Learning to Tackle the Real World

by Mackenzie Russo

Mackenzie Russo is a 2014 graduate from Drake University where she studied international business and marketing.

“One of the great things about Drake, and in particular the international business program, are the amazing opportunities I had the chance to be a part of.  My favorite experience in the international business program was the opportunity to work with fellow international business students and the professors as a research assistant.  In this role, I was able to facilitate teaching simulations to help train students and professionals on cultural differences, conduct international research on the definition of sustainability across religions and attend a conference with top academics from across the world.  These experiences allowed me to expand my knowledge of the differences in cultures and carry these ideas over into my internships and eventual job.

During my time at Drake, I had the opportunity to have two internships: one at Meredith Corporation and another at Kemin Industries.  At Meredith, I worked at the Better Homes and Garden Magazine in the marketing department working in social media.  My second internship at Kemin Industries in the Food Technologies marketing department.  Here I got to develop my market research skills by identifying trends in the food industry worldwide, where I even had the opportunity to use my Spanish skills for translation purposes.  The internships were a great opportunity to use what I learned in the classroom and apply it to a real world scenario.

After graduation I began a full-time position at Kemin Industries as a Marketing Coordinator in the Food Technologies division.  In this role I have work with colleagues in Asia, Europe and South America on a daily basis.  My main focus is market research in the food industry, but I also assist with communication efforts for the division on an international scale.  It is always a challenge to figure out how to adapt communications for different parts of the world, but I believe that my experiences in the Drake University international business program have prepared me to tackle these challenges in the real world.  Now if I could only get my body used to this 8:00-5:00 schedule, I’d be good to go.”