I was always a creative kid. Arts and crafts projects, sewing, drawing, music, dance, theatre, etc. I started college as a dance major. Bad knees killed that dream. I took a break and when I returned to college, I was torn between being a photographer, a graphic designer or a communications major. My parents suggested advertising and I quickly realized that this career blended my business side and creative side. It was a match made in heaven for me.
I didn’t exactly make a change; I kind of had a parallel existence. After graduating with my undergraduate degree, I intended to work full-time as an art director at an advertising agency. My folks convinced me to take the GRE and consider graduate school. When I was accepted to all three schools I applied to, I thought, OK, I’ll learn more about advertising and then go into the business full-time. I began teaching while working on my master’s degree at The University of Illinois-Champaign-Urbana. I found I not only really enjoyed it, but I was good at it, winning the university’s undergraduate teaching assistant award while there. After I graduated, I applied to UT Austin’s Ph.D. program. When I got to Austin, I was hired as a production artist at GSD&M Advertising, where I freelanced for five years while working on my doctorate. They later told me, ‘We were so curious about you; art directors don’t get Ph.D.’s!’ I continued to do freelance work, too. So I never felt like I really made a break away from the industry. I did and still do the work that I teach. One goal that I’ve always had is to get people to ‘think’ about being socially responsible when it comes to advertising. I think teaching has allowed me to do that.
I love working with students and watching them discover where their talents are and seeing them grow into confident, contributing professionals. There is nothing better than watching them digest the nuggets of information and inspiration and turn it into something amazing.
My main responsibility is to steward all of the messages and creative works that come out of this university and give them one voice, one mission, one direction. And you do that by strategically positioning and branding the institution and then making sure that everything you do speaks to that brand. Services offered by Marketing and Creative Services, already named ‘Studio Twelve01,’ include strategic communications/marketing planning; media planning and buying; market research; and production of communication and collateral pieces. I hope that our team will produce some really stellar work that supports and promotes the UTPA brand both in the Valley and throughout the state.
The ‘hot’ new trend is social media marketing using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube, to name a few. We’ll need to understand if any of these communication channels are viable ways to reach our audience to form stronger relationships, and if they are, integrate them strategically into our communication mix. Our group is hoping that a billboard campaign just launched, coupled with the new TV campaign, ‘It’s All Right Here,’ will turn some heads. One big difference in marketing higher education is in the product being marketed. For me, I feel GREAT about persuading students to enroll at UTPA, where we have so much to offer, and I feel honest doing it. And I know that the more kids who graduate from college will translate into a higher quality of life. That feels good!
How about three words? Prepare. Discover. Transform. I’m excited about that slogan. I think it is honest, it doesn’t over promise, but it promises everything.