Written by Noe Moreno
nm3664s@missouristate.edu
On November 6th, 2023, the Advertising Club from the Missouri State University (MSU) Marketing Department hosted its first marketing panel, “Unlocking The Power of Social Media: A Marketing Panel”, a panel for students to meet local leaders and learn more about the era of Social and Digital Marketing. Pictured above, listed left to right are Dr. Jamie Grigsby, Alyssa Andrews, Lexi Weatherford, Madison Yohn, Emily Falbe, and Dr. Ismet Anitsal. Dr. Grigsby is an assistant professor of marketing and faculty advisor for the AD Club. Under the guidance of Dr. Grigsby and support of Dr. Anitsal, Marketing Department Head, Advertising Club organized a wonderful panel. The panel consisted of:
- Alyssa Andrews, the Chief Operations Officer for Lexx Connect
- Lexi Weatherford, Founder and Social Media Manager of Lexx Connect
- Madison Yohn, the Content Coordinator for the Springfield, Missouri, Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Emily Falbe, Marketing Lead in the professional services industry
[Dr. Grigsby with Missouri State students waiting for the panel to begin]
Diving into our panel – numerous topics were discussed, ranging from work-life balance tips, communication and boundaries, AI usage, and much more! These topics are some of the most important to be discussed today. For example, as we continue to advance and live in an era with heavy social media influence on our daily lives – getting tips on how to manage your work-life balance on social media, on or off the clock, is very beneficial – as maintaining that balance can be tricky. And, another example, discussing AI usage is very important in social media nowadays – especially with the rise of systems such as ChatGPT. Using software, like ChatGPT, can raise questions concerning security, plagiarism, credibility, and more. So, it is very important that topics like these are being talked about and shared with our students as they learn to maneuver through the real world; and can feel prepared and equipped with the knowledge to succeed.
Furthermore, we got the unique experience to hear from one of very own students, whom is also a local leader, Lexi Weatherford. Lexi Weatherford, a Fashion Merchandising and Marketing major student at MSU, founded her own company Lexx Connect in January 2022 – coming up soon will be their two-year founding celebration! Lexx Connect, is a marketing agency that provides a variety of services which include social media management, content creation, branding, and more! An agency that is committed to supporting and elevating your business! Lexi is proof that with hard work you can accomplish your dreams and do it all, truly an inspiring student. Reflecting on her experience having been a panelist – Lexi would like to share,
“I genuinely hope the students took away valuable insights from our discussion during the Marketing panel, information they can use to fuel their passion and set them up for success as they step into their future careers. It’s all about inspiring and empowering the next generation in their marketing journey! Reflecting on my journey, I wish I would have had access to a panel of marketing professionals in my early years. This was just a great opportunity and experience for all in the room!”
Now, as mentioned earlier, this panel was the first to be held by the Marketing Department AD Club, and we are greatly pleased with the turnout of students in attendance. We anticipate that future panels will have greater turnouts and growing student involvement. Furthermore, Emily Falbe shared a quote with us reflecting on her experience getting to be a panelist,
“It was an absolute honor being invited to come back to speak to a school that gave me the tools I needed to start my career. I was so inspired seeing so many students passionate about the marketing field.”
This shows that even one of our panelists is extremely pleased with the great turnout of students.
[Alyssa Andrews answering a question as students listen in]
The Marketing Department would like to extend its gratitude to our panelists for taking the time out of their day to come and speak to our students. Presenting our students with opportunities to connect with local community members, and gain knowledge to further enhance their skills and abilities is one of our top priorities – and so we thank our panelists for making these events possible. Adding on to our appreciativeness of being able to host events and panels that provide our students with opportunities to learn more – Alyssa Andrews shares with us,
“Real-world experiences that breathe life into the classroom and really spark student interest are hard to come by these days. But the recent Marketing Panel was a refreshing change of pace that hit the mark. By getting students involved and helping them grasp the industry they’re aiming for, the panel showed what’s possible when learning goes beyond textbooks. I’m glad I had the chance to be a part of it, and I hope there are many more like it for MSU students down the road.”
Madison Yohn also commented,
“I’m super stoked to have spoken with you all. I’m glad that there are so many students passionate about marketing still and if you all keep asking great questions and continue to seek out knowledge, you all are going to leave a great legacy for Missouri State. Even after the fact nearly every student from the panel has added me on LinkedIn and it shows you all are serious about making connections. It was also great to get connected with the other panelists and learn about different aspects of marketing that even I was unfamiliar with.”
At the Marketing Department we can assure students that we will continue to do our best – to offer chances to get involved in numerous different ways, taking their learning beyond textbooks. Additionally, knowing our students are taking the initiative to build connections, reach out, and build their network – showing their passion for marketing – is something that the department takes great pride in. We can’t wait to see our students succeed as they make their mark throughout their future endeavors!
Go Bears!