Alexia Barrail, 23, is pushing the envelope. The School of Mass Communication (SMC) public relations graduate now lives and works in Ascuncion, Paraguay, where she's the PR account coordinator for Periferia Comunicacion with clients that include Red Bull, Unilever, Personal (a telecommunications giant) and Grant's Whiskey. Recognizing opportunity in an expanding South America, Barrail returned to Paraguay upon graduation. It's been, she says,  "quite an exhilarating ride."

At the age of 23, Barrail works continuously with a boss in Buenos Aires, manages a staff of six in Paraguay and is busy enough to have a personal assistant.

"Possibly one of the most rewarding feelings," she says, "was getting a phone call from a journalist at one of the main papers in Asuncion telling me how one of our biggest competitors has been trying to figure out what they need to do in order to get as much press coverage as we have done for our client."

Barrail attributes much of her success to the School of Mass Communication. She speaks fondly of the SMC, her studies and her professors, especially Valerie Andrews and her office “therapy sessions" that dispense sound advice and a piece of chocolate. Her favorite classes included public relations campaigns, writing for public relations and mass communication ethics.

Barrail believes the SMC did a great job of preparing her with real world skills. The school's internship program helped her secure postions with both New Orleans PR firm Keating Magee and the Miami Chamber of Commerce.

What else does she miss about Loyola?

"Phillipe's on South Claiborne," she says, recalling many a good meal at the Mexican restaurant.