Jodi Ogilvy has always been driven to make a difference in the world. That passion led her to a career in the nonprofit sector — and ultimately to USC. Ogilvy recently earned her Master of Communication Management (MCM) online from USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, marking an important step in her journey to better her community.
Ogilvy’s interest in the communications field began early. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communication from Millikin University in Illinois and launched her career in corporate communications before shifting her focus to the nonprofit sector.
“I wanted to make more of an impact on the world. I wanted to use my degree for good things,” she said. “I’m currently the chief communications and development officer for a nonprofit … in the Midwest called Hope, and have a love of different services for adults and children with developmental disabilities.”
Ogilvy has continued to thrive in her role, but she always knew she wanted to return to school to earn a master’s degree. The only challenge? Timing.
“I worked for about 15 years before I finally was able to go back. There’s never really a good time, and I just kept putting it off. However, I was able to apply my real-world experiences to my education this time around, having all those years under my belt, so maybe it was the right time after all,” she mused.
After doing her research, Ogilvy was quickly drawn to USC Annenberg. She appreciated the flexibility of the online format, which allowed her to balance her studies with her full-time job, and was encouraged by the option to complete the degree in just 16 months as opposed to several years, which felt “daunting.” She was also impressed by how responsive and welcoming the school was when she reached out to learn more about the program.
“USC Annenberg were really helpful when I was reaching out for questions, walking me through what the program would look like and how it would work. It made me want to go there,” Ogilvy said.
Ogilvy began the MCM online program in January 2024 and graduated in May 2025. She describes the experience as “incredible” — and the right decision for advancing her career. Ogilvy has been able to apply the coursework to her role at Hope in real time, which made the learning process feel immediately relevant and rewarding.
“I was also able to use my organization as an example in some of the projects that we did,” she said. “That was helpful not only [because] my organization could benefit from what I was learning, but also [because it] deepened my own understanding of what I was learning.”
Ogilvy praised the faculty, noting that their extensive experience in both the industry and academia added real-world relevance and depth to the program.
“It’s amazing because you really feel that you’re getting a first-class education from experts in the field,” she said.
It wasn’t just the knowledge she gained about communication management — from the psychology behind messaging to new strategic techniques — that stood out. Ogilvy also valued the connections she formed with classmates from a wide range of industries and organizations. Engaging with peers who brought varied perspectives often challenged her thinking and inspired her to explore new approaches in her own work.
“My cohort really connected. It felt as close as possible to being on campus and meeting people in person,” she reflected. “[USC] did a great job of making the online community still feel like a community, even though we weren’t [physically] there. It was really cool to see people from literally all over the world in my cohort. I was living in the Midwest, but I had access to and exposure to so many different people and perspectives.”
Now that Ogilvy has graduated, she’s taking time to celebrate the milestone. She’s not looking to leave Hope anytime soon, describing it as a place where she feels fulfilled and knows she’s making a positive impact. Instead, she’s focused on applying everything she learned from the program to strengthen her organization from within. Given how much she’s grown through her USC experience, she encourages prospective students to set aside any hesitation and dive into the Master of Communication Management online program.
“It can be daunting to even start thinking about going back to school and getting your master’s degree, especially if you’re already a working adult or have a family. And it will be hard, but nothing that’s worth doing is easy,” she said. “Invest in yourself, and you’re going to come out on the other side a different person, a better person.”
Learn more about the Master of Communication Management (MCM) online program today.