Influencer and book buyer: How I achieved my dream with Purdue Global

Leighellen Landskov’s communication degree helped turn her love of books and a successful Instagram page into a career. 

Leighellen Landskov is a social media superstar.  

Her bookstagram account, her Instagram page dedicated to book recommendations and author interviews, has amassed over 26,000 followers, and Landskov has been featured on Oprah’s Book Club. She has built a thriving online community from the ground up. 

But when she decided she wanted to work in publishing, she quickly realized neither her experience nor her degree in marine biology were enough to get her there. She needed a degree in communication. Enter her son, Jacoby, a fellow Boilermaker studying at Purdue University, who told her about Purdue Global.  

Read, in her own words, about her journey earning her bachelor’s in communication and how it helped turn her passion into a career.

It has been such a cool year. I can’t believe it all happened.  

I had a unique perspective on this journey because, first of all, my son attends Purdue in person, so I knew his experience. I have another son who attends a different online education program, and I saw him struggle with how solely online it was. There weren’t textbooks, live lectures with professors or any classroom time. I loved having those things with Purdue Global. Purdue Global is magical. It’s perfectly done.

From marine biologist to Instagram influencer

After high school, I wanted to be a marine biologist without knowing that most people sit in a laboratory doing research. I thought, “That’s what I have to do?” After graduating, I went on to do marketing. I ended up making it all the way to national merchandising manager. 

Once I had kids, I opened my own photography studio. I also started a Bible study out of my house, and I was always recommending books. One of the teenagers in the Bible study told me, “You should start a bookstagram.” They even helped me come up with the name and logo. 

In 2020 the world shut down and I wasn’t able to photograph any events. But people were on the internet and were reading again. My bookstagram took off in a way I never expected. It was perfect timing.  

In 2023, as my kids were graduating, I knew I didn’t want to do photography anymore. I chose that when it allowed me to stay home during the day, but with my kids grown up, I didn’t want to work evenings and weekends.  

I decided I wanted to work in publishing. I started applying, but employers were asking me, “Do you have a communications or English degree?” All I could say was no — my bachelor’s degree was in science. Despite the fact that I have a lot of experience in the literary field, I needed to have that degree.   
 
That’s when my son noticed an ad during a Purdue basketball game for Purdue Global. He said, “Mom, you should go back to school.”

Purdue Global is magical. It’s perfectly done.

Leighellen Landskov

BS communication ’24, Purdue Global

How Purdue Global made it possible

I kept saying to myself, “How am I going to do this?” I was unsure and nervous because I hadn’t been to school for what felt like 100 years. I was overwhelmed, but Purdue Global’s advisors were amazing. I thought it was going to be impossible, and they made it possible. They were able to get in touch with the university I attended years ago, and I got credit for everything. Instead of having to go for four years, I was able to finish in two. 

It’s easy to think you’re stuck where you are or you’re too old to change or try something new. But if you have the drive and the commitment and the desire, you can do it. 

Purdue Global allowed me to be a good mom and employee and still get my degree. I got everything I dreamed of getting, and I got it faster than I expected. There’s a team of people at Purdue Global encouraging and helping you along the way, and I never felt alone.

I got everything I dreamed of getting.

Leighellen Landskov

BS communication ’24, Purdue Global

A powerful graduation and starting a new job

Graduation felt remarkably inspiring. Realizing you’re in this room with all these people and you know that they were managing a full-time job and raising kids, too. I love how they shouted out graduates who were in the military and who were the first to go to college in their whole family. It was powerful. 

The whole weekend was special. They had events planned and photo ops set up around campus. The ceremony is a legit graduation ceremony. I was even in the same auditorium as my son when he graduated from Purdue University a few weeks later. 

My plan was to put my résumé together after graduation and go back to all the contacts I had at the publishing jobs I was initially rejected from. But while I was earning my degree, we moved to Texas. There is a local bookstore here, and a book buyer position opened. I decided to throw my hat in the ring. After interviewing, they created a whole new position for me based on what I know and who I know. 

Now I could continue here or take these skills to a future job. I get to combine my online life with my in-person life. It wasn’t something I expected or planned, but it’s a great way to be immersed in my community while sharing books I love. I have a degree in the field, and now I’ll have book buying experience that can move me forward. 

It’s been great to show my kids the importance of higher education — that you can have a startup and be creative. But when you want to go farther, whether you want to be a manager or an executive, you need a degree. I’m showing my kids it’s never too late to figure out what you want to be or do, and go after it.  

I have another son who’s still figuring it out. I’m his biggest cheerleader. I say to him, “You can do this. If I can do it at my age, you can do it at your age.” I hope my journey has inspired my kiddos to not give up. I’m so proud of all of them.