Normalinda Gonzalez is plugged in to everything, which is nice when you work for an energy firm.

Gonzalez, 25, is a media relations specialist at TXU Corp., the state’s largest electricity and gas provider. That means she deals with media outlets whenever they come calling—sometimes in the middle of the night.

“The worst is during storms and power outages,” she said. “You have to be ready to do interviews at any time of the day. Storms usually don’t happen at convenient times.”

’Round-the-clock responsibility is nothing new to Gonzalez, who kept long hours at UTA majoring in both broadcast communication and public relations. She’s a 1999 Honors College graduate, with an honors bachelor of arts in communication.

Nor was she confined to the classroom, serving as a campus ambassador and Ms. UTA besides working in EX.C.E.L. Campus Activities.

“UTA was a wonderful experience for me,” she said. “I started there as a freshman and immediately got involved, which is what I recommend for any new student.”

In her case, being busy meant being successful. She appears to be as comfortable in front of a camera as behind a desk. Her classes also showed her how to pitch story ideas to the media, she said, and how to develop corporate communication plans.

Gonzalez, a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, often represents TXU as a spokeswoman. And because she’s bilingual, she works with Spanish-language media and helps coordinate Hispanic marketing efforts.

“As a spokesperson for a major energy company, I realize how fortunate I am to be in this position,” she said. “It’s a lot of responsibility, but it’s a great experience.”

It’s Gonzalez’s own experience that got her in the door at TXU.

While at UTA, she served in three internships at Dallas-based public relations agencies. The last resulted in a full-time job, beginning the Monday after she graduated. She moved to TXU a year and a half later.

“There are several good things about my job,” she said. “I work for a great company with a long history here in Texas. My work colleagues are wonderful, and I’ve learned a lot from them.”

She learned a lot at UTA, too, she says. And it wasn’t always about being in the classroom.

“Some of my closest friendships were developed there.”

– DW