Written by: Noe Moreno
October 23, 2024
On Tuesday, October 22nd, the Marketing Department hosted a Professionalism in the Digital/Hybrid Workplace panel. The panel consisted of members of our Marketing Department Advisory Board – panelists were:
- Tim Votaw – Founder of Votaw Consulting
- Sheri Ashmore-Austin – CMO/Executive in Residence at Mountaire Farms of Delaware
- Andrea Battaglia – Chief Excellence Officer at Abacus CPAs LLC
- Greg Cole – CMO/Managing Director at Forvis Mazars
- Jeffrey Hendrix – VP of Sales and Marketing at Bimbo Bakeries USA
Students attentively listening to the panel presentation
The panel presentation revolved around the evolving professional expectations in today’s increasingly diverse, digital and dynamic workplace environment. This was a great opportunity to provide students with professional insights into the ever-changing workplace so that they may feel more prepared and know what to potentially expect as they transition from their educational career into the workforce.
Department Head of Marketing Dr. Ismet Anitsal shared a few thoughts, “In today’s rapidly evolving work environment, professionalism in the digital and hybrid workplace has become more important than ever. This panel explored key aspects of digital professionalism, including effective communication, setting boundaries, maintaining accountability, and navigating the nuances of virtual interactions. The panel focused on the best practices for creating a professional online presence, managing remote teams, and ensuring inclusivity and engagement in hybrid settings.”
As Dr. Ismet Anitsal pointed out – it’s vital for students to be knowledgeable in effective communication, setting boundaries, maintaining accountability and how to navigate nuances of virtual interactions; by being informed in these areas, students are going to be better set up for success.
Tyler Burt (Left) and Kendrick Edwards (Right)
The panel had 32 students in attendance, two of which were Marketing Advertising & Promotion student Tyler Burt and Marketing Management student Kendrick Edwards. Both students provided some thoughts and takeaways from their experiences.
Tyler commented on LinkedIn, “The panelists discussed key aspects of digital professionalism, stressing the importance of being intentional in every interaction. The top three topics I’ll take away that were highlighted on were how effective communication is crucial in hybrid environments, setting boundaries supports work-life balance (it’s a give and take), and accountability keeps remote teams engaged. They also emphasized the need to approach virtual interactions with purpose and doing your homework before to maintain professionalism across both digital and in-person spaces. A great insight came from Jeff Hendrix, who shared, “Those who grind it out more, get luckier,” reminding us of the value of persistence and effort and where it can take us in our career”
Kendrick also shared, “It was a fantastic experience listening to diverse perspectives from seasoned professionals on how to succeed in today’s rapidly evolving work environment. I gained valuable information and am grateful to the panelists for taking the time to share their wisdom and invest in us, the next generation of professionals.”
Panelist Sheri Ashmore-Austin sharing insights during the panel
As Tyler and Kendrick further emphasized, there is valuable information that they gained by listening to professionals and having attended the panel. The department highly encourages our students to attend panel presentations – where they’ll not only gain diverse perspectives but also the opportunity to expand their networks and grow connections. As the next generation of professionals, as Kendrick mentioned, taking the time to attend these opportunities is key to building a strong foundation for success. These professionals want to see our students succeed and are more than delighted to be able to provide crucial insights and perspectives about the workplace; this is further highlighted by Jeffrey Hendrix’s comments on LinkedIn.
“Thank you student participants, Dr Anitsal, and fellow panelist Sheri Ashmore-Austin, MBA, MDIV Andrea Battaglia Tim Votaw and Greg Cole. Truly enjoyed this very robust discussion and feedback interaction with this great group of future leaders. Glad to have connected in person today…” – Jeffrey Hendrix
The department thanks all of our panelists for taking the time out of their day to come and speak to our students – your time, insights and willingness to help our students are truly appreciated. Additionally, thank you to all of the students who showed up to the panel and those who engaged by asking some very thoughtful questions making for a great discussion! We hope that everyone in attendance was able to gain some valuable information that’ll help them feel more prepared as they navigate their paths.
As always, Go Bears!