Communications + BUsiness Degree
Marketing Strategist
Grounded in real customer experience and a love for clear communication, I’m excited to bring my energy, organization, and work ethic to a creative team.
About me
Hi, I’m Elena! I’m a Chicago native, a senior at Miami University studying Media & Communication with a business minor, and someone who loves turning communication into impact.
My path to this major wasn't a straight line, I started in sociology before realizing media and communications was where I belonged. While my friends in nursing and accounting have strict technical paths, I’ve come to realize that communication is the baseline for all of them. The research and projects I do are designed to influence decisions, and that power to connect is why I love what I do.
Of course, my degree is only half the story. I’ve been working since I was 16. Starting out at Dairy Queen where I eventually became a shift manager running my own floors, and now keeping busy as a server and bartender at Mac & Joe's in Oxford. Working in high-volume hospitality taught me how to think on my feet, handle pressure with a smile, and manage moving parts without dropping the ball.
I’m driven, fiercely organized, and genuinely excited to take my mix of strategic thinking and real-world hustle into my next chapter!
Beyond the Map
My Semester in Florence
In the fall of 2025, I decided to uproot my life and take a chance on something that terrified me. As I waved goodbye to my parents in the security line at the Chicago airport, I tried to imagine how I won’t see either of them for 4 whole months. I reminded myself that this was a chance of a lifetime, 4 months to live in Florence, Italy, 4 months to travel around Europe, and experience something many don’t have the opportunity to. I can confidently say that those 4 months were the most formative and impactful months of my life.
What a Semester Abroad Taught Me About Marketing & Life
Resourcefulness & Budgeting: Funding my own adventures and living expenses and hunting down budget-friendly flights and affordable stays and options across Europe taught me how to maximize resources, plan strategically, and stretch every dollar without sacrificing the experience.
Adapting to the Unknown: I think I underestimated how much of a culture shock I would experience liviing on my own in a different country. It immediately forced me out of my comfort zone, taught me how to communicate past language barriers, and learn how to be independent from the start.
Logistics & Project Management: Pacing out multiple day itineraries, booking all my own travel, and juggling independent logistics felt a lot like running a complex project. It completely built up my organizational stamina and attention to detail.
Global Perspectives in Media: Taking PR and journalism classes abroad stretched my understanding of media far beyond the U.S. market. Seeing firsthand how European campaigns, messaging, and storytelling differ from American strategies completely broadened my creative lens and taught me how brands communicate across cultural lines.
