"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." - Albert Schweitzer
Why Marketing and Communications Support?
In high school, I majored in Graphic Design. I always had a fascination with creativity and conveying stories. Writing, designing, and coming up with campaigns seemed incredibly interesting, but I had no idea there was an entire degree program around that. Marketing and Communications Support came on my radar when I heard my friends tell me about it.
What attracted me most to this field was the combination of strategy and creativity. I realized that I not only wanted to inspire people, but also to understand how to reach and persuade target audiences. That insight gave me the push I needed to choose this study.
One particular moment that motivated me was a project in high school in which we had to promote a fictional event. That involved arranging everything ourselves, from designing posters and contacting food trucks to contacting the artists. That process from concept development to presentation gave me a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment that I haven't lost since.
My experiences so far
This past term as an MCS student has been a mix of challenge and growth. The most surprising thing about the program is how broad the field is. From learning to analyze a target audience to designing visual content, each aspect has its own charm. Branding and storytelling, in particular, are components that piqued my interest. The idea that you can bring a brand to life with a good story continues to inspire me.
Working in groups has taught me a lot about communication and cooperation. Consequently, within our group I feel responsible for different tasks, which from my opinion makes me a team leader. One valuable feedback I received was to better structure and substantiate my ideas. I had definitely kept these in the back of my mind, which definitely helped my personal growth.
I am very strong in creative thinking and visual design, but struggle with complex scheduling. By completing and keeping track of my online calendar, I work to create and submit ongoing tasks on time. Creating my portfolio website, which I personally enjoy working on because I can incorporate my strengths in it, has highlighted these qualities and challenges and helped me develop myself further.
My ambitions and goals
I see my future within the program as an opportunity to delve further into branding and content creation. I dream of working at a creative marketing studio like Studio Copain in Kortrijk that also works very hard on mentoring interns and the person behind the employee.
One person I look up to is Ann Handley, a pioneer in content marketing. Her approach to authentic and valuable content has taught me that marketing is more than just selling; it's about connection and trust.
Although I find the idea of entrepreneurship interesting, I see myself working within a company for now. This gives me a chance to learn from experienced professionals and further develop my skills. Still, I don't rule out starting my own creative agency in the future. These days, I am also occasionally designing posters and logos for events within my community. A specific niche that intrigues me is social media strategy. The dynamism and speed of platforms such as Instagram and TikTok offer endless opportunities for innovation, and I am eager to learn more about how brands can effectively use these platforms to reach their target audiences.
