Advertising 5 | College of Media

Media faculty, students present research at 2025 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication annual conference

August 19, 2025

Faculty and graduate students from the College of Media co-presented various topics of research at the 108th annual conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication on August 7-10, 2025, in San Francisco, California.

This year’s conference theme was “Leading in Times of Momentous Change: Individual and Collective Opportunities.” Presenters included faculty in the Institute of Communications Research, the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising, and the Department of Journalism; and graduate students in ICR’s PhD program and the MS advertising program.

The AEJMC aims to promote the highest possible standards for journalism and mass communication education, to cultivate the widest possible range of communication research, to encourage the implementation of a multi-cultural society in the classroom and curriculum, and to defend and maintain freedom of communication to achieve better professional practice and a better-informed public.

College of Media research presenters and presentations are listed below. (Please see the AEJMC conference program for complete listings and participants.)

2024-25 AEJMC Elected Standing Committee Members

Research

Melita Garza

Publications

Stephanie Craft

Scholar-to-Scholar (Poster) Refereed Research Paper Sessions

Navigating Trust and Authenticity in AI-Generated Advertising Content

“Evaluating Consumer Perceptions of AI-Suggested Brands: Insights from the FCB Grid Framework”

Guolan Yang

Discussant

Jacqueline Hitchon

AI in Advertising: Emotional Appeals, Trust, and the New Creative Frontier

“The Influence of ‘Artificial Intelligence’ as a Persuasive Hook and Persuasion Knowledge on Consumer Evaluations”

Louvins Pierre
Jiayi Wang, MS Advertising student

Perceptions, Persuasion, and Authenticity in AI-Driven Advertising

Louvins Pierre poster presentation at AETMC

“Branding with AI: Investigating How General AI Attitudes Shape Consumer Perceptions and Intentions”

Louvins Pierre

Algorithmic Experiences

“Ephemeral Visibility and Real-Time Monitoring: How Algorithmic Rankings Amplify Fans’ Data Labor for Idols’ Publicity”

Anna Yan Liu, ICR doctoral student

Current News Strategies

“Targeting Against Disinformation: An Experimental Test of Generic and Microtargeted Corrections in Social Media”

Ewa Maslowska

Emerging Technology Diffusion

“Using the Technology Acceptance Model to Understand College Students’ Intentions to Use Mobile Applications to Change Their Behaviors”

Leona Yi-Fan Su

Environmental Communication

“Perceptions of Climate and Diversity Advocacy in Politically Trying Times: Examining Responses to Companies That Abandon, Maintain, or Expand Csa”

Cassandra L.C. Troy

Media Literacy and Information Consumption

“From Knowledge to Intentions: Testing a Model of News Literacy Behaviors”

Stephanie Craft

Refereed Research Paper Sessions

Histories from Inter and Intra-National Perspectives

“From Piñata Factories to the Pandemic: Latino Media Survived with Community Focus”

Melita Garza

Advancement in Crisis Communication and CSR research

“Tell Me More: Curiosity and Engagement with CSR Messaging”

Cassandra L.C. Troy

“AI in Advertising: Collaboration, Creativity, and Consumer Perception”

Moderating/Presiding

Chang-Dae Ham

PFR Panel Sessions

“Unlocking Opportunities: Networking and Mentorship for Graduate Students and EarlyCareer Scholars for your Academic Journey”

Moderating/Presiding

Chang-Dae Ham

Panelists

“The Privacy-Personalization Dilemma: Crafting Ethical Data Strategies in Advertising”

Panelist

Harsh Taneja

Research Panel Sessions

“Developing Research Agendas for Advertising and Visual Communication: Insights from Professionals in an Ever-Changing Media Landscape”

Panelist

Harsh Taneja

“How to Arm Your Students with Just Enough Business Skills to Cover Anything”

Panelist

Melita Garza

Teaching Panel Session

“Ethical Leadership and Journalism Education Amid, Well, Everything”

