Jade Sinskul ’20 credits her professors with helping her discover a passion for marketing research. Her internships have provided the experience needed to pursue a career studying consumer behavior.
 

October 17, 2019—Marist students often say that the campus is what seals the deal for them, and Jade Sinskul ’20 is no exception.  She had first heard of Marist through a fellow softball player who attended the College, but she remained neutral until her campus visit. Despite coming from one of the prettiest areas of California (Santa Barbara County), Sinskul was “blown away by the beauty and energy of the Marist campus.” It convinced her to move 3,000 miles east, and she doesn’t regret the decision for a moment. Which is not to say there hasn’t been some adjustment involved, both good and bad.  While she notes that the East Coast’s Mexican food can’t compare with California’s, Sinskul has discovered how good pizza can actually be. “Now when I’m back home and my mom wants to order pizza, I don’t want to.  I’ve been spoiled by the good stuff!”

That type of consumer behavior is exactly what Sinskul enjoys researching as an undergraduate in the School of Management.  Majoring in business administration with a concentration in marketing, Sinskul credits the faculty with being role models, resources, and cheerleaders. “My professors are so caring, and they want to see students succeed,” notes Sinskul. “They also have industry experience, which is so helpful because they often share personal stories from their own careers that I can then take and apply to mine.  They’re really inspirational.”  She particularly admires Assistant Professor of Marketing Halimin Herjanto and Associate Professor of Marketing Elizabeth Purinton-Johnson, whose work on consumer research has guided her own. Says Purinton-Johnson, “Jade is a delightful student.  She has a certain something, a ‘spark,’ which I believe is evidence she will go far.” Herjanto agrees with the assessment: “Jade’s attitude is second to none.” In addition to her major, Sinskul also minors in economics and cinema studies (not surprising given that both of her parents have ties to the entertainment industry). 

Through a series of internships, Sinskul has had ample opportunity to apply her classroom knowledge to the real world. As a marketing intern for a local construction company, for example, she learned the first lesson of marketing: how do you make construction interesting? Through social media, video production, and photography, she developed engaging content for the company and got to know many of the workers on its various building sites. Gaining an understanding of the construction industry informed Sinskul’s work in terms of messaging, and her market research revealed what people were positively responding to, insider intelligence that she was quick to share with her supervisor. Sinskul found the staff members at her internship “so supportive” and the experience “amazing.” 

This past summer, Sinskul completed another internship in the marketing department of Mohonk Mountain House, an all-inclusive resort in New Paltz, which broadened her skill set to include graphic design, website management, and writing blog content.  To say that she made a good impression would be an understatement. According to Lauren Peress, Mohonk’s Director of Marketing, “Jade was amazing–capable and eager to take on whatever projects were thrown her way.  I was impressed by her professionalism and often forgot that she was still an undergrad. Having Jade join our team for the summer restored my faith in the next generation of students entering the workforce!” Adds Ben Fishman, Graphic Designer at Mohonk, “Jade is so smart and proactive: we were in a group meeting once, and someone mentioned how they wished we had more time so we could put together a particular promotional piece; without us having to ask, she found time between projects and created a prototype for our review.”

As a member of Generation Z, Sinskul has had a front-row seat for the way in which companies have had to change their marketing strategy.  Like many in her generation, she describes herself as a “green-friendly consumer.”  She goes on to add that “young people want to see companies doing good socially. They expect it, and they want the companies and brands they’re associated with to be aligned with their values. This results in real customer loyalty.”  She gives the example of LUNA bars donating money to the US women’s soccer team to help address issues of pay inequity. Adds Sinskul, “My professors at Marist have definitely noticed this shift in consumer behavior and priorities, and it plays a big role in our classroom discussions.”

Outside of the classroom, Sinskul has a busy practice and travel schedule with Marist’s softball team, for whom she usually plays catcher. Always dedicated to her studies, she has twice been named to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference’s All-Academic Team. A softball player since age 10, Sinskul says that the sport has had a huge impact on her work ethic and time management skills. “From an early age, I’ve learned that the more effort you put into something, the more you get out of it.” She’ll need to continue that discipline as she finishes up her college career.  In January, Sinskul will take the GMAT in preparation for starting her master’s degree in marketing research or business analytics (she has applied to several schools on both the East and West Coasts). After completing her master’s, she plans to work in industry for a time before going back for her doctorate in consumer behavior. As Sinskul puts it, “The challenge of marketing is getting and retaining the consumer’s attention.  With so much information out there, that’s easier said than done.” However, as someone who managed to make the construction industry interesting, there’s little doubt that she’s up to the task.