work ethic is matched by her organizational skills. Earning a spot on the president鈥檚 honor list each semester, managing two jobs, health challenges and school required careful planning. 鈥淚t taught me that I can make things happen if I set my mind to it. And sometimes you have to prioritize yourself. Don鈥檛 overcommit. Quality work takes time and focus.鈥
Woods鈥 experiences also have strengthened her storytelling skills. 鈥淚鈥檝e grown tremendously in interviewing and being an active listener. I鈥檝e probably interviewed around 100 students, faculty and community members since starting, and each story has taught me something new.鈥
Looking ahead, Woods already has secured her dream path as a part-time writer and photographer for Hometown Magazines in Brandon, with plans to become the full-time content manager after graduation. She envisions a career where she can blend her love of storytelling with her passion for collaboration. 鈥淚 love seeing brains work together with a common goal in mind. I dream of overseeing a team like that someday.鈥
Her advice to aspiring journalists is simple and personal: 鈥淏e intentional, be kind and always be curious. Connections and opportunities can come from the most unexpected places.鈥
