Santiago Leon
Advertising, Advertising, Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations
Class of 2020
How are you using the skills that you learned at Moody in your current position?
I learned so many things during my time at Moody! We learned about so many aspects of the advertising industry that I felt prepared to tackle any problem thrown at me! Of course, once I started my first job I realized that things wouldn't be so easy, but my degree set me up to be a problem solver, great communicator, public speaker, and great at working in teams!
How are you enjoying AP? What do you do there?
Working at AP is great! My typical day involves optimizing and reporting on campaigns for clients, trafficking ads, creating media plans and proposals for our sales team, and communicating with clients and internal teams on upcoming and current campaigns. No day is the same!
Do you have a favorite project at AP?
I was able to be a part of a great campaign for the city of Hiroshima's tourism department to promote the great things the city had to offer. The campaign involved native, social media, and YouTube advertising, the latter of which I had never worked with before. The campaign was a great success and I learned so much throughout!
Why did you pursue a career in advertising?
I started my freshman year as undeclared, and advertising was one of two degrees I couldn't decide between. After taking my first advertising class, I knew that advertising was what I wanted to do. No matter what department of advertising you're in, the work is interesting and ever changing — whether that's because of new trends, new clients, or new people you're working with!
Were you in any student organizations?
I was one of two PR Representatives of the Brackenridge, Roberts, and Prather Residence Hall Council. Together we planned and promoted programs and events for residents to foster community!
How was your degree helpful to your career?
I learned so many things during my time at Moody! We learned about so many aspects of the advertising industry that I felt prepared to tackle any problem thrown at me! Of course, once I started my first job I realized that things wouldn't be so easy, but my degree set me up to be a problem solver, great communicator, public speaker, and great at working in teams!
Never be afraid to ask questions! There are always opportunities to learn.
Can you talk about your career path?
After graduating, I started my first job in October 2020 at a COVID-19 testing startup, Curative! I began as the Marketing Coordinator for the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Northwest, but I eventually was promoted to the role of Marketing Specialist and was in charge of marketing our testing sites in almost every state in the country. This role taught me how to manage multiple projects (and marketing for hundreds of testing sites) under lots of pressure and tight deadlines. I moved to New York City in September 2022 and soon after was laid off from my job at Curative. In December of 2022, I landed my role at The Associated Press! As a self-described news junkie, I was thrilled to start my new role.
What have you learned so far working in the field?
There are days you love and other days you don't, but I've learned how to deal with people from different backgrounds and with different working styles and how to find common ground to achieve our mutual goals.
What advice do you have for #TEXASMoody students?
Never be afraid to ask questions! There are always opportunities to learn. Even if you think you're the first person to ever ask a question, I promise you aren't!
What classes/professors helped the most?
I loved the classes I took with Dr. Lee Ann Kahlor and Dr. Liza Stavchansky-Lewis! They were both amazing, empathetic, and inspiring professors who made me look forward to going to class.
What do you miss most about Moody College?
I miss constantly learning from other students every day and having classes with my friends! It truly felt like a community.