Career Services had a quick check-in with the American Marketing Association Emerson College Chapter a couple weeks ago. Like any meeting, we figured, “This will be a good time to check in, organize some thoughts, and create some plans for this year.”
What we didn’t know is that AMA was coming to the table fully prepared with plans in place. We didn’t know we were going to be completely and utterly blown away by this student group.
What is AMA?
On the surface, it’s a marketing group meant to help students collaborate and communicate on, well… marketing things. Truthfully it’s far more than that. According to Jade Hebling, the organization’s current president, AMA “provide[s] opportunities to students to enhance their learning in the classroom with professional development workshops, conferences, and speaker events.”
They’re looking to give students a chance to learn from each other while networking with other future marketing professionals.
What do their meetings look like?
Jade continues, “We typically have our meetings at different times during the week, due to the schedules of our speakers… our schedule definitely varies.
AMA is unique in that their meeting schedules are very fluid and, as a result, any student’s involvement is entirely up to them. There is certainly a core group of students who attend every meeting but what’s convenient for others is the opt-in/opt-out mentality that lets students attend the meetings that work for their schedules.
As a result, the culture at AMA is “a healthy mix of professional and social elements.” Students connect over the trips hosted by the org which often involve conferences outside of Boston. There are plenty of chances to develop close friendships and many opportunities for collaboration.
What are their plans for this year?
“We started the semester with two conferences, Hubspot Inbound and Future M. Both are amazing chances to meet professionals and hear about what is going on within the marketing, design, and technology industries. Next, we have speakers confirmed from companies such as Rocketbook, Harper Collins, and Horizon Media Group. We try to have a variety of speakers from different companies that are tailored to various majors and interests.”
Sound familiar? AMA’s events are the perfect accompaniment to the info sessions hosted by Career Services!
What are some memorable experiences from being involved with AMA?
Jade shares a quick anecdote:
“I had an incredible time last year at the 4A’s advertising festival and PSFK, both of which we will probably attend this coming Spring in New York. AMA has been attending those two events for years, and it’s such a good opportunity to be exposed to the advertising industry. I learned about amazing new companies and industries at PSFK and met some amazing people.”
So what’s not to love?
AMA sounds like the perfect group for any aspiring marketer and is a great starting place for students looking to tap into a network of like-minded students. Be on the lookout for AMA’s events, featured on our Events Calendar and continue to check in as we find more organizations on campus to spotlight!
