Trang Phan '17
go global.
Trang Phan encouraged everyone to look beyond five years ago. Today, she's still going global
and we get to see how Stockton helped along the way!
Do you remember interviewing for your old Choose profile? Can you describe that experience?
I was an intern for University Relations & Marketing (URM) in 2013. My supervisor at the time asked if I wanted to be a part of this project and I said yes. It was my last [senior] year and I was graduating and applying to different jobs, so I was happy to write out my answers in a questionnaire and to get it done.
Trang Phan (2017)
Why did you choose Stockton?
I chose Stockton mostly because of my sister. She was the first one in the family to go study abroad, and she chose Stockton as her destination. When she visited home, she always told me stories about the university, the campus life as well as the opportunities she got while attending Stockton. After hearing about her experience at Stockton, the excitement was building up in me, so I applied and got accepted.
What does your typical day-to-day look like now? Did you expect it to be like how
it is now when you first graduated?
I’m currently working as an Account Manager at a creative marketing agency in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Every day is different, but I mostly manage and build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders. When I first graduated, I got into experiential and event marketing where I worked with clients to oversee their events and brand activations, but I’m now focusing my efforts on brand strategy and creative content development.
While I've worked with clients from various industries, I now mainly manage and execute
projects for clients within the financial services and assets management areas, including
Fortune 500 companies. I oversee the account activities, offer insights, and champion
my clients' brand positioning throughout the process.
My career shift happened during 2020. Virtual events and meetings made me feel out of it; I enjoyed going to the office and seeing people in person. My current company now offers hybrid schedules, so I usually take the train every other day to go into the office. It really depends on the day and how I’m feeling. I don’t know how I cope with the world now, but I try to do the best that I can.
How her field has changed during COVID-19
What is your next goal? Do you see yourself coming back to the nest or another university
for graduate school?
I’m not sure about getting a higher degree right now. My goal has always been to open
my own business, whether that's a cafe or restaurant. My short, and long, term goal
is to remain financially independent, and I want to travel the world after I retire.
What advice would you give students who are interested in Marketing? Are you open
to mentoring students currently in the program?
1. Find the area in marketing where you feel the most confident. Marketing is broad and can feel overwhelming, so focus your time on that area and develop your skills in that rather than wasting time on an area that you don’t have an interest in learning.
2. Another great piece of advice that I got from my professor at Stockton is to have an informational interview with those who work within the area or industry that you are interested in. That way, you will get the information that you might not be able to find online.
I am happy to provide any insights that I have within marketing to anyone who are interested!
