OXFORD,
Miss. – More than 300 students attended the University of Mississippi’s
recent Ad Week, which offered them opportunities to network with
advertising industry professionals, participate in round-table
discussions and attend informative sessions.
“This year’s Ad
Week was a tremendous success,” said Victoria Bush, associate professor
of marketing and faculty adviser to the Ad Club, which hosts the annual
event. “We had over 19 distinguished professionals take time out of
their busy schedules to come to campus on their own dime. Given the
state of our economy, I think this shows tremendous commitment from
professionals who are genuinely interested in talking with students
about the advertising industry.”
The speakers had backgrounds in
marketing, advertising, creative design, public relations, and
political and government relations, Bush said. Students were able to
interact with them through discussions, luncheons and informal dinners.
“I think one of our best highlights of the week’s events was hosting round-table luncheons with our speakers in the business school’s board room,” Bush said. “The atmosphere was relaxed and candid. Every single participant, both students and guest speakers, had a lot to share.”
One of the most helpful aspects of Ad Week was the networking opportunities, said Kristen Robinson, a senior marketing communications major and vice president of hospitality for the Ad Club.
“All of the people who came were really open to internship opportunities and connecting us with other people,” Robinson said. “A lot of people gave out their business cards; a lot of people were willing to give us resume advice and interview advice. Basically, everyone just put out a guideline for us to stay on track and be successful.”
Ad Club president Christy Sims, a senior accounting and marketing double major, said she also felt the conversations between students and guests were extremely beneficial. One of the guest speakers is helping her work to secure an internship in Washington, D.C.
“Personally, a definite highlight was that I was able to meet more successful communication professionals in one week than I anticipated meeting in the next few years,” Sims said. “During luncheons, dinners, and even when picking up and walking out speakers, students had a chance to have real conversations with our guests.”
Ad Week was established three years ago, when the UM School of Business Administration reinstated its chapter of the American Advertising Federation, a non-profit with 226 affiliated chapters in the U.S.
The Ad Club’s first president Lindsay Thompson, a 2007 graduate, developed the event. Since its debut, the club has grown to more than 60 members, and the number of Ad Week speakers has doubled, Bush said.
“Several of our speakers commented to the students that they don’t know how fortunate they are to have a student organization put together such an extensive hands-on event like Ad Week,” Bush said. “I think, overall, every speaker in the industry said ‘it’s tough out there’ and they all went through similar experiences when they were looking for jobs, whether it was a previous recession, or 9/11. Yet, through passion for their career, they managed to make it happen, and through events like Ad Week, networking is everything.”