Are you a DAC alum? We want to know and share what our alumni are doing out in the world with their DAC certificates or DAC degrees. Send us a note (dac-info@uwm.edu) if you’d like to be featured or to nominate a DAC alum to be profiled.
Our next DAC Testimonial comes from Mackenzie Paschke. Mackenzie graduated in 2017 with a double major in DAC and JAMS (concentration in advertising).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpaschke9/
DAC: What’s your title and where do you work?
I am a Marketing Coordinator and Customer Service Representative for Fromm Family Foods.
DAC: Can you describe your job–what are few of the things you do on a day-to-day basis?
My job is three-fold. I work with social media, doing research and coming up with ideas for new things we can be doing. I help the creative team and work on designs, and I also work customer service for our online store.
DAC: Did you imagine that you’d be doing this work when you were in school or recently graduated? How did you know, or what was different than you expected? What has changed, what do you think will remain the same?
I had always hoped I would be doing something like this when I graduated. I always liked having more than one responsibility, more than one task to work on. In my internship before this job, I got to do a lot of different work but I knew that once I got into the professional world, I might have to work on only one area. So this job has made my dreams come true in terms of workload.
DAC: How did DAC prepare you for the work you are doing now, the job market in general, and/or help you land your current position?
DAC has given me experience in multiple fields. I had paired the DAC major with the JAMS major and between the two of them, I had a broad range of skills I could apply towards the advertising field.
DAC: What advice would you give to someone considering a degree or certificate in DAC?
Seek out every opportunity possible. I was fortunate enough to land an incredible internship my senior year. That internship was what I made of it. There were interns that only put in minimum effort and they only got minimum back out of it. I took advantage of every opportunity I could and it allowed me to meet and connect with many professionals as well as get experience doing something I loved. While it’s not all glamorous, I wouldn’t have traded it for anything else.
DAC: What’s something cool you’re involved with?
I am involved with United Adworkers. UA is a local professional group for people in the advertising industry in Milwaukee. The group offers many networking opportunities and chances to do things you might not have before. I urge everyone in the industry and interested in the industry to join it, especially since it’s free for students. http://adworkers.com/