Panelist

Stephanie Craft

Commission on the Status of Women, AEJMC Council of Affiliates, and Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication, Florida International University

Workshop Session: Women Faculty Moving Forward: Pathways to Success

Panelist

Melita Garza

AEJMC Elected Standing Committee on Research

Research Award Panel Session: James A. Tankard/AEJMC-Knudson Latin-America Prize Book Awards

Discussant

Melita Garza

Award Panel Session: Nafziger-White-Salwen Dissertation Award

Panelist

Cassandra L.C. Troy, runner-up

Washington Media Scholars Foundation Graduate Research Scholarship Winners

“Invisible Persuasion in LLM-Based Recommendation: How Flattery Style and Product Involvement Shape Intention to follow Recommendation and Click-to-Action via Consumer Judgment Confidence”

Seo-Jeong Heo, ICR doctoral student

“What makes generative AI ads persuasive? Regulatory Fit Theory Application”

Boram Cho, MS Advertising student

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Associate professor of advertising Leona Yi-Fan Su selected for 2025-26 Emerging Research Leaders Academy

August 18, 2025

Leona Yi-Fan Su, associate professor of advertising and a faculty affiliate at the Institute of Communications Research, was selected by the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute for the 2025-2026 Emerging Research Leaders Academy.

The ERLA allows mid-career researchers to refine their goals, make connections, and develop skills to strategically lead collaborative, multi-investigator research teams, and pursue center-level or large-scale, collaborative research funding.

Su, who was one of 15 Illinois researchers chosen for this year’s cohort, engages in a range of interdisciplinary and collaborative research projects on science and health issues.

Her key research areas include studies on social norms, humor, incivility, social media, engagement metrics, virtual assistants, big data, machine learning, brand communication, science communication, health communication, and environmental communication.

ERLA candidates are nominated by a dean, department head, or director, and evaluated by a campuswide selection committee. Factors such as their commitment to the program, future leadership potential, and how their participation will benefit their career as well as that of the Illinois research enterprise, are all considered before the final selection is made.

Throughout the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters, ERLA members will engage in reflection and personal assessment, clarify their vision and goals, and develop five-year action plans that they will present at the ERLA graduation in April 2026.

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Penne Heede

Lecturer

Affiliations

Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising

No posts found.

Contact

mheede2@illinois.edu

Gregory Hall lower-level renovation photos

Gregory Hall Room 1 architect rendering overview

July 31, 2025

Thanks to a $2.5M gift from Richard and Leslie Frank in 2024—who endowed the Richard and Leslie Frank Center for Leadership and Innovation in Media in 2020 and enabled the renovation of Richmond Studio—exciting upgrades in the lower level of Gregory Hall began in Spring 2025.

This will result in the creation of a new hybrid/flexible, state-of-the-art classroom (see architectural rendering above), which will open in Spring 2026, and a renovated main corridor, plus updated flooring throughout, including in faculty offices.

See photos depicting the original spaces, the renovation process, and the architectural renderings.

Gregory Hall Lower-Level Corridor

Before Renovations

Substantial work in the lower level of Gregory Hall has not occurred since the 1990s. See photos of the original corridor and a faculty office.

Gregory Hall lower level corridor before renovations
Gregory Hall lower level corridor before renovations
Gregory Hall lower level faculty office before renovations

Renovation Progress

Renovations included painted walls throughout the entire hallway, including the east and west wings, new lighting, and new flooring, including in faculty offices.

Painting primer in the hallways
Painting in the hallways
Lights installed and floor removed
Floor removal process
Floor mitigated, walls painted, lights in, and portals built
Crown molding detail
New floor installed in hallway
New carpet installed in faculty office
Ceiling tiles installed
First day of Fall 2025 classes

Architectural Rendering

The corridor renovations will be complete by the start of Fall 2025. By Spring 2026, new digital signage will be installed in place of bulletin boards that previously lined the walls.

