Start date: <\/strong>Fall 2024
Graduation date: <\/strong>Spring 2026
Current location:<\/strong> Dallas, Texas <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Life before Jenkins<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Work experience:<\/strong> 2 years Although Rylie earned her undergraduate degree in biology, her professional interests had begun to shift toward marketing well before graduation. \u201cEvery role and internship I held during college was connected to marketing,\u201d she said. \u201cBefore my senior year, I realized how much I enjoyed the field and wanted to study it more deeply than my business minor allowed.\u201d That interest led her to apply to NC State\u2019s 2+2 program, which offers conditional acceptance into the MBA program after completing two years of full-time work experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By the time she began the MBA, Rylie knew she wanted to strengthen her foundation in business strategy, consumer behavior and marketing leadership. After her first semester, she added the Master of Management, Marketing Analytics (MMA) after seeing how valuable data could be in making smarter, more consumer-centered marketing decisions. \u201cI saw the MMA as an opportunity to become a more well-rounded marketer who could pair creativity and strategy with analytical rigor,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n NC State has been part of Rylie\u2019s life for the past 10 years. She originally committed to play softball for the university when she was 16, and although she medically retired from the team during her freshman year, she remained deeply involved in the campus community throughout undergrad. \u201cThat same sense of community is what brought me back to NC State,\u201d Rylie said. \u201cI can honestly say it has been even better than I remembered.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n \u201cMy cohort is full of incredibly intelligent, capable and kind individuals. I have made lifelong friends through this program.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n For Rylie, the Jenkins experience has been defined by the people around her. \u201cMy cohort is full of incredibly intelligent, capable and kind individuals,\u201d she said. \u201cI have made lifelong friends through this program.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a full-time dual master\u2019s student and graduate assistant, Rylie\u2019s weeks were full but rewarding. She typically dedicated 30 to 40 hours per week to school, including in-person classes, individual coursework, group projects and client meetings. She also served as a graduate assistant for Stefanie Robinson<\/a>, supporting course sections and research efforts while managing the on-campus Consumer Behavior Lab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI spent about 10 to 15 hours per week managing the lab, grading papers and supporting research,\u201d she said. Her MBA career search was also a regular part of her weekly routine, including meetings with career coaches, interview preparation, job search strategy and networking.<\/p>\n\n\n For Rylie, the best part of Jenkins was the people. \u201cWe are fortunate to learn from faculty and staff who are leaders in their respective fields,\u201d she said. She is especially grateful for the opportunity to learn from Rishika Rishika<\/a> and Donnie Hale<\/a>, two analytics professors who had a meaningful impact on her experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Industry(ies):<\/strong> Fashion Retail
Role: <\/strong>Engagement & Loyalty Coordinator
Field: <\/strong>Consumer Engagement and Insights
Undergraduate education: <\/strong>NC State University, B.A. Biological Science, Business Minor<\/p>\n\n\n\nCareer Goals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why Jenkins? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Daily Life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Rylie](\"https:\/\/ma.poole.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/438\/2026\/06\/RN-peers-1x1-1-1024x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Rylie](\"https:\/\/ma.poole.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/438\/2026\/06\/RN-graduation-1x1-1-1024x1024.jpg\")
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