Student Spotlight: JoBeth Hanak

Written by Hanna De Hoyos.

JoBeth Hanak
University of Texas at Austin, Class of 2017
Corporate Communications with a Business Foundations certificate

JoBeth Hanak is a junior at the University of Texas at Austin (UT) from Houston, Texas. Before moving to Austin, JoBeth was a student at Lone Star Community College, but her story is not a typical one. After high school, JoBeth had no interest in attending college and juggled many life decisions.

In high school, JoBeth had little interest in pursing a degree. Her interests were art and music and she had ambitions to be in a music band. However, a couple years into high school, she changed her mind and began to set her sights higher. Through developing her art skills, she learned the importance of practice. But when she was a senior in high school, she decided not to apply to any universities and stay in Houston to attend a local community college while livimg with her parents.

In 2013, she visited a friend who attended UT who showed her around campus and introduced her to the communications program. JoBeth was impressed with both the campus and program that she decided to apply. “I never thought I would be a person who could get into a school like UT, especially because only a few months before I had been planning on dropping out of school,” says JoBeth.

Currently, JoBeth is majoring in corporate communications studies and earning a Business Foundations Certificate from McCombs School of Business. She is an active student member of WCA and the UT Toastmasters Club. “I feel very fortunate to be a part of WCA and I think it is such a great organization. I have learned so much through the lectures and events,” remarks JoBeth.

When she is not in class, JoBeth is working at Bananarchy, a local food truck.

Her dream job is to work in communications field representing a fitness company.

“My life has changed drastically since coming to UT,” says JoBeth. “Since then, I have realized that I have tremendous potential and strongly believe that the WCA and my time at UT will help me develop the skills needed to succeed in life.” “I love interacting with others, and I look forward to learning how to better expand my network this semester.”