The university’s marketing program was recently ranked second in the state by Plexuss, an education technology company based in California. Plexuss connects millions of students globally with opportunities and research in higher education, according to their mission statement.

In determining which universities in the state have the best marketing programs, Plexuss used data from the Department of Education to look at key factors such as graduation rates, admissions yield, program popularity and student retention rates. 

Associate Professor of marketing Tarà Lopez, who is responsible for many of the advances in the department during the past few years along with Assistant Professor of marketing April Kemp, shared what makes the marketing program at Southeastern different from others across the state.

“The faculty truly have an interest in student growth and success. Faculty advise every marketing major personally and have meetings with them twice a year. We work closely with each student to help them identify internship and job opportunities to match their strengths,” Lopez said.

One of the main reasons why the program has reached this recognition, according to Lopez, is that the marketing faculty has made a deliberate effort over the past several years to create a curriculum that reflects the current needs of the industry and helps students actively build their skills in those areas while getting hands-on experience.

For Lopez, she said it was very satisfying to see the work the program does being recognized. 

She said, “Being a faculty member in this department is incredibly rewarding, I get to work with wonderful, dedicated colleagues and students who value the opportunities they are given.”

Breanna Dominguez, a sophomore marketing major, said that her experience has been everything she has hoped for, and each class she takes reassures her that she chose the right major.

“The professors are phenomenal. They really go above and beyond for their students, especially the past three semesters. They make sure everyone is on track while also genuinely caring for us,” Dominguez shared.

For incoming students or even current students interested in majoring in marketing, Dominguez encouraged students to go for it.

She said, “There are so many routes you can take with a marketing degree. If it is a thought in your mind, see what it is about. Ask your advisor about the program and research what it has to offer. You will not regret majoring in marketing.”