Gregory Hall Room 1

Before Renovations

Rooms 1, 2, and 3 on the east wing were two smaller classrooms and a faculty office.

Gregory Hall Rooms 1, 2, and 3 before renovation
Gregory Hall Room 1 before renovation
Gregory Hall Room 2 faculty office moving out before renovation
Gregory Hall Room 3 before renovation

Renovation Progress

Renovations included knocking down walls to combine Rooms 1, 2, and 3 into a new hybrid/flexible, state-of-the-art classroom.

Gregory Hall Room 1 after demo
Gregory Hall Room 2 after demo
Gregory Hall Room 3 after demo
Gregory Hall Rooms 1, 2, 3 after demo, from hallway
Gregory Hall Rooms 1, 2, 3 after demo
Gregory Hall Rooms 1, 2, 3 after demo, from northwest corner
Gregory Hall Rooms 1, 2, 3, looking south, with the last wall knocked down

Architectural Renderings

By Spring 2026, Room 1 will offer classes by all three departments in the College of Media, supporting activities such as advertising brand consultations, journalism press conferences, and media and cinema studies production, and will enable hybrid teaching and conferencing.

Architectural rendering of the entrance to Gregory Hall Room 1

Architectural rendering of Gregory Hall Room 1

—Photos by Meghan Burnett and Holly Rushakoff. Architectural renderings by Reifsteck Wakefield Fanning.

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Students in Media Entrepreneurship course win ‘Graphic Design USA’ magazine’s 2025 American Digital Design Award

July 23, 2025

Four students in the Spring 2025 ADV 409: Media Entrepreneurship course won 2025 American Digital Design Awards presented by Graphic Design USA magazine.

Alessandra Lopez, Macy Miller, Ben Riseman, and Emmanuel Tinajero, all 2025 graduates in advertising, were seniors at the time of the class.

The students created a comprehensive pitch deck for a new mobile app they conceptualized called Bad St!tch, which lets users share the ways they upcycle their clothes. If another user likes an upcycling idea but doesn’t want to or is unable to do it, they can hire the person who published the idea to do it for them, giving designers a way to showcase their work and potentially acquire customers.

Terry Kasdan, adjunct lecturer in advertising who teaches ADV 409, said the team won the award in the student work category for Bad St!tch’s brand identity and user interface, which they developed in class.

“As much as I still love my ‘day job’ as a digital marketer and agency owner, I have to admit, the hours I spend in class with the amazing students I’m so privileged to teach in the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising and Technology Entrepreneur Center are truly my favorite parts of the week. Nothing beats seeing them transform ideas into real ventures and gain recognition for their creativity and hard work,” said Kasdan.

Their work was published in GDUSA’s 25th annual Digital Design Awards Showcase, alongside entries by Bank of America, Dell, and Marriott International, Inc. Kasdan said more than 13,000 entries across all categories were submitted this year and just 100 winners were chosen.    

See the winning student work.

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The future of AI: In the home, on the battlefield, in space, sports and beyond

Screenshot-News-Gazette-AI-article-with-Michelle-Nelson-1

July 1, 2025 | The News-Gazette

I suspect AI will continue to be used to help political strategists in creating, testing and managing campaigns. This means we’ll probably receive even more personalized ads—I’m hopeful that we, as citizens, are able to know what is AI and what is not, and what is truthful and what is not, so we can make more informed decisions in the voting booth.

Michelle Nelson, Professor and Head of the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising

Ready or not, here it comes—artificial intelligence is everywhere and it’s only going to become more prevalent in the years to come, say those in the know. Michelle Nelson, professor and head of the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising, was one of several University of Illinois faculty who shared future predictions of AI in their area of expertise in this News-Gazette article. Nelson, who offered insights about AI and political advertising, said while artificial intelligence is used in many ways across the advertising industry, humans are still needed in the field.

