Q: What is your major and what year are you graduating?
I am a business administration major with a concentration in marketing analytics and a minor in urban studies, graduating in May 2021.
Q: Why did you decide to pursue the marketing analytics concentration?
When I first got to Northeastern, I knew that studying marketing principles and how to build consumer relationships was my priority. During my first co-op, I got a glimpse into the world of data analytics and how numbers could explain results. It was exciting to track the impact of marketing campaigns and learn how to visualize data. After taking my first marketing analytics course with Professor Kwong Chan, I realized that merging my previous interests in understanding consumer markets with my newfound excitement for data was the perfect combination.
Q. What co-op experience do you have in this field?
I had my first co-op at New Balance as a digital consumer experience co-op. I had the opportunity to lead national marketing campaigns and analyze wholesale brand pages such as Amazon, Zappos, and DSW. This position allowed me to expand my knowledge of digital consumer experiences by gaining insight on the impact of analytics on a business, pitching 2020 products to wholesale accounts at monthly sales meetings, and brainstorming new ways to increase marketing strategy outside of the New Balance website.
Playing with data visualization and numbers prepared me for my second co-op, which I’m on now, working more with data analytics. At Genentech, I partner with the Department of Informatics to look at how analytics power internal scientific decision making and how cloud data repositories assist in data management. Since this role oversees internal communications and strategies, there are a lot of opportunities to use tools like Tableau and R to create visuals and trends to share with the rest of the team.
Q: What is the biggest takeaway you have from your co-op experiences so far?
I have learned to build relationships while on co-op. From formal networking to just getting to know a co-worker on a more personal level, I have nurtured and gained some of the most valuable relationships to date. Whether it’s bonding with my team or learning how to strike up a random conversation with someone new, my co-op application process and overall co-op experiences have given me the opportunity to create and sustain lifelong relationships.
Q. What is your biggest piece of advice for someone who is considering a similar education path in marketing analytics?
The biggest piece of advice I have is to just try it. I was scared that this field would be too difficult or technical for me. Most of my work with marketing prior to this was along the lines of basic design and social media advertising. However, after taking the marketing analytics course, I realized that this was the perfect concentration for my old interests and newly budding interest for analytics. In my opinion, there is a big difference with having just “marketing” versus “marketing analytics” on your resume. I think the latter provides lots of opportunities, especially since the future of data science and analytics will continue to grow.
Q: Tell us about your experience studying in China as part of the N.U.in Program.
Moving to Shanghai exposed me to a vibrant and growing business environment—it was an absolutely amazing experience. Through the N.U.in Program, I was able to tour the Volkswagen factory and learn about the manufacturing process, study urban city development through field trips across the city, and experience some of China’s history through our weekend excursion to Nanjing. My N.U.in experience was truly the definition of experiential learning.
While I was in Shanghai, I volunteered with the Shanghai Volunteers, brushing up on my Mandarin and cross-cultural communication skills as I cleaned Changfeng Park, colored with the elderly, and learned more about Chinese culture. These memories are some that I will cherish forever, and I am certainly looking forward to going back to Shanghai someday.
Q: What are you involved with at Northeastern?
I am a dancer with NUDANCO Dance Company, a campus tour guide with the Husky Ambassadors, and the former President of Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional business fraternity. I am also volunteering as a pro-bono consultant for non-profits with Chi Sigma Consulting and work with Professor Kwong Chan in establishing the reputation, developing programming, and growing the community for The Digital, Analytics, Technology and Automation Initiative DATA Initiative (DATA) as its project manager.
Q: Tell us about the DATA Initiative. How did you get involved and why? What is your role?
Northeastern enabled my interest in finding research opportunities as a non-STEM major. Over this past year, I had the opportunity to work with the DATA Initiative, a cross-disciplinary, innovative hub dedicated towards sharing new knowledge about all things data analytics.
I actually got involved by emailing Professor Kwong Chan about a course syllabus. He took a look at my LinkedIn profile in my email signature and asked if I was interested in analytics. I joined the DATA Initiative as its project manager, working with Professor Chan to host the first DATA Forum and partner with the Northeastern DATA Club in its workshops and speaker series. Also, I established the first student-led Analytics Lab on campus. During this time, the network of affiliated researchers across the university has grown, student engagement has risen, and deeper collaborations with corporate companies has increased. I am excited to see where the DATA Initiative goes in the future.
Q. What are some of your favorite school projects on which you have worked?
My favorite courses at Northeastern gave me real-world experiences: I interviewed the CEO of a startup in Boston in ENTR 2301 taught by Professor Golden; I analyzed the customer satisfaction data for a popular co-op company in MKTG 3501 taught by Kwong Chan; and I built out a marketing strategy for one of the local off-campus restaurants in MKTG 3401 taught by Professor Lassk.
Q: Can you tell us about your Miss America Scholarship organization experience?
I started competing with the Miss America Scholarship Organization because I felt it was an organization that would support my passions and help me build relationships while volunteering in my community. Every contestant has their own social impact initiative or social cause they promote. Mine is professional development.
My passion for professional development began the minute I stepped on Northeastern’s campus. With co-op classes, helpful advisors, and so many amazing organizations to join, I realized that we have so many resources to help others develop personally and professionally. My involvement with Alpha Kappa Psi and Chi Sigma Consulting introduced me to work with a non-profit named Tailored for Success (TFS). This organization inspired me to develop my platform, “Build Your Brand,” as a local Massachusetts representative in the Miss America Scholarship Organization. In collaboration with TFS, I’ve been able to develop relationships with the local Boston community by hosting workshops and summits such as “Building Your LinkedIn and Personal Brand,” with a focus on ensuring that everyone is prepared for entering and succeeding in the workforce.
Q: Tell us about your experience in Alpha Kappa Psi.
I joined Alpha Kappa Psi my freshman year. This organization is all about mentorship. As a professional business fraternity open to all majors, I have found mentors who have taught me academic lessons as well as lessons outside of the business realm.
During my time with Alpha Kappa Psi, I was inspired to share my knowledge with our community through professional workshops and experiences as the vice president of professional development. During my time in this role, I was able to host over 15 workshops bringing in Professor Barbara Larson to talk about emotional intelligence, Professor Ed Weirtheim to speak on negotiations, and more! We executed student-led workshops including “How to Build Your Resume” and “Goal-setting.” One of my favorite events involved bringing fraternity members to my co-op at the New Balance headquarters in Boston. Gathering a few of my co-workers, we gave a tour of the facility, introduced a panel ranging from experts in finance to design engineering, and even watched a live show assembly demonstration.
In my role, I wanted to leave a legacy utilizing my passion for professional development. Last fall, we hosted our first “Build Your Brand” event bringing in guest speakers to talk about their personal and professional brands. This summit was all about learning how to prepare yourself for that first job interview and walk in with confidence. This workshop was a nice way to tie in my work within the Boston community, with the Miss America Organization and Tailored For Success, and within the Northeastern community.
Q: Tell us about your summer classes and recent internship experience.
While I wish summer classes were on-campus in Boston, my summer classes online have been just as rewarding. I am lucky to have such attentive and passionate faculty to guide me through these seven weeks.
