Students are landing competitive agency jobs prior to graduation with real-world experience that embraces the rapid adoption of AI in marketing communications.
The competition was stiff when Anna Wolfinger '24 applied for a new role at the digital marketing and advertising agency Fathom. But Wolfinger stood out.
After the company narrowed the large field of applicants from dozens of other universities, Wolfinger booked the full-time role as an AI specialist in paid media long before her May graduation from Baldwin Wallace University.
Fathom already knew Wolfinger. She interned last summer in the agency's associate development program as part of the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) department.
"I learned so much that summer in both the SEO field as well as digital marketing overall and how different channels can affect each other and how to drive the most success for clients in each," she recalls.
Wolfinger was also encouraged to gain certifications in "prompt engineering," a new strategy evolving with the rapid adoption of large language model (LLM) artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT.
The experience ignited a new interest in AI for her. Along with two full-time Fathom staffers, Wolfinger helped to present AI recommendations for the entire company in a unique but apropos way.
"Providing the chatbot with meeting notes, [conference] insights, and the goals that Fathom has with using AI to promote the success of their clients, I trained ChatGPT to act as an interviewer and ask the two employees about their experience at this event," Wolfinger explains. "We performed this live during a company-wide meeting, and I was able to explain my process through what I had learned during the certification trainings."
Wolfinger is quick to say that she owes her early career success to her time at BW.
"I was exposed to real-world problems and given all of the tools I needed to succeed," Wolfinger says. "Tim Marshall [director of the BW Digital Marketing Center (DMC)] has been my rock during my four years in terms of knowledge and landing internships that set me up for success."
Marshall returns the admiration. "Anna has stood out since our 'Meet Your Advisor' session her very first week on campus," he recalls. "She has an unbelievable work ethic and never stops learning. With her skills and experience from multiple internships, she's a role model for all students who wish to stand out in the job market while juggling academics, industry experience, a startup, athletics — and everything else that comes with being a successful undergrad."
And juggle Wolfinger did.
During her four years at BW, Wolfinger played women's varsity soccer and participated in the DMC, Sport Management Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Porch United Methodist Student Ministry.
Although an injury took her off the soccer field for her senior season, Wolfinger cherishes her journey as a Yellow Jacket. "My college athletic career has been nothing short of fulfilling and has fueled who I am today. My competitive nature is what has allowed me to keep pushing in school and my career. As any other athlete, I hate losing, and my professional career is no exception."
In addition to other jobs and internships, Wolfinger also leveraged BW Launchnet to create her own digital marketing agency, Golden Spark Solutions, LLC. "Tim [Marshall] even went out of his way to send clients to my business, who I still complete projects for today," she says.
Wolfinger, a Wadsworth, Ohio, native, may be an overachiever, but she's not the only BW digital marketing major finding success at employers like Fathom.
Andrew Blankenburg '23 also interned in the company's associate development program last year and was hired on full time, earning "New Fathomer of the Year" accolades.
Fathom also recently hired senior digital marketing majors John Cuthbert '24 and Zach Ottenweller '24 for the upcoming summer Associate Development Program.
Wolfinger notes, "After going through the ADP interview process [at Fathom], every single interviewer was astonished at the exposure and education that BW provides in the digital marketing field. I was learning how to build paid search campaigns as a freshman!"
