Kenady Moore
March 15, 2022
Kenady Moore (2022)
Kenady Moore works as a Proposal Coordinator for Burns & McDonnell, an engineering firm in Kansas City, MO. A native of Quincy, IL, Kenady graduated from high school in 2013. While at Truman, she was active in Greek Life along side her studies. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends, family, and exploring new places in the city.
What year did you graduate and what was your concentration?
I graduated in May 2017 with a concentration in Public Communication.
What extra-/co-curricular activities did you do?
I am a Sigma Sigma Sigma alumna, where I served as the Lip Sync Director, Assistant Recruitment Director, and Arc Leader. I was also a member of Lambda Pi Eta, the national Communication Honor Fraternity, and the Public Relations and Awards Chair for Truman’s Greek Life staff my senior year.
Kenady (far right) and her ΣΣΣ soroity sisters on Bid Day (2015).
Did you go to grad school? If so, where? Was it immediately after you left Truman or did you wait? Why?
No, I did not go to grad school. I chose to focus my energies on my career.
What was your first job after graduation?
After graduation, I moved to Kansas City, MO to work for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). My friend and fellow communication grad, Katie Smith, introduced me to the company and I was lucky enough to intern in their Editing and Graphic Design department! It was a great opportunity and foot in the door to the type of work I wanted to pursue, which eventually led me to my next career in the Architecture/Engineering/Construction industry.
Kenady (far right) and her siblings (2021).
What work do you do/What are you doing now?
I am currently working at Burns & McDonnell, an engineering firm in Kansas City! I am a Proposal Coordinator for the Sales & Marketing team within the Transmission & Distribution division.
How has your Liberal Arts/COMM education helped you?
My liberal arts/COMM education provided me with the tools and resources I need to be a well-rounded individual. Most of what I do daily relates back to my courses at Truman – from working on project teams and collaborating with others with different backgrounds, presenting design ideas in front of large groups, or being open to new ideas and learning from others.
Which class did you dislike at the time you took it, but now you’re grateful you took it?
Publication Design and Layout was a challenge that I’m forever grateful for. In hindsight, this class would be one of the most important skills I took from Truman as I use Adobe InDesign every day. I was pushed outside my comfort zone, but this course has helped me tremendously in my professional career.
Kenady (L) with fellow COMM alumna & former roommate Olivia Louderman (2015).
What was your greatest accomplishment at Truman?
My greatest accomplishment at Truman was the friends and experiences I made in four short years. I have met so many wonderful people through classes and the organizations I was involved with who are now lifelong friends.
Why is Truman a good place for a student to study?
Truman is a very welcoming community and a great place for students to study. The campus is beautiful, and the buildings are relatively close together which makes it easy to see other students or friends on campus. The small class sizes at Truman allow students to make deeper connections with their professors and ask questions throughout the lecture. Overall, the professors truly care about their students and want them to succeed and there are many opportunities to interact with students with similar backgrounds or interests.
What would you say a COMM student should absolutely do while at Truman?
Get involved! Join organizations or clubs that interest you and take classes that might not pertain to your major. Being a well-rounded student will help you both personally and professionally in your future and challenge your way of thinking.
What do you miss most about campus/Kirksville?
Living a few blocks from campus and my close friends was the most convenient thing that I took for granted!
Kenady (far right) with her best friends from Truman (2021).
What advice would you give someone who wants to go into the same line of work as you?
Put yourself out there and learn to embrace being uncomfortable. Take as many courses as possible that interest you because you never know how they could apply to your life in the future. As a college student, I had no idea what a “proposal coordinator” was, or that I’d be working for a large engineering company but my education from Truman gave me the core resources I needed to be successful in any career path I chose.
What tag line would you create for the COMM department at Truman?
“Barnett Hall – It’s really not that far away.” (Editor’s note: Thank you! I’ve been saying…)
If you could come back to Truman and teach a class for a semester, what would be its title and what would it be about?
Dealing with Creatives in a Design Industry: It would all stem from the phrase “make this pretty.” I would teach COMM students how to communicate their talents to other design/creative professionals.
What did we not ask that you think is important for people to know?
Going away for college and meeting new people can be intimidating, but a lot of students feel the same way during their freshman year. Getting to know other students in your dorm and/or classes will help make the campus feel more like home. Truman fosters extremely intelligent students whom all have high expectations and a high work ethic, but making connections with one another will make your college experience even more meaningful.
Kenady (center) and her roommates at graduation (2017).
If you would like to learn more of Kenady’s story, you can follow her on Instagram.