Kayla Abbate is one of the many seniors graduating this year, she’s determined to make her mark at Iona College and in her future career path, and refuses to let obstacles get in her way.

Abbate transferred to Iona her second semester freshman year with the intention of being education major with a dance minor. Due to the core curriculum of education, she wasn’t be able to do both, so she changed her major to Public Relations.

“It wasn’t so much a combination, as much as a self-discovery. I always wanted to minor in dance so that was always a definite so when I came to Iona I was going to declare myself as an education major,” Abbate said. “I said you know what, this is a sign that it’s not for me, so I threw myself into public relations, and I’m so glad I did.”

Ionian: How do you like the field?

K: Everything I’ve done in public relations whether it be an internship or random little tasks here and there, I love it. As much as I love college I’m really excited to do a job that I actually like. I’m so enthusiastic about it. Even school projects I go over the top on assignments I probably don’t need to, because I get so into it.

I: What attracts you to PR?

K: Probably the creativity aspect because creativity is something that probably comes the most natural to me. My brain never turns off, I’m constantly always thinking of things and most of the time it relates to school or PR in general. So think that having to have a creative side and constantly thinking of new ways to improve a company or person is really important. [I like] the constant change too.

I: As part of the Iona College Dance Ensemble performed your solo to the Coldplay song “Clocks.” What made you choose that song?

K: I was brainstorming with my roommates first semester senior year, intending to do a senior solo since I’ve been with the ensemble for four years and I wanted to do a song that would relate to me and other people. Because most people don’t know or they know but don’t enjoy listening to Mozart and Beethoven. I think Coldplay’s instrumentals especially are extremely powerful. I listened to “Clocks” and I just thought the song and the lyrics especially during graduation being a second semester senior were really powerful and the song just immediately spoke to me. I think “Clocks” the song in itself is about time ticking and this is the end and you have to make the most of it.

I: What’s your greatest accomplishment or fondest memory at Iona?

K: I want to say that my greatest accomplishment would be the challenge that I faced with my song. It’s probably the one thing that I worked the hardest on all by myself and I’m happy to say that I did it all on my own. I think it was really important to learn how to do things on your own, and you can’t always call your parents or call your friends, and be like ‘I need your help.’ And I think especially for PR it’s really important to be self-sufficient. You can’t get a task and run to someone, it’s all on you. And it wasn’t just one challenge.

I: What are you looking forward to the most after graduation?

K: I’m looking forward to the summer the most, because I’m doing a lot of traveling, and I love to travel. I’m also excited to figure out and discover where I’m going to work.