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Media faculty, students, alumni present research at 2025 International Communication Association conference

June 30, 2025

Faculty, graduate students, and recent alumni from the College of Media co-presented various topics of research at the 75^th annual International Communication Association Conference—the largest academic conference for communication scholars—on June 12-16, 2025, in Denver, Colorado. The ICA aims to advance the scholarly study of human communication by encouraging and facilitating excellence in academic research worldwide.

This year’s conference theme addressed “Disrupting and Consolidating Communication Research.” College of Media presenters included faculty in the Institute of Communications Research and the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising; graduate students in the MS advertising program; and doctoral students in the Institute of Communications Research PhD program.

College of Media research presenters and presentations are listed below in bold. (Please see the ICA conference program for complete listings.)

Angharad Valdivia and Supathida Kulpavaropas

Intersectional Experiences of Oppression and Resistance

Chair: Angharad Valdivia, Professor Emerita, Institute of Communications Research

Making Sense of AI Across the Media Industries: Disrupting Communication Research by Bridging Divides

“Enterprise AI: Hidden Ironies for Creators, Marketers, and Media Scholars”

Mike Yao, Professor of Digital Media, Advertising; Director of the Institute of Communications Research

Playing for a Better Life: Serious Games and Gamification

“The Power of Play: The Effectiveness of Serious Game on Depression Stigma”

Nansong Zhou, ICR student
Donghan Fu, Wuhan U, China
Zikun Liu, Wuhan U, China

Feminist Disruptions: Institutionalizing Gender in Communication Studies

“Intersectional FSD, a Utopia Yet to Be Achieved”

Angharad Valdivia, Professor Emerita, Institute of Communications Research

Media Literacy and Information Environments

“The Effect of Message Fatigue on Visual Attention to, and Elaboration of Mental Health Infographics”

Alice Ji, ICR student
Veranika Paltaratskaya, ICR student
Kevin Wise, Professor of Advertising

Conversations With the Machine (Priming, Tensions, Failure, Impact)

“Competitors or Complements? Examining the Effect of Human-AI Interaction on Human-Human Interaction”

Maggie Zhang, ICR student
Sakshi Bhalla, ICR student

Algorithmic Bias and Transparency

Chair: Yanbo Li, ICR student

“Recommendation Transitions on YouTube”

Yanbo Li, ICR student
Sakshi Bhalla, ICR student
Harsh Taneja, Associate Professor of New and Emerging Media, Advertising

Organizers

Kevin Wise (center) with Chen (Crystal) Chen at left, PhD ’23, ICR; and Yanfang Wu at right, Wise’s former student while at Missouri

Consolidating Communication Research Through Causal Inference

Shuning Lu, U of Maryland
Ewa Maslowska, Associate Professor of Advertising
Harsh Taneja, Associate Professor of New and Emerging Media, Advertising
Nathan Walter, Northwestern U

Information Processing and Health Outcomes

“Debunking COVID-19 Falsehoods: A Test of Three Cognitive Predispositions as Buffers for Partisan Influences”

Wei Wang, U of Wisconsin–Madison
Yihan Danny Jia, Boston U
Maria Grabe, Boston U
Kevin Mudavadi, Indiana U Bloomington
Gillian Paxton, ICR student
Jennifer Hwang, U of California, Los Angeles
Jimmy Ochieng, Indiana U Bloomington

MIAO-nipulating Trust: AI Dialogue, Verification, and Cross-Platform Misinformation

“Comparing Conversational Agents’ and Social Media Posts’ Roles in Correcting Health Misinformation”

Ziyang Gong, iSchool
Junqi Shao, iSchool
Nisa Rahman, ICR student
Leona Yi-Fan Su, Associate Professor of Advertising

Personalization and Privacy

“Shh… Is Algorithm Listening?” How Folk Beliefs and Knowledge Shape Our Coping Mechanisms Against Targeted Ads”

