Creating student jobs and university growth- Study Abroad

Aiden McLain Start Date: Mar 13, 2024 - End Date: May 22, 2024
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Professional Development
  • Study/Degree Abroad
  • Sweden
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • Estonia

My Travel Story

by: Aiden McLain Start Date: Mar 13, 2024 - End Date: May 22, 2024
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Professional Development
  • Study/Degree Abroad
Hey!!! My name is Aiden, and I am a Senior Marketing student and videographer at Mississippi State University. Upcoming, I have the chance to create effective change in my community through a group-collective passion project. To help explain what I mean, I want to tell you my story and explain the nature behind some of the good that I can create with a little help.

Growing up in a small town throughout my life, I always wanted to see more of the world. When I got to college, I discovered that I wanted to chase a travel career and eventually centered around Travel Marketing. In my studies, I fell in love with the lessons of my curriculum, leading me to look for ways to learn more about it on campus.

In my search, I found that outside of our Study Abroad department, there were few involvement systems on campus for students passionate about career development in travel. Following this discovery, I then thought of other students that could have faced the same issue. Knowing I could make a difference for myself and others with similar interests, I founded the non-profit student organization, Careers & Lifestyle Abroad, with a few specific goals in mind: connecting students to travel-based internships and jobs for professional experience, developing and growing cultural organizations on campus, and educating students on international job/tourism ethics and cultures. In seeing the organization help others, I experienced how quickly that students could make effective change when coming together, and it led me to want to help other organizations in the way I knew how: connectivity.

From seeing the challenge that organizations and departments face in growing a digital presence, my peers and I launched the Content Marketing Connection Initiative to help these campus structures increase their outreach online. With the goals of reforming how the university strategizes their organization/department content approach and introducting new student marketing jobs to campus, we've fought vigorously to help close the gap of digital media stagnation for cultural groups, college departments, and students with their own passions. With vocal support from the Entreprenurship Center, The Department of Marketing/Quantitative Analysis/Business Law, the Center of Student Activities, and over 100 different student organizations, we have a chance to truly create uplifting change in our setting. With my experience in the travel side of the Initiative, I began talks with this Study Abroad trip to kickstart the program on their end.

My mission for this trip is to work with the participants, leaders, and others involved in the program "The Brands of Scandinavia", to create a large quantity of professional, authenic material that will show this experience of the international business and branding world through the eyes of the traveling students. In doing so, the program leaders, students, connectors, and the digital world will have a chance to see how creative media can represent ideals with the emotion of true passion.

With only 3 videos permitted above, I decided to make concepts with stock and my own footage to show just a small portion of what I can create in just a couple of hours. Even with these short concepts, the process to completion takes time, but I love the challenge of it. To me, the creation is not work. Getting to see the overwhelming emotion it can provide others, the way it can shape a tendency for positivity, and the creativity it can help flourish, I've always enjoyed the journey of bringing ideas to life.

With much love for this initiative, we have worked hard to make this a possibility, and were able to have finalization talks this month. In being able to help in both the US and in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Estonia, I'll get the chance to create a lasting effect for others with an inspiration to chase their passions and help others. Since I am taking the trip as a participant instead of for credit, I am able to fundraise past program deadlines and will coordinate with the hosts along the way. If I can make change in this program and the others we're fighting for, I can be a part of the precedent to help the everyday person trying to build their idea into something truly special. I'll just need a little help along the way. As a way to give back for donations, I would love to communicate with and provide any videos or photos of request from each donor!

Thank you!
  • Sweden
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • Estonia

Updates

1

  • Study Abroad Title

    Study Abroad Title
    We'll be visiting many different brands and places along the way in Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and Denmark!

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