Over the weekend, from April 14–16, 2016,
the IUP Student Marketing Association was fortunate enough to have sent 22 members to New York City for a professional development trip
cosponsored between Eberly and the SMA students. The trip consisted of guided
tours from a marketing perspective, two amazing guest speakers, and a little
downtime to explore the city.
The tour guide did an amazing job at interacting with SMA
members, asking questions about different marketing aspects as we perused the
city each day. The first guest speaker was from Planet Hollywood, a famous
restaurant in New York. Kristen Martino, the director of Corporate Sales, was a
powerful speaker that spoke about what she does on a daily basis and how
college graduates can set themselves apart in the workforce. She gave great
insight on various marketing aspects and was living proof that no matter what
your age or what your major is, that you can be successful in any field if you
work hard.
The second guest speaker was Marc Viscardi, the senior
director of Marketing for Discovery Times Square. After SMA toured the Star
Wars, Bodies, and Vikings Exhibit, Marc talked to students about the different
departments of marketing and how each coincide with daily operations. He was
very interactive with the students, answering questions about challenges he
faced and how he solved various marketing problems. As the senior marketing
director he was in charge of making sure each aspect of Marketing was running
smoothly (Sales, Internet Marketing, Advertising, Promotions, and Client
Acquisition). Members were very happy with the organization of the trip and the
professional development aspect.
Students participating in the trip
indicated that it was a great success. Members of SMA increased their
knowledge of the marketing field as well as also bonding as a student
organization. Halle Williams, marketing
student said, “I thought the trip was well organized and provided multiple
opportunities to gain knowledge and advice from marketing professionals. It
allowed us to gain insight into various career fields, while still giving us
the full experience of sightseeing in New York City. We also got to interact and
bond with other club members.”
Eberly College of Business and Information Technology