Jiyeon Chang, ICR student
Se Il Park, ICR student
Yujin Lee, ICR student

Language and Social Interaction Research Escalator Session

“The Market of Marriage: Matchmaking and the Reinforcement of Gender and Class Boundaries in China”

Anqi Peng, ICR student

Making Sense of the Machine and the Communication with it

Mike Yao, Harsh Taneja, and ICR students

“The Minds Behind the Prompts: How Mental Models Shape User Interaction with Generative AI”

Weizi Liu (MS ’19, advertising; PhD ’24, iSchool)
Mike Yao, Professor of Digital Media, Advertising; Director of the Institute of Communications Research

“From ‘Ghostly Companions’ to ‘Invisible Mechanisms’: Exploring Lay Representations and Performance Expectations of AI Across Task Contexts”

Jiyeon Chang, ICR student
Mike Yao, Professor of Digital Media, Advertising; Director of the Institute of Communications Research
Weizi Liu (MS ’19, advertising; PhD ’24, iSchool)

Popular Media and Culture Research Escalator Session

“Reclaiming Dignity or Reinforcing Misogyny? A Study of Sigma Male Meme Localization in China”

Weiting Du, ICR student

Promising Student Papers

“Online Ratings in the Social Context: Exploring Consumers’ Critical Data Literacy and Sense-Making of Numeric Information”

Anna Liu, ICR student

Communicating with the Machine: Dynamics and Sophistication

“Testing the Machine-Likeness Hypothesis: How Humans Communicate Like Intelligent Agents”

Hai Liang, Chinese U of Hong Kong, HONG KONG
Longhan Wei, Chinese U of Hong Kong, HONG KONG
Maggie Zhang, ICR student
Jiyuan Qi, Chinese U of Hong Kong, HONG KONG
Anfan Chen, Hong Kong Baptist U, HONG KONG

GATO-lyzing Minds: Digital Advocacy, Social Cues, and Online Persuasion Tactics

“When Humans Anthropomorphize Non-Humans: The Influence of Language Cues and Human Motivation on Anthropomorphism and Persuasion”

WooJin Kim, U of Colorado Boulder
Chang-Dae Ham, Professor of Advertising and Associate Head of Graduate Studies

Advertising and Consumer Behavior

“Does the Phrase ‘Limited Edition’ Embedded in Ad Matter? The Influence of an Advertising Attribute on Consumer’s Choices and Variety-Seeking Behavior”

Supathida Kulpavaropas (PhD ’17, ICR)
Sela Sar, Professor of Advertising
Xiaowei Zhang (MS ’23, advertising)
Qing Ang (MS ’24, advertising)

Virtual Social Processes

Chair: Sela Sar, Professor of Advertising

“What Makes Fake News More Viral? Emotions as Catalyst for Fake News Virality”

Sela Sar, Professor of Advertising
George Anghelcev, Northwestern U
Qing Ang (MS ’24, advertising)
Xiaowei Zhang (MS ’23, advertising)

Critical (Race) Disruptions and Transformations in Dominant Communication Paradigms

“The Tensions Between Internationalizing and Intersectionalities in the ICA”

Angharad Valdivia, Professor Emerita, Institute of Communications Research

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Who is reading Indian newspapers? Here’s why it’s important to know

May 20, 2025 | Scroll.in

News is vital to an informed democracy and newspapers in India remain the most credible news providers. Reinstating a national readership survey is essential—not just for the publishing industry but for the health of India’s public discourse.

Harsh Taneja, Associate Professor of New and Emerging Media in the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising

As a part of an ongoing research project, Harsh Taneja, associate professor of new and emerging media in the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising, recently published an opinion piece in the India news outlet Scroll-in. He focuses on the implications of not counting newspaper readership on advertising markets and the impact on democracy if the most credible providers of news disappear.

