Chief marketing officer at a tech company, CEO and then founder of her own company are all future career plans of SCU senior Jessica Sullivan. With a resume stacked with relevant internship experience, leadership positions and volunteer work, Jessica is already on her way to becoming the next female executive at a tech company right here in Silicon Valley.
“I didn’t grow up as a little girl saying, ‘I want to work in tech,’ but I think it’s just a natural flow of being here in the Valley and seeing all the opportunities around us. It’s definitely exciting,” Jessica said as she described what sparked her interest in working in the tech industry. She currently works part time for FireEye, Inc., a cyber security company located in Milpitas. When she finishes her coursework needed to graduate from SCU in four weeks with a degree in Marketing and minor in Spanish Studies, she will begin will begin a new, full time position at the same company.
Being a woman who both works in tech and identifies as a feminist, Jessica has high hopes for the future of women in the industry. She explained that though she does see more opportunities now for women than before, there is still ground to cover and it will depend on an entire cultural shift. Of all the places for this shift to begin, her money is on right here in the Valley. “I think we’ll see that first in this area just because we are innovative and willing to try new things.”
As for getting the most out of her time here, it is safe to say that Jessica has done that and more. In addition to having internships year-round since freshman year and serving as president of the business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi, she worked as a peer adviser in the business school and is part of the Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative (NPI).
Along with 10 other students and a faculty adviser, she helped to pilot NPI, a service initiative in the business school that focuses on getting involved in the businesses and community in a low-income area not far from campus near Washington Elementary School. She has created and maintained close relationships with people in the community, especially the kids. “They’re the kids you want to see do we well because they have the heart and they just don’t have all the resources. We’re trying to help them get the resources,” she said.
Her experience at Santa Clara has been an incredible one, but just four short years ago, she almost chose a different path. “I was signed onto Berkeley up until the very end,” Jessica said as she explained that choosing Santa Clara at the last minute was a decision she is now very happy she made. “The community here is not something you find other places,” she said.
Soon to be an alumna, Jessica is not shy about expressing her gratitude for what Santa Clara and its community has done for her and the well-rounded nature of her education. “I am now a wholehearted believer in educating the mind, heart and spirit.”