Meet Social Media Marketing Student Maddie Allard

November 20, 2018

Maddie Allard is no stranger to UArts. She came to the Pre-College Program as a high schooler and currently enrolled in the Social Media Marketing Certificate Program. We had the opportunity to catch up with her and hear about her experience with the wide range of programs at UArts.

“UArts has had a huge part in helping me discover who I am and my passions in life.”

 

What UArts Pre-College classes did you take? How did the program inspire/shape you?

I attended Pre-College in 2009 where I took creative writing, screen directing, and [a] performance art class. All had huge impacts on building my future. In screen directing, my Teaching Assistant Lendl Tellington, ended up becoming a mentor of mine throughout my college years. He even hired me for my first internship. My other classes really helped me find my voice. I’m from a small town where being different isn’t very welcome, but I think attending Pre-College helped me realize that there’s a bigger world out there and what people in my high school thought of me didn’t matter. I thank the performance art class and the teacher for that. We began every class walking around yelling “I don’t give a shit what anyone thinks of me” and as a 16 year old that was really life changing.

 

What brought you back to UArts?

I’m always looking for ways to grow my career, so I started searching for social media marketing classes at multiple schools both in Philly and New York. I graduated in 2015 from Temple University with a BA in Advertising. Thanks to internships, freelance gigs, and my current job, I really found direction in social media. I looked at UArts because I have such fond memories of going there and I thought it would be fun to bring my education full-circle.

 

More specifically, what brought you to the UArts Social Media Marketing Program?

I’ve learned so much so far through the Social Media Marketing program. My project management skills were a bit of a hot mess, so Sloan Miller’s weekend-long intensive class about project management was so helpful. Despite teaching some complex methods, his ability to bring it into our everyday lives have given me skills not only for work, but for life too.

 

What skills did you learn/have you learned at UArts that you've taken with you?

I also really enjoyed Melissa Alam’s class. I’m a creative, but when it comes to design I’m still trying to find my voice. She did a great job showing us how to organize ideas and narrow things down to have a cohesive visual brand. It’s really improved how I approach Instagram both personally and professionally. Plus I got a freelance gig out of that class. I’m currently helping Melissa with social media for her Fearless Conference.

 

Do you have any advice for anyone looking to get started in Social Media Marketing?

My advice is to familiarize yourself with the top 3 social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) before diving into the program. Social may seem easy, but everything you do is intentional. So if you’re looking to build your business and/or you have the energy and passion to really pursue it as a career, I definitely recommend it.

 

Maddie is currently a Social Media Coordinator at TravelSafe Insurance. Although she has a Bachelors in Advertising with a focus in Copywriting from Temple University, she’s found her true calling in Social Media. In her free time Maddie is a certified Open Water Scuba Diver and volunteers as a CASA in Berks County.

Instagram: @bad__elyn