Landing a job in New York City is a dream for many students and a dream-come-true for class of 2021 advertising alumna Lara Zwiebel. After graduating with the hands-on experience critical to scoring a full-time role, she now serves as a media strategist for Kargo, a mobile-first Ad Tech company.
A quick peek at Zwiebel's LinkedIn shows her dedication to her chosen career path. In addition to earning an Outstanding Advertising Senior Award in 2021, she was awarded Google OMC’s Top Marketer and two other awards for her internship work with the South Carolina State Fair, where she gained three years of experience while still in college. Zwiebel discovered this internship by proactively approaching her very first advertising professor at UofSC.
She recounts her days at the University of South Carolina with pride, explaining that her experiences in the advertising sequence helped her not only stand out in the job search, but also grow quickly in the workplace. New graduates benefit from opportunities the university has to offer, earning an advantage by gaining experience in Google Analytics, programmatic advertising and media planning. She feels particularly sentimental for her professors Linwan Wu and Marcia Purday, who introduced her to the world of advertising technology and media. Her coursework allowed her to work with local and national agencies and brands including R. Hanauer Bow Ties, IBM and Duke’s Mayonnaise.
Along with these in-class experiences, Zwiebel graduated with sorority leadership experience as marketing director of Chi Omega and internships at Jones, McAden & Associates, The Lash Lounge, and TRIM.co on top of her internship with the South Carolina State Fair.
Zwiebel’s experiences at UofSC helped her build a resume of unique and marketable experiences she hopes that future students can take pride in. Her parting advice to students: “A huge part of advertising exists outside of creative agencies, so if designing ads or developing creative campaigns is not your forté, a degree in advertising can still be right for you!”