{"id":513295,"date":"2023-03-12T10:26:22","date_gmt":"2023-03-12T14:26:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/magazine\/?p=513295"},"modified":"2023-03-13T16:04:35","modified_gmt":"2023-03-13T20:04:35","slug":"marketing-analytics-grad-student-opens-doors-with-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/magazine\/marketing-analytics-grad-student-opens-doors-with-data\/","title":{"rendered":"Marketing Analytics Grad Student Opens Doors With Data"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Samantha Beavers<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For as long as she can remember, Master of Management, Marketing Analytics (MMA)<\/a> graduate student Kelli Johnson has sought unique opportunities and experiences to learn, grow and gain a competitive edge. Joining Poole College\u2019s MMA program, then, was a no-brainer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs we\u2019re shifting to a more digital world, the landscape of marketing is changing \u2013 and it\u2019s becoming more important for marketers to grasp analytics skills and concepts in order to add value to their profession,\u201d Johnson explains. \u201cWith those changes, I felt that the program was an awesome opportunity to set myself apart.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that mindset, she says, is what drew her to marketing in the first place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding Her Passion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Coming into her undergraduate career at North Carolina Central University, she had a variety of interests \u2013 everything from music to fashion merchandising. After taking a few classes in marketing, though, she was hooked \u2013 and quickly declared a major in business administration with a concentration in marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI fell in love with the curriculum. It really challenged me and forced me to think differently. And I felt that it could open a lot of doors in the future,\u201d Johnson explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While completing her bachelor\u2019s degree at NC Central, Johnson made it a point to seize every opportunity available to her. In addition to serving as student president and ambassador of the business school and vice president of the university\u2019s Spanish club, Johnson participated in the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Leadership Institute and attended South by South Lawn (SXSL), a festival for entrepreneurs and innovators at The White House raising awareness about global climate change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always gone after opportunities to work with people and serve as a positive role model,\u201d Johnson explains. \u201cAnd I\u2019ve always looked for experiences to develop personally and professionally. I\u2019m someone who strives to show excellence in my studies and in my work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early into her career in business, Johnson continued to explore new avenues to grow \u2013 becoming a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., the nation\u2019s oldest Greek-letter organization established by African American women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That passion for seizing opportunities is ultimately what led her to her current role at the Small Business and Technology Development Center\u2019s office at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill \u2013 except there, it\u2019s something she helps others do. As a business counselor, Johnson provides assistance to entrepreneurs \u2013 reviewing their business plans, offering guidance and helping them take advantage of every opportunity to maximize their impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Path to Poole College<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In order to boost her quantitative skills, Johnson simultaneously began taking classes in accounting and statistics at NC State\u2019s Poole College of Management. Along the way, she got wind of the college\u2019s new MMA program \u2013 and naturally, she jumped at the opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since starting the MMA program in January, Johnson has continued to do what she does best: soak up the many opportunities and resources available to her.<\/p>\n\n\n