McKayla Phillips | 2016 GreenFig Graduate
Along with over 80 percent of my bachelor-degree-seeking peers, I chose not to major in the field of business. Which is surprising, considering I also chose to spend my summer exploring digital marketing in a classroom filled with entrepreneurs, business professionals, and students like myself. Two hours into an interactive lecture on SEO, I realized that my Media Communications focus would be an asset to my career, not a liability. Looking around me, I could see the same inspired expression on the faces of my peers, many of whom had taken similarly roundabout paths to the business world.
Part of the disconnect came from my perception of what marketing entailed. While I was content to work with my creative talents, I was reluctant to participate in a function that seemed merely cosmetic. No, not cosmetic – undefinable. Marketing seemed to be a blurry web of content creation that provided a vague sense of brand awareness.
Well, marketing has come a long way from the Mad Men days, and I think the business world is beginning to realize it. Unfortunately, that same awareness hasn’t stretched into general knowledge, and marketing is still defined by a narrow set of parameters. And marketing is anything but narrow.
Marketing is the business science of communication. A complex network of hypotheses and theories on the most efficient means of connection, all being alternatively supported and tested by data collected through analysis of experiments. It is extraordinarily diverse and complex, inspiring technology that can take a formulaic approach to what seemed an intangible system of emotion and reasoning. It’s far from what I imagined and offers both the creative and the analytical an outlet.
“GreenFig has been the most defining experience in my educational career in helping me understand this.”
I had an opportunity to meet with like-minded colleagues four times a week to network and discuss the material that we covered. Each day, we learned from a business professional presenting material on the current state of the digital marketing world. In the first three weeks, we covered everything from CRM usage to persona development. Beyond this, they took the time to offer real-world advice on life after graduation, corporate culture, and job market opportunities.
Absorbing this information, these years of compounded experience and wisdom, could be overwhelming at times. But the instructors complemented their lectures with hands-on demonstrations that helped the information cohere to more than just our notes. Instructors performed weekly assessments that brought the class of 20, and additional online students, up to speed. All this and the interaction and support of the class enhanced the educational experience, making it the incredible opportunity for growth and learning.
The students that surrounded me were every bit as inspiring as the professors. Their unique experiences, majors, and talents all helped them connect with individual segments of the marketing process. The economist to my left wanted to work with quantitative marketing statistics. The writer at the edge of the classroom hoped to work with copywriting and content creation. The engineers at the front wanted to work in development. Not to mention the entrepreneurs, designers, and project managers. It was a beautiful hodgepodge of the future in communication, and I’m honored to have been a part of it.
I urge you to sign up for the Fall 2017 Course of Digital Marketing Science – it will truly change your path.
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About the Author
McKayla Phillips is a motivated college student offering a background in cinema and media communications. Passionate about facilitating personal connections through technology. Lover of visual communication and constantly in awe of its potential to change the world.
McKayla Phillips is a 2016 GreenFig graduate and our Guest Blogger
