NDSU’s marketing degree program in the College of Business prepares you to thrive in today’s fast-paced marketing landscape.
Through real-world business challenges and industry-relevant coursework, you’ll graduate ready to make an impact in a variety of marketing careers. For NDSU alum Shane Wolf, who graduated in 2017, the program provided hands-on experiences and a strong foundation in strategy, analytics and content creation tools that helped launch a successful career as the social media manager at SCHEELS.
Read more about Wolf’s NDSU experience and his current role at SCHEELS.
What sparked your interest in marketing?
I started at SCHEELS in high school as a cashier and always enjoyed the sporting goods retail space, but I initially had an interest in a behavioral science degree. As I progressed through my first two years of school and continued to work at SCHEELS, I realized that studying marketing allowed me to combine my two interests and I decided to pursue that at the NDSU College of Business.
Describe your role as a social media manager, what does your day-to-day look like?
My role in social media is different every day. Trends and platforms are constantly changing so the consistency in my role really comes from continuing to learn what is new and how our team can be set up for success, whether it is content creation, advertising strategy or reviewing campaign performance.
What aspects of your job do you find the most exciting or rewarding?
I love puzzles. Finding success in a marketing campaign is sometimes like trying to solve a puzzle while all the pieces and the board are moving. But when you find those wins along the way it is the ultimate reward to share with everyone involved.
Are there any courses or projects from your marketing degree that helped you in your current role?
Looking back at my time in my marketing classes, the group projects really stand out because, in my experience, you rarely work alone. From strategizing a plan, to putting that plan into motion, the best successes in marketing come from working as a team.
How did the skills you gained in the program prepare you for working in the fast-paced world of social media?
Even with so many new and exciting opportunities within the industry today, marketing campaign strategy and analytics continue to be the most important skills that help me not just in social media but across all areas of marketing that I get the opportunity to be involved in.
What advice would you give to students considering a marketing degree from NDSU?
If I were to give advice to students considering a marketing degree at the College of Business, it would be to explore all the different marketing careers available today while you are still in school. It will allow you to discover the many exciting opportunities that you can pursue in this field.
Seize your moment by applying today or scheduling a visit.
