BYU MA Takes a Trip to the Bay

PROVO, Utah – Jan 22, 2018 – The BYU Marketing Association aims to help students develop professional relationships that will act as a guide as students map out their future career goals. While the BYU MA holds many on-campus events to accomplish its initiative, it also hosts student trips outside of Provo to enhance each student’s networking experience.

“Students come away from these trips with a better understanding of what it’s really like to work at the companies we visit and whether these companies may be a good career fit for them,” says Mike Neuffer, director of marketing career management. “They also have the opportunity to build helpful connections as they pursue job opportunities.”

Last fall, twenty-four marketing students were selected to accompany Neuffer to Silicon Valley, where they met with executives and BYU alumni at companies such as Google, Visa, and Pinterest. The networking that took place eventually led to job interviews for some of these students at the companies visited.

“My favorite part of the trip was getting to know the BYU alumni at the companies we visited,” says marketing senior Kyle Rutledge. “Networking with alumni is a great resource that students should use when job hunting.”

For Alesa Pettit, the Bay area trip provided her a compass to navigate her professional pathway, a sense of hope and motivation to pursue a marketing career, and a network of new friendships.

“Going to San Francisco gave me a look inside different companies,” says the Highland, Utah, native. “I got to experience the company culture, and I gained a better perspective on what working for these companies would actually be like.”

Mitchell Larson, a marketing junior, echoed his peer’s positive sentiment.

“The BYU MA is valuable because you learn about the different facets of marketing and begin to discover what options are available,” Larson explains. “The trip was awesome because you got to meet BYU alumni working at these cool companies. That was motivating for me to pursue my career goals.”

The BYU MA is just one of thirty-seven clubs that BYU Marriott School of Business offers, each with distinct opportunities for students to enhance their professional development and networks. To view a comprehensive list of clubs and associations available at BYU Marriott, click here.