My Advice for incoming Undergraduates…

Stay Calm & Keep Learning

Its is amazing how one class can change everything. You’ve probably heard it before, and I didn’t believe it either the first time someone told me.  I challenge you to explore your interests with a “can do” attitude.  At the beginning of my Junior year, while sitting impatiently in my introduction meeting for CEHD (College of Continue Education and Human Development) they announced the beginning of a new class BIE 4001, Introduction to eMarketing.  I thought the class sounded interesting, but wasn’t overly eager about it.  Little did I know that the class would change the rest of my life.  In the short amount of time I got to spend with the professors (Aki Spicer and Rocky Novak  digital strategist from Fallon) I learned more than any other course in my academic career.  These guys sparked a passion in me that motivated me to pursue a career in Online Marketing (eMarketing).  At the beginning of my Junior year I did not have any direction or the slightest idea of what I was going to do after college.  After eMarketing ending, I chased my newly discovered passion by joining Ad Club.  (If your not in a club or organization I highly recommend you join one asap.) Ad Club allowed me to continue learning about online marketing.  It also gave me the chance to visit different advertising agency around Minneapolis and make connections with people in the field of online marketing. I had the opportunity to participate in Risdall’s Intern for a Day event threw Ad Club.  After the event I followed up with some connection I made that day threw email and was offer the opportunity to interview for and internship.  I couldn’t believe that I got the internship when it was finalized that I had landed one with Risdall. The internship conveniently just so happened to be during the last semester of my undergraduate degree.  (Try to get an internship before you graduate.) I learned more than I could have ever imagined during my internship at Risdall and this Friday have the opportunity to talk with them about my future mission at Risdall, should I choose to accept it.  At the end of my Junior year I would never have believed that I would have a job offer before I graduated.  Over the course of a year, my life has completely changed and I owe it all to the two professors that introduced me to eMarketing.

KEy TakeAways:

  • “Find out what your passionate about and become a student of it.” –Josh Dahmes President of Risdall Online Marketing Group
  • JOIN A CLUB
  • Believe in yourself
  • Network, Network, Network! (LinkedIn)
  • Line up an internship for your last year in school
  • Keep learning
  • Ask Questions!

“I have no special talent, I am only passionately curious.”

– Albert Einstein