Learning from “the Best of the Best” in Marketing

By Kaeleigh Beebe '15, '19G, now an account coordinator at SIGMA Marketing Insights

Being a Nazareth graduate, I wanted to continue my education at the same place I called home for four years. If you didn’t go to Nazareth College before, don’t worry: You will feel right at home with a sense of community that makes the graduate students still feel a part of the campus. I considered a lot of different graduate programs in the area, but this one stood out to me because of all of the local marketing leaders that helped create this program. These are all people who are living and working to make Rochester a better place, and they want to shape the next generation of leaders through this program.

My marketing master’s degree helped give me the skills to get a better job in my field. The most beneficial part of this program for me was the real-world application of what we were learning. The classes are taught by local industry professionals, and you get the chance to work with real clients on projects. This gives you the opportunity to be a part of an agency-like dynamic that teaches you useful skills that you can apply in your career. One of my favorite projects was with Gilda’s Club of Rochester. We were able to help tune up their website and suggest a marketing campaign to help them reach their goals. Being able to work with such a great organization was extremely fulfilling and knowing that I was able to help make a difference during my master’s was the icing on the cake.

The professors truly are the best of the best in Rochester. They want you to learn and grow and are always there, even after graduation, to help you however you need. Lastly, there could not possibly be a better academic advisor for this program than Mark Weber. While applying for new jobs earlier this year, I sought out his guidance on everything during that process and he was always there to give great advice or just listen. In addition to my own perseverance, I credit walking across that stage at graduation to him.

The courses give you the perfect amount of knowledge on different areas like marketing research and strategy, digital marketing, buyer behavior, and much more. My favorite course was Buyer Behavior, taught by a Butler/Till professional. In marketing, you are trying to influence behavior, whether it is to buy a product or support a cause. This course used an amazing text, one that I bought so that I could use in my career after the course was over. It dove deep into all the different ways, also known as Action Spurs, that you as a marketer can change someone’s behavior.

After completing this program, I am able to look back at my experience and know, with confidence, that I made the correct choice to continue my education at Nazareth College.