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Hello from London! 

By Samantha Alaraj

 

My name is Samantha Alaraj, and I am currently enrolled in Whitman’s BUA 474 project course! I am a junior originally from San Francisco, California, majoring in Marketing Management and Retail Management. I chose BUA 474 not only to make the most of my time abroad and fulfill credits, but also to gain hands-on experience similar to an internship. 

 

I am currently working with Soldiers Art Academy (SAA), a charity organization dedicated to providing current serving and ex-serving military personnel and their families with opportunities to participate in the creative and performing arts. Through art, singing, theater and more, SAA helps veterans heal from past trauma and build new lives. My role involves boosting social media engagement, raising funds for operations, and attracting an audience for an upcoming gallery event. 

 

My groupmates, Sadie, Ava, and I started this project with excitement and plenty of ideas. We meet weekly with Amanda, the charity organizer, who is incredibly supportive and encourages our creativity. However, given our limited time and resources, we constantly reassess our strategy to ensure our efforts have a lasting impact even after we leave. Currently, we are working on expanding SAA’s social media presence by introducing them to TikTok, as they currently operate only on X, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook. Next week, we plan to interview veterans who have participated in the program to share their stories and raise awareness through social media. 

 

Although this course has been slightly challenging due to changes in direction and occasional miscommunication, it has been an incredibly rewarding and insightful experience. In the real world, similar challenges arise, and developing the ability to navigate them effectively is essential. I’m excited to see how much we can accomplish for SAA by the end of the semester. 

Soldiers Art Academy on social media:

Facebook
X 
Instagram
LinkedIn


 





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