You may have seen him at Dorm Wars, a Mental Notes concert, or a SigEp party, or maybe you’ve enjoyed some of the Red Bull events he’s put on. You may just know him as the Red Bull guy or Jay. Either way, he’s made his presence known through his many involvements on campus and his exciting and fun association with Red Bull. Here’s a closer insight into the Red Bull guy, Jay Levin-Gleba!
Name: Jay Levin-Gleba
Year: Senior
Major: Public Health Studies
Hometown: Buffalo, NY
Campus Activities: Sigma Phi Epsilon, JHU Mental Notes
What is a fun or unique fact about you?
I hate most sweet food and especially hate frosting. It’s the worst thing I’ve ever tasted. For my 18th birthday I got a sushi platter instead of a cake.
What is something you would tell pre-Freshmen year you?
Don’t sleep through Calc. Yes you do need to do the homework to get a good grade. There’s a lot more I’d say… but I don’t think that guy would listen, haha.
Tell us about your job with Red Bull?
I’m the Red Bull Student Brand Manager for Johns Hopkins, which means I’m responsible for a lot of activities, events, and marketing activities on and around campus. A lot of companies hire Campus Reps who basically hand out free product or flyers or stuff like that, but Red Bull really brings their SBMs onboard as an integral part of their market’s field marketing team – I’ve been involved with event planning, cross-marketing initiatives, tracking media, sales and distribution planning as an SBM. Last summer I was offered a more competitive Brand Marketing internship in New York, which was a marketing strategy position. I’ll keep it short by saying interns at Red Bull do not run coffee, and are given some pretty challenging and important projects.
What’s the funniest thing you’ve done because of your job?
I saw the first indoor BASE jump at the Gaylord in DC, I’ve been to Red Bull Flugtag in two different cities (if you don’t know, look on YouTube… trust me), I went to several Red Bull Music Academy and Red Bull Sound Select concerts in NYC last summer, met Tim Cahill, went ocean kayaking in Virginia Beach for kickoff meetings, the list goes on. All of those things were fun, but I guess not funny. The funniest thing I’ve done because of my job was probably being homeless for a week in New York! It’s not really related to Red Bull, but my summer sublet didn’t start until a week after my first day. I did a lot of couch surfing, “visiting” friends (but actually using their showers), and one night I was even getting ready to stay out the entire night, but was saved by a friend who said his doorman could let me into his place even though he was out of town.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
I don’t think any college seniors really know what they want to do with their lives, or at least very few. My 10-year goal right now is to be a Brand Manager at a large Consumer Packaged Goods company.
What has been your most rewarding Hopkins experience?
It’s hard to pick just one but I think being Staff Recruitment and Move-In Chair the summer between my sophomore and junior years is up there. I spent that summer planning for 1,600 freshmen (the class of 2016) to arrive and move into the residences. For a rising junior it was a great quasi-professional experience where you deal with scheduling volunteers (more than 400 of them), logistics, and a not a small amount of talking to helicopter moms.
Favorite thing you’ve done in college so far?
Chunder Buckets: Fall 2013 Open B Intramural Soccer Champs.
Stupidest thing you’ve done in college so far?
A lot of things come to mind from freshman and early sophomore year but nothing in particular stands out. Learn by doing.
Favorite way to unwind?
I don’t have much unwinding time, especially this semester, but when I do, I like to take my motorcycle up to the area around Loch Raven Reservoir and sometimes the Maryland-Pennsylvania border. There are a lot of good roads around there, and riding a motorcycle is kind of like my Zen time.
Motto or piece of advice you try to live by or favorite quote?
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…” -Dr. Seuss