Disney opens doors

Disney opens doors

Experiences prepare alumnus for future of advertising, service

When Joe Smith traveled to Kentucky in 1999 to pitch an advertising campaign for the Toyota Echo, he had no idea that the National Student Advertising Competition sponsored by the American Advertising Federation would spark the beginning of a successful 20-year career in advertising. Smith’s team came in third place, which marked the highest finish for YSU at that time. 

“What I did then - deciding who does creative, who does the media plan, who does the briefing - is basically the same type of work I’m doing now,” said Smith, senior vice president and account director for BBDO Worldwide, a New York City-based advertising agency with 15,000 people working in 289 agencies across 81 countries. Currently, he is working from the safety of his home due to the coronavirus crisis. His client is a leading energy company in the Fortune 500. 

Under normal circumstances, when Smith attends professional trainings that follow the ads club model, he is still reminded of how well his undergraduate education prepared him for his career.

“Working on a real project helps you understand how an ad agency works, and you can talk about it with smarts that you don’t get if you’re only in the classroom.

Smith expanded his undergraduate “classroom” even more when he began his senior year in Orlando as the first YSU student to intern in the Disney College program.

“It’s funny how much Disney opens doors,” said Smith, adding that it’s the item on his resume that has generated the most conversation with prospective employers.

But professional experience isn’t the only way YSU prepared Smith for his career. He credits the University Scholars Program, now the Honors College, with teaching him the importance of service. Honors students complete at least 60 hours of service each year.

“Having that instilled in me as part of the honors experience is a good thing to carry with you. Doing good matters,” said Smith, who is currently involved with Citymeals on Wheels, an organization that provides meals to 18,000 older homebound New Yorkers.

In fact, it was his own service on the Habitat for Humanity board while a YSU student that helped him secure his first gig in the Big Apple.

“Very few times in your career do you get a job just because you submit an application. You get it because you have some kind of connection,” said Smith, who credits former Habitat board president Bill Farragher for being instrumental in helping Smith land his first professional position.

And in the spirit of helping others, Smith hopes to pay it forward. He is currently mentoring a YSU alumnus who is looking for his first job.