For this week’s Campus Celebrity, HCOSU got in touch with alumnae, Heidi Lowry, who graduated from Ohio State in 2003 and has been hard at work ever since. Heidi shares her story of how she got to the career she is at now and her advice to young women.
Name: Heidi Lowry
Hometown: Columbus, OH
Major: Marketing
Job Title & Description: Account Director at Cornerstone; Conceptualize and manage the day-to-day of marketing programs for corporate brands including Converse, Nike, Levi’s and Pepsi
Twitter Handle: @hei_low
HC: What is your favorite Ohio State tradition or memory?
HL: My favorite Ohio State tradition is singing “Carmen Ohio” at the end of every football game with the fans, football team and coaching staff. It means more to me now as an alumnae than when I was a student. My favorite Ohio State memory is the football team winning the National Championship my senior year.
HC: What organizations were you involved with at OSU?
LC: A member of Alpha Xi Delta, where I served as Social Chair and VP of Public Relations, and Panhellenic Association, where I served as Director of Recruitment PR.
HC: Did you have any internships?
HL: I had one internship the summer prior to my senior year. I worked in the marketing and promotions department at CD101, the alternative radio station in Columbus. I assisted the marketing and promotions department with whatever they needed: working various radio station events and concerts in Columbus, writing PSAs [Public Service Announcements] for non-profit partners and helping with general office administration duties.
HC: What was your first job and how did you get it?
HL: My first job out of college was with The FADER magazine as their advertising coordinator. I got that position by sending my résumé to an email from their website which the publisher received, flew to New York City to meet with the publisher and, after lots of pestering, finally landed a job.
HC: How did you start working for Cornerstone?
HL: Cornerstone is the parent company of The FADER so it was an easy transition for me. I was seeing the awesome work Cornerstone was doing while I was at The FADER and knew that was what I wanted to do. I met with my now boss to discuss opportunities and, once a position opened up that was the right fit for me, I made the transition. Fortunately, my boss at The FADER was behind the move and put a good word in for me.
HC: What is a typical day at work like for you?
HL: There is no typical day. I could be on a video or photo shoot, in the recording studio with an artist, setting up for an event, in meetings and on conference calls, traveling or in the office working on marketing proposals and recaps. No two days are the same.
HC: What is the best part of your job?
HL: The best/my favorite part of my job has been the traveling. I’ve been to places I would’ve never been to if it weren’t for work — from Bogota, Colombia to small towns like Manchester, TN and George, WA (yes, that’s real). I got to spend three weeks in London during the Olympics working on a Converse program and my time there will definitely be a highlight of my career.
HC: How was the transition from living in Columbus to living in New York?
HL: The transition from Columbus to New York was pretty easy. I had been to New York a bunch prior to moving here, so knew what to expect. I do miss everyday conveniences like driving, laundry in the apartment and space, but will never regret moving here. There is no place like New York City. Everyone should experience living here at some point in their lives.
HC: What was one mistake you made and what did you learn from it?
HL: I wouldn’t call them mistakes, but two things I wish I would’ve taken advantage of during college are more internships and studying abroad. Try to get as many internships as possible and if you’re able to take part in a study abroad program, do it! If you can’t take part in a study abroad program, travel as much as possible. It’s the best way to learn about different cultures and you’ll never regret traveling.
HC: What advice would you give to young women who are starting to look for internships and jobs?
HL: My advice to young women starting out is to network and be persistent. Work on meeting as many people as possible in your desired field, stay in contact and learn from them. When it comes to getting internships and jobs, be persistent and show your potential boss how badly you want the job.
Photo Source: Heidi Lowry