A round-robin take on the post-grad marketing life

Marketing | Nov 02, 2015 | Gabelli School of Business

Students at the Young Alumni Marketing Roundtable on Oct. 27, 2015, get career tips from recent Fordham graduates. (Photo by Bailey Link)

By Bailey Link

Considering a career in marketing?

It’s worth getting the scoop from young alumni who are actually doing the work.

Six young marketing staffers, mostly Fordham University alumni, visited the Rose Hill campus last week to shine a light down their career paths.

If the event sounds familiar, that’s because it’s becoming a Gabelli School of Business tradition. Held twice a year, the Young Alumni Marketing Roundtable is as much for networking as it is for knowledge.

The alumni made it clear that Fordham graduates span the industry—in sports marketing, fashion marketing, digital and social media strategy, advertising, public relations, and brand management.

Gina Hill-Lobasso, one of the Gabelli School’s assistant directors of career advising, said that these campus marketing events often yield access to internships and entry-level positions.

See more photos of the event here.

The alumni participants included Kristofer Diaz, BS ’15; Matt Blough, BS ’13; Michael Sansarran, BS ’13; Marty Mercado, BS ’11; and Billy McLellan, BS ’14. They were joined by Jessica Podell, a graduate of the University of Arizona.

Students divided themselves into small groups, with one alumnus or alumna guiding each discussion.

In one part of the room, Kristofer Diaz described what it’s like to be an assistant media planner at BPN Worldwide and explained how his own network helped him land the role.

Nearby, Billy McLellan, an account executive at BBDO Worldwide, advised his group that “people want to help you, so don’t be afraid to ask.” He spoke about the importance of networking and Fordham’s vast resources in that domain. He also advised his listeners to get out of their comfort zone: Going abroad or being a little out of one’s depth in an internship can allow learning outside of the classroom and build confidence.

Sansarran, who identified his dream job in baseball while still in college, told the story of how he created the Business of Sports Society and got a junior-year internship with Major League Baseball. “Allow [yourselves] to fail, and learn from that as much as possible,” he told his group. “Take advantage of being students, too.”

Student participants had the chance to switch groups, after a certain amount of time, to engage with additional young alumni.

There will be another roundtable like this one during the spring semester.