What is marketing? Why is it important? What valuable skills will I learn from majoring in marketing? I asked myself all of these questions before changing my major from International Affairs to Marketing in my sophomore year. Before that, I had decided on International Affairs because I had a strong interest in cultures, people, and societies. What I did not know at the time is that these are also incredibly important factors in the field of Marketing.
After switching to Marketing, I met a whole new group of individuals; there were my new professors, my new classmates, and clients. I had left my old area of studies and entered this new world of marketing. All of my classmates had this common interest, this passion of learning and understanding people and societies. What I had never expected is just how suited I was to follow a path in marketing. Once you choose your field of study, and you know it is meant for you, everything else just seems to fall into place.
At John Cabot University, we have a Marketing Club, founded by student leaders. The marketing club offers strategic marketing consultancies to external companies, start-ups, and not-for-profit organizations. Working with the marketing club was a great experience for learning how my field works. In fact, throughout my studies at John Cabot I have been a part of a consulting team for several different professionals, through my courses and club work. I have already built professional relationships and narrowed my focus on my preferred fields of interest within marketing, learning that branding and consumer behavior are two of my favorite areas.
The faculty at JCU is a core element in the educational experience, not just because the professors teach the key concepts, but because they challenge you to learn and discover for yourself as well. For example, in my New Product Management course, Professor Pietro Paganini challenged us to develop a new product that
was to be launched into a market where no similar concept had existed. While keeping us creative, Professor Paganini advised us on key steps to take, precautions to be aware of in the market of entry, and how to follow through with launching this new product in a market that may not understand it. Another course that taught me a lot was Fashion Retail Marketing taught by Professor Antonella Salvatore. This class taught me the importance of branding, especially in the luxury field and helped me find the inspiration for my career.
Not only does John Cabot University prepare you by providing the information needed to succeed, but also by incorporating real-world experience into the classroom. JCU has prepared me for life after graduation by showing me what it's like before it's my turn to take the reins. Choosing Marketing at JCU was a decision that will shape the success of my future career, and a path that I am grateful to have discovered during my time here in Rome.
Shelby Leigh Bradley
Marketing Major, Italian Studies Minor
Class of 2016
Hometown: Clinton, New York, USA