The Indian Readership Survey, suspended since 2020, is a crucial measure of public discourse, media habits, and socio-economic trends. “For the print media industry in India and their advertisers, this survey provides crucial insights into readership patterns,” Taneja wrote. “Newspapers need advertisers to stay afloat, and advertisers need readership numbers to justify their spending. Readership surveys make that possible.

“Newspapers play an integral role in civic culture,” Taneja continued. “Being informed empowers people to make more responsible individual and collective decisions. At a time when social media is rife with misinformation, and almost half of India’s internet users use WhatsApp for news, credible sources of information such as newspapers are more important than ever.”

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Alum Murray Kalis wins 2025 College of Media Distinguished Alumni Award

May 21, 2025 | Kelly Youngblood

For his outstanding career accomplishments and generous monetary support of advertising students, Murray Kalis (BS ’61) was recognized by the College of Media with the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award.

Kalis, whose work has taken him across the world and back, heading his own agency, and serving as chair of the largest global network of independent agencies, has experienced some remarkable moments throughout his 50 years (and counting) in advertising.

He’s helped numerous companies build their brands, including United Airlines, Nestle, KFC, Wetzel’s Pretzels, Hormel Foods, and Starbucks Coffee. Most recently, a former client brought him in as a strategic investor for Dave’s Hot Chicken, where he is creating TV and social media advertising that has helped it grow to over 300 restaurants, and just begun international expansion.

In 2020, he established the Murray Kalis Award for Creativity in Advertising to provide monetary gifts to advertising students judged for creative excellence. Students who demonstrate smart positioning, outstanding creative concepts, strong execution, and a “wow” factor receive awards for Best Single Ad, Best Campaign, and Best Portfolio.

“The response to the Award for Creativity in Advertising has been beyond what I anticipated,” Kalis said. “The students are thrilled to express creative ideas. And the questions I get when I teach are insightful, mature, and often surprising.”

“Murray Kalis has charted an exciting career in advertising and shares his wealth of experience, advice, and encouragement with our students,” said Dean Tracy Sulkin. “The College of Media appreciates the time he devotes to our classes—as well as his advocacy of creativity through the award that he established—and we are proud to honor him with the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award.”

Murray Kalis early on his career — Murray Kalis early in his advertising career.

As a student at the University of Illinois, Kalis felt fortunate to be taught by the legendary “Father of Advertising Education” Professor Charles H. Sandage.

“I can picture him to this day. He made an impression on me that still guides my work,” Kalis said. “He discovered advertising could impart its own magic: That a great ad can do more than sell, it can add value to the product itself.”

Kalis said Sandage always approached advertising from a highly philosophical and intellectual way and encouraged critical thinking. “He used a kind of Socratic method [of teaching].”

If students gave an incorrect answer, Sandage had a way of guiding them to the right one.

“He would start asking you questions, and he would lead you to understand, to try to defend your position, and suddenly you realize, ‘Oh, that doesn’t make any sense,’” Kalis said.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree—and thanks to the University of Illinois Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program—Kalis was commissioned as a lieutenant in the United States Army where he put his civilian education in advertising to work in psychological operations.

“I had two years of active duty basically running an ad agency,” he said. “We found illustrators and writers among the draftees, and we would create leaflets to be dropped out of planes.”

Following his military service, a master’s degree in fine arts, and a college teaching position in Iowa, Murray joined ad agency Leo Burnett in Chicago.

There, he quickly rose up from junior copywriter to creative director in an era when the ad industry resembled the glossy, high-profile lifestyles portrayed in the television series Mad Men.

As a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and Emmys judge, Kalis met Mad Men star Jon Hamm at a reception for the cast and producers.

Kalis said they discussed the similarities of the TV show and his real-life experience in advertising, which included “making those pitches, dealing with clients, and having to work your way through three-martini lunches.”

Kalis’s creative career also introduced him to actor Tom Hanks. To prepare for a role as a Chicago advertising executive in the 1986 film Nothing in Common, Hanks followed Kalis around the office to get a feel for his daily routine.

