Fordham University organized and hosted its inaugural Marketing Careers Conference on March 13 at the Lincoln Center campus. The conference, which was designed exclusively for students majoring or minoring in marketing, provided an opportunity for students to learn, connect and explore various career paths in the marketing industry.
According to the marketing team, over 200 attendees from Fordham’s Lincoln Center and Rose Hill campuses in attendance — including walk-in students who did not initially register for the event. Moreover, 85 industry professionals were in attendance, including companies such as Kodak Alaris, Meta and BNY Mellon. A panel of 18 Fordham marketing faculty members was also present to showcase their support for their students.
The event was organized by a team of marketing professionals. This team includes Mohammad Nejad, associate professor of marketing who serves as the marketing area chair at the Gabelli School of Business (GSB), along with Genevieve E. O’Connor, associate professor of marketing, and lecturer Aniko DeLaney. The program co-director, adjunct professor Linda Luca, also played an integral role in planning this event, as well as the marketing students and volunteers.
“This event was an opportunity for students to network but also learn about the different disciplines within marketing itself, with professionals in advertising to sales, to media management, since marketing is integral to any business,” O’Connor said.
The conference opened with professionals sharing their recent experiences and professional insights with marketing students, including representatives from the New York Times, Accenture, Lafayette 148 and Mindshare.
Each speaker provided insights into their respective companies, highlighting the importance of creating value for their customers. Although the speakers hailed from diverse backgrounds, they were united by their shared passion for marketing. As students pursue their marketing degrees, they learn how to leverage marketing to build brands, grow companies and create visually appealing experiences for consumers and clients.
During each presentation, the speakers emphasized the importance of curiosity and the ability to see beyond what others may overlook. They advised their students not to wait for problems to arise but instead to seek insights and develop innovative ways to enhance a brand. The speakers also discussed the cruciality of listening to consumers and remaining open-minded about changing trends and societal needs. Additionally, they stressed the value of a proactive attitude and the ability to create emotional and compelling stories to attract and retain customers.
“This event was an opportunity for students to network but also learn about the different disciplines within marketing itself.” Genevieve E. O’Connor, associate professor of marketing
Bill Kohler, the regional manager at Kodak Alaris, said that he believes events such as the marketing conference offer a chance for students to expand their marketing knowledge outside of the classroom.
“This conference goes beyond just networking since the students get a great feeling of what it is like in the real world,” Kohler said.
Throughout the conference, the marketing team developed a unique opportunity for students to experience real-life scenarios in multiple rounds of 60-second elevator pitch reviews meant to simulate meeting industry experts on the go. These rapid rounds allow students to prepare what they would say to an industry professional at their dream company. The scenario involves meeting an industry expert from your dream company, where you have 60 seconds to introduce yourself and capture their interest. With any luck, by the time the elevator reaches its destination, you will have secured a follow-up interview or a business card.
“During the 60-second pitch, an industry professional related to us as students and how he was once in our position,” Sidney Howlett, Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center ’25 and marketing major, said. “He guided us and mentioned critiques and ways to improve our pitch so we can be prepared in the future.”
“We want our students to succeed.”Mohammad Nejad, associate professor of marketing and GSB marketing chair
The interactive experience expanded to encourage student participation by allowing them to sign up for table competitions where they can design a table that matches the company’s brand. Each table represents a different company.
As a special nod to St. Patrick’s Day, which was on March 17, students and conference attendees were given gold coins to place into pots labeled with each company’s table. Winners who received prizes and recognition for having the most coins in their pot were announced at the end of the conference. Henkel was crowned first place and Go Locker earned second place.
Several marketing students dedicated their time to volunteer at the conference; among them was Madison Jackson, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’26, who majors in psychology with a minor in marketing. Jackson shared that volunteering directly allowed them to showcase their knowledge of the company they were representing concisely and knowledgeably.
“Volunteering at the Marketing Career Fair gave ample opportunities for us as students to test our creativity and grab people’s attention,” Jackson said.
Following the panel of speakers, the marketing team provided a professional headshot for students to use on LinkedIn or other sites, helping them kickstart their job search.
Nejad highlighted that he aimed for this event to provide students with guidance for long-term success and support them in building careers that span 30 to 40 years or more in the field of marketing. He also added that he intends to connect students with industry professionals to set them on the right path as they pursue their career goals well before graduation.
“I’m hoping events like this conference will broaden their perspective in terms of what marketing is, and how it goes beyond just putting together an advertising or a sales job,” Nejad said. “We want our students to succeed.”