From MA Degree to Digital Marketing Professional and Creative Entrepreneur
The Work Seminar Podcast Interview (Sept 21, 2022)
Going into college I always knew I wanted to major in art but I wasn’t exactly sure where that path would take me. Focusing more on gaining skills rather then sticking to one set path, while at Virginia Tech I intentionally used every resources available to me to not only pursue my creative interests but also to gain skills that I know would be transferable to other industries as well.
After graduating with a BA in art history, a BFA in studio art, a minor in business leadership and my Masters in Material Culture and Public Humanities with a focus in exhibition design, I moved to Raleigh eager to jump into the professional work. Now years later, my professional journey has been a winding path but in hind sight it all makes perfect sense.
In this interview with The Work Seminar Podcast, Jesse and I talk about my career pivot after my a fine arts education (BA, BFA, MA from Virginia Tech) to become a digital marketing professional and creative entrepreneur. We talk about life's unexpected turns, what I have learned along the way, thoughts and advice for finding enjoyable work, and the role work currently plays in my life.
Ep. 33: Jackie Sanders - MA in Material Culture & Public Humanities Turned Digital Marketer & Visual Arts Entrepreneur
Jackie held down six (six!) part-time jobs after grad school. But a couple years into her first full-time gig, her art and career hit a lull.
That’s when she started devoting her commute time to learning everything she could about digital marketing. In relatively short order, she secured a full-time marketing position at a small agency. And she started focusing on her art in the early mornings, soon joining a shared studio space where she could better create and showcase her abstract and geometric art.
Now she helps fellow artists hone their craft and balance their practice with the Level Up Artists podcast and her online course, all while flourishing as a marketer.
By focusing on processes she could incorporate into her life — and not abiding by the unwritten rules of how artists and scholars should live and work — Jackie has found a day job that informs her artwork, and vice versa.
Listen Now!
The Work Seminar Podcast
Conversations about doing work differently after grad school.
The Work Seminar is the podcast for people with liberal arts advanced degrees considering work outside their fields of study. Join me for unscripted conversations with MAs, MFAs, PhDs, and the like who made the leap to adjacent or (seemingly) unrelated work after grad school. You'll hear about life's unexpected turns, what guests have learned along the way, their thoughts and advice for finding enjoyable work, and work's role in their lives.
Learn more about The Work Seminar podcast here.
Podcast Host: Jesse Butts