Gladys Henriquez, a 2002 diplomacy and international relations alumna, has a schedule she describes as “crazy.” As a multi-platform freelance marketer, her days are filled with web design, editing, client meetings and project management, among other tasks. She handles the branding and marketing for clients from law firms to smaller startup companies.
Henriquez credited SHU for giving her a strong base for her professional accomplishments. In particular, she said that it is important to gain internship experience and keep in touch with alumni.
[caption id="attachment_22013" align="aligncenter" width="791"]
Henriquez discovered a passion for marketing after participating in an internship.
Photo courtesy of Gladys Henriquez[/caption]
“Seton Hall gave me such a great foundation for everything I know now,” she said.
Though she explained her interest in the field was born out of a marketing internship she had at Western Union, a company specializing in money transfers, Henriquez said that her background in diplomacy gave her a unique social consciousness.
“Just learning about history and politics and all these things that are now so relevant and so important to be aware of was a great foundation,” she said.
Henriquez noted that her involvement in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) helped her realize what she was capable of doing.
“I loved the supporting staff and the professors there,” she said. “They saw the potential we had.”
Majid Whitney, the associate dean and director of the Educational Opportunity Fund Programs (EOP), says the organization is meant to give students an opportunity to succeed in college that they may not have had due to financial challenges. He said that the EOP has the highest student retention rate on campus. He said that this, in addition to the program boasting the highest six-year graduation rate on campus, is largely due to student engagement.
“We create a sense of community,” he said. “I think our students feel very closely connected to our program. This is a four-year investment of our time into our students.”
Brittany Setaro, a junior social and behavioral sciences major, explained how being a part of the EOP allowed her to grow in her college career.
“EOP has helped me become a more well-rounded, diligent student,” she said.
Henriquez said that a combination of what she learned in and out of the classroom influences her work today. A number of her projects focus on current social issues for children, such as bullying and friendship.
Henriquez said she is working on marketing a children’s book collection that deals with themes such as gender equality. She said that in a world where people have greater access to information than ever before it is important to reach young people through the power of positive branding.
Julie Trien can be reached at julie.trien@student.shu.edu.
Comments
