Communication Skills Help Grad in Rewarding Career

Morgan Harrar '23 is an accomplished woman. 

Along with being Miss York County 2026 and Miss Berks County 2025, she is a Development Coordinator for the non-profit Breakthrough T1D, which is dedicated to treating and funding research for type 1 diabetes. Harrar dedicates her success in her career and pageantry to her college education at Kutztown University. 

Harrar knew she didn’t want to go far for college. She was familiar with K.U. due to her alum brother, Brandon Harrar, class of 2012. Harrar liked how the college was not far from her home in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. After touring K.U., she knew this was the university for her. 

“It just had this homey feeling to it. I absolutely loved it. I didn’t tour anywhere else after I toured Kutztown,” she said. 

Harrar decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Communications Studies because it aligned with her passions. 

“I love to speak. I love to write. I love to meet with people,” she explained. “It just felt like the right fit.” 

Harrar expressed her gratitude for the excellent support she received from professors and staff. She highlighted Dr. Marco Ehrl, Dr. Diana Ebersole, Dr. Megan O’Byrne and Dr. Emily Cripe for their “pivotal” role in her college career. 

“They truly supported and challenged me,” Harrar expressed. “They deeply care for their students. I hope they know that they had an impact on me.” 

It wasn’t just the professors who equipped her for success. Harrar considers what she learned from her communication classes "critical" to her role as a Development Coordinator for Breakthrough T1D, especially in professional speaking. 

“All that I’m doing (at Breakthrough T1D)  is speaking and meeting with people, whether I’m connecting with donors, sponsors, corporate partners, volunteers, families.” she said. 

“Knowing how to speak with compassion and empathy is something that my major deeply instilled in me, but it also made me tailor my communication style to whom I’m speaking.” 

This groundwork was further solidified through her time as an intern with K.U.'s Career Development Center, which allowed her to apply what she learned from her classes in the workplace. 

“That internship really gave me a broad scope of the responsibilities and expectations of a full-time job.”  

“I did research for them and their clients,” Harrar said. “I also did social media for them as well, so I was meeting deadlines and collaborating with a team, which are all skills that I carried with me in my career now. I was learning the ropes of the working world, stuff that I still use today.”

The skills Harrar learned through K.U. are not just applicable to her career, but to her involvement in Miss Pennsylvania, a non-profit organization that rewards winners with scholarships for their community service initiatives to advance their education. Her community service initiative, Purpose and Service, focuses on encouraging volunteerism while simultaneously bringing awareness of her work at Breakthrough T1D.

“My education will always carry with me into every chapter of my life,” she said. “My education at K.U. made me confident walking into a room and speaking with others and building relationships. They taught me that I could be a leader. ” 

Harrar’s work at Breakthrough T1D is dedicated to fundraising, advocacy and volunteerism, similar to her community service initiative as Miss York County. Harrar helps run special events, such as the Summer Series, which allows the organization to connect with their community to attract donors and provide resources to people with T1D.

As she continues her work, Harrar expressed her satisfaction in her career. 

“I love what I do.” 

Reflecting on her own journey, Harrar emphasized the importance of passion students must have in order to be successful in studying communications. 

“I truly believe that anyone can do it if they put their heart into it. As long as students interested in this major apply themselves, that's when they’re going to see success and results.”

By Ayana Cruz '27