• Laura Marchoff
  • Laura Marchoff
  • School of Arts and Sciences '19
  • Major(s): Journalism & Media Studies, Political Science
  • Minor(s): Entrepreneurship

Activities: Society of Professional Journalists

What attracted you to Rutgers University and the Honors/Scholars Program?
I was interested in joining the SASHP after discovering that it offered a variety of interesting honors courses, a mentoring experience you really can't get anywhere else, and that after becoming eligible to join, my capstone in Journalism & Media Studies could also qualify for the Honors capstone!

Why did you choose your major and minor?
I attended a specialized high school where I studied directing & producing film. I knew that in college, I also wanted to pursue media production and communications. I chose Political Science because I was interested in studying campaign marketing & lobbying, and I wanted the option to merge that with journalism/media in my career! Later on, I wanted to minor in Entrepreneurship so that I'd gain more knowledge in business basics. I knew in my Junior year that I wanted to go the marketing/PR route, so this minor gave me the edge I needed to get hired for a marketing position.

Tell us a little bit about what you're doing now. What was your first job after Rutgers? Where you do you live? 
After graduating from Rutgers last year, I was hired to work for Criteria for Success, Inc. It is a sales growth, sales training and management consulting firm located near Grand Central, NYC. I worked there during my Senior year as a Marketing & Sales Assistant. When I graduated, I was hired to be a Marketing & Sales Coordinator. Some of my responsibilities include: co-producing our podcast, Let's Talk Sales!, functioning as a PR liaise between bureaus, speaker groups, publications, etc., and Criteria for Success, Inc., producing content (blogs, content offers, eBooks, video/audio), functioning as a key assistant to the innovation & strategy dept., assisting in lead nurturing & marketing automation activities, and much more! I live in Jersey City, NJ, with my fiance, Alex.

What has been your greatest professional and/or personal accomplishment since you graduated Rutgers?
My greatest professional accomplishment since graduating has been booking my CEO for speaking engagements hosted by organizations like Vistage International, the Women President's Organization, and Entrepreneurs' Organization. I've also optimized and streamlined our podcast booking process, booked more high-profile guests, and doubled our monthly episode output + monthly downloads since I started.

Was there a class and/or experience at Rutgers that led you to pursuing your current career?
I really struggled figuring out what I wanted to do in media while I was still in school. Being an Entrepreneurship minor, I really fell in love with RBS and my finance/marketing courses. I took an elective with Professor Mukesh Patel (ICE - Innovation & Creative Entrepreneurship) that really transformed how I thought about my career. It pushed me to develop the skills I needed to go into marketing and now I'm doing what I love!

What three words describe your experience at Rutgers and the Honors/Scholars Program? 
Transformative. Empowering. Encouraging.

How has your Rutgers and Honors education benefited you in your post-Rutgers life?
It has given me the courage and skills to pursue my dream career. I am a first-gen graduate, so immediately after graduating I felt like more doors were opened for me.

What advice do you have for our current SAS Honors Program students?
Take the time in college to work on developing a skill. Don't be afraid to intern early on - I advise everyone to intern their first summer as a college student! It's never too early to seek and gain a fantastic, hands-on opportunity. A lot of small business internships are willing to train you on the job. It's also never too early to grow your LinkedIn network. You'd be surprised how many CEOs, VPs, and other execs are willing to mentor you and answer your burning questions. Remember, you miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take! Always reach out.

For more information about this Honors alum, visit:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauramarchoff/

 

Are you a Rutgers Honors alum? Be featured in an upcoming Honors Alumni Spotlight by completing our online submission form.

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