Title: Assistant Professor of Marketing
Department: Business Administration
College: Business
What classes do you teach?
- BA 323 – Marketing Communications
- BA 528 – Promotional Strategy
What do you enjoy most about teaching at Illinois?
Interacting with students from my alma mater! I had a magical experience as an Illinois undergraduate. I learned and grew more than I ever thought possible. It's a joy to be able to "pay it forward" by educating – and hopefully inspiring – some of the nation's brightest students.
Do you have a unique teaching method or project you assign?
I believe students should be confident about how the latest and most innovative frameworks and theories can be used in the real world to deliver superior results. As a result, my students assume the role of consultants for real brands and work throughout the semester to develop Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) campaigns of the highest caliber for brand managers and other stakeholders of actual companies.
Describe your greatest professional accomplishment.
Being the first African American woman to receive a PhD in marketing from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business.
What sparked your interest in your field of study?
My undergraduate and master's degrees from the University of Illinois are in advertising. My first job as an Assistant Buyer for a discount retailer sparked my curiosity about how advertising fit into the larger marketing function for my firm. My experience as a decision maker in this environment fostered an interest in learning more about marketing, and ultimately in pursuing a PhD in this area.
What's your favorite aspect of life at Illinois?
- That I'm able to help others learn and grow in the very environment that fostered these opportunities for me.
- Having season tickets to the Illinois football games!
What book, related to your field, do you recommend reading?
It's hard to choose a single book! My top picks include: 1) The Adaptive Decision Maker by John Payne, Eric Johnson, and James Bettman; 2) Cinderella Dreams: The Allure of the Lavish Wedding by Cele Otnes (Illinois marketing faculty), John Ray Knott, Elizabeth H. Pleck; and 3) Enabling Consumer and Entrepreneurial Literacy in Subsistence Marketplaces: Research-Based Education Across Literacy and Resource Barriers by Madhu Viswanathan (Illinois marketing faculty).
The three provide wonderful cognitive, psychosocial, and sociological takes on consumer behavior in the global marketplace.
Do you have any advice for entering students?
This University is like a playground equipped with all the toys – or resources – you need to have one of the richest experiences of your life (e.g., student organizations, top-notch faculty, a world class library system, tutoring services, and excellent career service support). Do yourself a favor and take advantage of them – be a part of the Illinois community from the start!