A double major in marketing and Chicana/o Studies may sound like a surprising combination, but Nicole Gonzales ’16 knows there is a connection between the two. “The two majors offer tremendously different insights into United States histories,” she said, “but both have offered me ways to positively affect change for a better future.”
When Gonzales began planning her Chicana/o Studies senior capstone project, she put both majors to good use. For her project, she created a comprehensive digital marketing plan for Self Help Graphics & Art, a Chicana/o community-based arts center in Los Angeles. She presented the plan to her peers and faculty in Chicana/o Studies, as well as to the board of Self Help Graphics & Art.
To create the plan, Gonzales first learned about the organization’s work and goals: to raise awareness about their work, and to develop new funding opportunities. Gonzales applied her marketing skills learned in her business courses and her critical analysis and creative skills gained through Chicana/o Studies. Her digital marketing plan for the center incorporated social media and activism into the organization’s marketing program.
Gonzales has also found a company that combines her skills and experience in social justice and marketing at SteelHouse Inc. Gonzales began as a Digital Marketing Intern there last year. Now that she’s graduated, she has accepted an offer for a full-time position at the company.
“With the knowledge and skills acquired at LMU, I am proudly graduating with a signed job offer to my dream company,” Gonzales said. “I leave with the confidence and drive to know that I, as an LMU alumna, can and will affect change for a more positive future.”
