Samantha Loera
Advertising
Class of 2021
How are you using the skills that you learned at Moody in your current role?
I feel like Moody and their advertising program did a great job of helping build up skills that prepared me for a smooth transition into agency life. Some of the skills that I learned that helped in that transition were learning how to work in teams which is a huge part of my job now, in addition to the presentation, communication, networking, and organization skills that I was constantly building in my time at Moody.
Why are you in the advertising field?
Although I'm not a creative, I love working in the creative space and being surrounded by brilliant minds and ideas everyday.
Were you involved in student orgs on campus?
Yes, I was a member and also eventually president of Diversity in Advertising and PR (DA&PR) and a member of the Stan Richards DEI student council.
What advice do you have for #TEXASMoody students?
Don't be afraid to put yourself out there, ask questions, and network. I wouldn't have gotten the opportunities I did if I didn't do those things.
What do you miss most about Moody College?
I really miss being able to sit and study around the Moody buildings. It was my favorite part of campus.
Don't be afraid to put yourself out there, ask questions, and network. I wouldn't have gotten the opportunities I did if I didn't do those things.
Can you talk about your career path?
Some of the highlights in my career journey included starting out as a marketing intern for the University Co-op. That was my first real internship in my field and that I feel opened up a lot more opportunities. After my time at the Co-op, I applied and got accepted into UTNY where I was able to land my first agency internship at TBWA Worldwide as a diversity intern after meeting the CEO at one of the school's DEI student council's Lunch n' Learns. While at my Spring 2020 semester doing UTNY, I also learned I got accepted into the summer MAIP program as a project management intern for Digitas Boston. However, as we all know 2020 didn't go as planned. I ended up going back to Texas mid-semester, finishing my internship at TBWA fully remote, and learned that my Digitas summer internship had been cancelled. That left my senior year pretty quiet while the world was learning how to adapt to this new reality. I ended up taking another remote internship with MAIP at Argonaut out of SF the summer after my graduation because I felt like I still needed some more experience in what I thought I would end up going into, which was account management. Through this internship I was able to make a connection with a strategist who had interned at GSD&M and she kindly connected me with their HR dept. They happened to have a New Business Manager role open and asked if I would interview for it after reviewing my background. Although I was never exposed to new business and had a completely different idea of what I thought I would be doing, I took the offer and I honestly think it was one of the best decisions I've made. I love what I do now and am still excited everyday to learn more and see where my journey takes me next.
What classes/professors helped the most?
Professor Kahlor was one of the best professors I had. She truly cares about her students and did what she could to help them succeed.
IG/Twitter handle/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-loera/