At this point in his career, Kalis says he is mainly working in social media, which is a lot different than when he first started in the business. Then, there were just three television channels that offered an opportunity to advertise.

While media delivery options have changed over the years, Kalis said the purpose of advertising—finding solutions to consumer problems—has remained the same.

“The media changes,” he said, “but people don’t. It’s Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, just like when I was entering Greg Hall for the first time.”

After all these years, Kalis is still full of energy and enthusiasm for the advertising industry.

“I love the biz. I love doing this stuff,” Kalis said. “I love looking at a product and figuring out how to match it with a consumer.”

Above: Murray Kalis was creative director for this Dave’s Hot Chicken ad.

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Kara Yoo

Get to know some of our College of Media students! Kara Yoo is a Class of 2026 advertising major.

How does advertising at the University of Illinois connect you to your interests?
I am very interested in photography and videography because they allow me to capture moments and turn them into memories. I do a lot of photo and video work within the advertising major, and that creative process is something I genuinely enjoy. Right now, I’m taking a copywriting class, but I’ve also taken courses in research and consumer insights, which have shown me how creativity plays a role across all areas of the advertising major. The professors structure projects to be very open-ended, giving students the freedom to incorporate creativity in their own ways. Taking a variety of classes has given me a well-rounded perspective on how I can incorporate creativity into different types of advertising work. The program does a great job of encouraging students to explore creativity across both the analytical and design sides of advertising.

Which advertising course has been your favorite and why?
ADV 284: Consumer Insight was one of my favorite classes because it was the first class in which I really felt like I understood an advertising campaign. We collaborated in groups to develop a campaign for a brand. It was very immersive to go through the process of creating a campaign from start to finish and doing that with a team taught me how important collaboration is for building a successful campaign.

What is your role within the American Advertising Federation?
This year, I am the Chief Executive Officer of AAF Illinois, which requires managing many different operations within the club and delegating roles to make our executive board run smoothly. I started as a general member of the AAF Illinois Hyperlink agency and became the Hyperlink project manager and eventually the Hyperlink president, which prepared me to be successful in the role I have now. In this role, I help coordinate meetings, professional gatherings, social events, and the Mentor-Mentee program. I also take part in various projects like making a video for the organization to show during meetings and events or taking photos for our social media platforms. My work as a CEO keeps me involved with communication and planning within AAF Illinois, while allowing me to create the work I love.

My other role in AAF Illinois is being involved in the National Student Advertising Competition. NSAC is a great agency for people who are interested in advertising and want more hands-on, collaborative experience. The members are split into teams of creatives, media, and plans book. I am part of the video team for our creative group, and work on production and editing.

How have your experiences on campus helped prepare you for your future career?
I am interested in being on the creative side as an art director or creative director. The core classes in advertising showed me the different parts of advertising, which allowed me to explore my niche in creation. Additionally, trying different agencies and having leadership roles in AAF has helped me grow my confidence in my professional abilities. The experiences I have been a part of at this school as an advertising major have shaped the way I communicate with people as a team member and a leader. I see how individuals use their own creativity in collaborative situations, which is a great skill to have for my future. I look forward to using that insight and everything else I have learned at this school in my future.

What advice do you have for incoming Media students?
I started freshman year with an open mind and a willingness to try as many things as I could. My sisters both told me how they regretted not exploring more opportunities their freshman year, so I made it my goal to take advantage of everything that came my way. My openness to new experiences is what led me to AAF, which is currently one of the most important parts of my life.

I really recommend that incoming freshmen not go into their first year with a restrictive plan. Oftentimes, people focus on always having a set plan, but freshman year is the perfect time to “go with the flow” and see where your interests take you. Through exploring different opportunities, I found certain things that I didn’t mesh with, and that’s okay. It’s all about trusting the process and pursuing what you are interested in during that time. This approach gives you an opportunity to get to know yourself and what you want to do with your future.

—Interview by Brooklynn Hubbard, New Voices Intern