Engaged Learning

Why I Love My Major: Marketing

by Claire Jacobs ’21, USF News

Sophia LeTourneau ’22 studies marketing in pursuit of the arts.

Why did you want to be a marketing major?

Going into my first year I knew I wanted to engage my creative side. I had thought I wanted to do management, but after I learned more in my minor, media studies, I decided marketing was the best major to tie in with my media studies.

How did you realize marketing was the right path for you?

I felt like marketing was the right path when I spoke with my multimedia storytelling professor,Mark Taylor. We were chatting about our love for the arts and he asked my major. When I replied “marketing,” he told me he wished he’d pursued marketing when he was in college. I solidified the idea that I could be involved in the arts by learning how to market myself and the work of others.

What would you tell an incoming first-year marketing major?

Keep your options open. You don’t get into your major classes right away as a student in the School of Management, so take into account which topics interest you during those business fundamental classes. Also use your “What If” degree evaluation tool [on MyUSF] and make sure you’re interested in the classes required for your major. Resources like that and your CASA adviser are there to make sure you’re on the right path — use them!

Anything else?

Since high school I’ve been inspired by people who are artistic and performers, but I don't want to be a performer myself. I loved being around the arts and knew I wanted a behind-the-scenes part in it. My advice is to hold on to whatever inspires you and pursue whatever connects with it.