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Student Spotlight: Jeffrey Fleming'20

Major: Strategic Marketing, M.S.

Why did you choose Roberts Wesleyan College for your graduate program?

I chose Roberts for my graduate program because the weekly night classes allowed me to manage working full-time while attending grad school. I also had several friends who had completed the same program and gave it high recommendations.

What is the best thing about studying the Master’s of Strategic Marketing?

I just finished my last class and the best thing, throughout the program, was being able to apply course concepts to my professional work at Foodlink.

How will your degree help you grow in your profession?

Studying in this graduate degree program changed my mindset forever. Not only do I have a new view of strategic marketing, but also I have gained a belief in myself in leading teams.

Your favorite course here at Roberts?

My favorite professor also taught my favorite course! Doug Gaudieri’15 (Strategic Marketing) taught Consumer & Audience Behavior. This course was instrumental in learning the ins and outs of our customer’s decision making processes and the course material helped to shape our tactics for the overall marketing plan. It was a very interesting and useful class in terms of guiding the strategy for our final marketing plan.

Share about being part of group work – what was your favorite project in your program and why?

My favorite project was working on the final marketing plan with my teammates Ryann Guglielmo and Adriana Marotta. We all come from different backgrounds of marketing, so it was an opportunity to see how different experiences come together to develop a cohesive plan. This project allowed us to connect and become friends beyond the classroom.

What advice would you give to a new student considering a master’s degree?

If you want to take that next step, and become an expert in your field, go for your master’s degree. It is more than just an item on your resume; you will leave with skills and experiences that will elevate you professionally.

What course has been most influential in your program?

I felt that the final course of the Master’s in Marketing program, Emerging Marketing Theory & Practice, was the most influential. The course polished our final marketing plan and gave our team the confidence we needed to present our plan to the board.

How will this program help you to achieve your professional goals?

One day I hope to be the Chief Marketing Officer for an organization. That said, this program allowed me to “walk the walk” and “talk the talk” of marketing. I am certain that I can effectively leverage my graduate education professionally.

Faculty Feedback:

William H. Todd, Associate Professor of Marketing

Jeff Fleming is an outstanding person who I had the privilege of having in two Master’s in Strategic Marketing classes. I admired and observed his continually growing confidence as he literally absorbed course material which seemed to validate some of what he already had learned through experience but did not yet have the academic foundation of marketing concepts to support his skills and know-how. He was an excellent student because he was interested in knowing the material rather than just completing the courses.

I also found him to be quite serious and dedicated to the things that he cares about. As a class team member, he displayed an ability to step into any situation to bring his best. He demonstrated leadership skills and positive interaction with other students and willingly did more than his share of the work. I also noted that he cares about people in the way he volunteers his time as well as his career at Foodlink as an Events & Marketing Coordinator. His profession is an outward expression of his compassion and empathy for others.

I was impressed enough with Jeff to invite him to speak to my senior undergraduate marketing class about event planning. He communicated in terms students could understand and could get excited about. I was particularly blessed because he displayed significant growth in knowledge, language, and concepts as a result of his academic journey since I had last seen him. He is the kind of person that displays the best that Roberts has to offer (as a graduate student) and I expect that he will continue to experience greater achievements, both in his personal and professional life.

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