Aaron Watkins
MBA concentration: Marketing
Background
BS, Business Administration with a concentration in Finance
Worked as an Analyst and a Buyer for Target Corporation and Macy’s, Inc. for four years
Career goals
To pursue a PhD in Marketing with a focus in Services Marketing and Innovation. To research and teach at a prestigious university and to become an expert and authority on innovation within services marketing.
My internship:
This summer I interned at SC Johnson working on the Ziploc Brand. I had a fantastic experience and learned a great deal about CPG marketing and brand management in general as well as some of the challenges facing branded companies with the current economic conditions and the improved quality of private labels. I had three projects that assessed my abilities in three separate areas:
A tidbit about my personal life self that I do not mind sharing
I am from the South Side of Chicago. I am Born to a loving family that emphasized the value and the importance of education. Most of my family members are educators and were always interested in my academic performance. Above all my grandparents taught me the importance of faith and work (Faith without works is dead- James 2:20). From them I learned that anything is possible if I believe that I can achieve it and if I work hard for it. More importantly, they also taught me that I should celebrate my failures as much as my successes because there are lessons to be learned in failures. This is what fuels my passion to chase my dreams without fear of failure, because I know that even if I do not succeed this time, there is a lesson in the failure for me to succeed next time.
Why I chose UNC Kenan-Flagler
I chose to attend UNC Kenan-Flagler because of the culture of the school. I wanted to attend a highly regarded school that emphasized teamwork and community as much as it did academic performance. In my research I found that teamwork and community were two of the core values of UNC Kenan-Flagler. When I visited the school, I saw how helpful everyone was and how genuine the people were. I wanted to go to a school that would challenge me academically but was also open to learn from my experience. I have felt welcomed here from day one. Everyone from admissions to career management to the professors have done whatever is necessary to answer any questions or spend time with me on a subject matter that was difficult for me.
Student life
I am the President of the Sports.Entertainment.Hospitality. Club, VP of Communications for the Alliance of Minority Business Students, and VP of Marketing for Christians@Kenan-Flagler. I have worked closely with many of the Presidents of clubs to develop (or redevelop) logos in an effort to rebrand their clubs. These include: MBASA, Sports.Entertainment.Hospitality. Club, MBA Marketing Club, Christians@Kenan-Flagler, Africa Business Alliance, Marketing Communications Advisory Board, and the Alliance of Minority Business Students. I am also active in the community through the Sports.Entertainment.Hospitality. Club’s community service partnership with 2nd and 7 (www.secondandseven.com), an organization established to “tackle illiteracy” in youth. Our club partners with UNC athletic teams to read to 2nd graders in the Durham and Chapel-Hill communities. Above all, I have been blessed by the relationships I have been able to establish at UNC. Many, if not all, are friendships that will last well beyond our years at UNC Kenan-Flagler. While these names are too many to list here, each of them has helped shape the person I am and the leader that I aspire to be.
My second year as a MBA
The second year of the MBA program has been great. I am taking some interesting classes and learning a great deal. More importantly, I’m building relationships with my professors. Each one has been extremely helpful in my understanding of what is expected of a PhD student at UNC Kenan-Flagler. I have also made an effort to get to know some of my classmates that I did not get to know very well during the first year. Also, the first year class is a talented group of students eager to learn and ready to carry the school forward. Through my leadership in the Sports.Entertainment.Hospitality. Club, I have been able to meet many of them and am excited to see what legacy they will leave at UNC Kenan-Flagler. Lastly, I am taking this year to reflect on the blessing these two years are. I try not to take anything for granted and am very appreciative for this opportunity to attend such a great school and learn among some of the business community’s leaders of tomorrow. It has truly been an honor to attend such a great school with such great people. I will remember these days for the rest of my life.
My UNC Kenan-Flagler and Consortium Network
The Consortium network has been great. Before I stepped foot on campus, Megan Godley ’09 connected with me to give me some advice on preparing for Consortium Orientation Program in Dallas, TX. She was extremely helpful and even though she has now graduated and started her ascension through the ranks at Johnson & Johnson, she still takes time to offer advice and guidance on navigating the second year of the MBA program. That is the type of community that is alive within the Consortium at UNC Kenan-Flagler. We are from several different walks of life and offer several different experiences, but we always make sure that we stay connected and that everyone is okay. At the end of the day, this is the reason why I chose UNC Kenan-Flagler for my MBA.
Background
BS, Business Administration with a concentration in Finance
Worked as an Analyst and a Buyer for Target Corporation and Macy’s, Inc. for four years
Career goals
To pursue a PhD in Marketing with a focus in Services Marketing and Innovation. To research and teach at a prestigious university and to become an expert and authority on innovation within services marketing.
My internship:
This summer I interned at SC Johnson working on the Ziploc Brand. I had a fantastic experience and learned a great deal about CPG marketing and brand management in general as well as some of the challenges facing branded companies with the current economic conditions and the improved quality of private labels. I had three projects that assessed my abilities in three separate areas:
- Creative: I worked closely with the creative agency (Ryan Partnership) to establish a creative brief and 2-page advertisement that will feature Ziploc in the November issue of Weight Watchers Magazine.
- Analytical: I was one of 3 people in the company to be trained on dunnhumby, a database that adds behavioral data to sales data in order to develop a more targeted marketing effort. I utilized this database to identify key opportunities for Ziploc within the Kroger account.
- Strategic: I conducted primary research with a $15M budget to identify an opportunity to target “Young Families” ages 21-39 years old to generate trial and repurchase among these consumers.
A tidbit about my personal life self that I do not mind sharing
I am from the South Side of Chicago. I am Born to a loving family that emphasized the value and the importance of education. Most of my family members are educators and were always interested in my academic performance. Above all my grandparents taught me the importance of faith and work (Faith without works is dead- James 2:20). From them I learned that anything is possible if I believe that I can achieve it and if I work hard for it. More importantly, they also taught me that I should celebrate my failures as much as my successes because there are lessons to be learned in failures. This is what fuels my passion to chase my dreams without fear of failure, because I know that even if I do not succeed this time, there is a lesson in the failure for me to succeed next time.
Why I chose UNC Kenan-Flagler
I chose to attend UNC Kenan-Flagler because of the culture of the school. I wanted to attend a highly regarded school that emphasized teamwork and community as much as it did academic performance. In my research I found that teamwork and community were two of the core values of UNC Kenan-Flagler. When I visited the school, I saw how helpful everyone was and how genuine the people were. I wanted to go to a school that would challenge me academically but was also open to learn from my experience. I have felt welcomed here from day one. Everyone from admissions to career management to the professors have done whatever is necessary to answer any questions or spend time with me on a subject matter that was difficult for me.
Student life
I am the President of the Sports.Entertainment.Hospitality. Club, VP of Communications for the Alliance of Minority Business Students, and VP of Marketing for Christians@Kenan-Flagler. I have worked closely with many of the Presidents of clubs to develop (or redevelop) logos in an effort to rebrand their clubs. These include: MBASA, Sports.Entertainment.Hospitality. Club, MBA Marketing Club, Christians@Kenan-Flagler, Africa Business Alliance, Marketing Communications Advisory Board, and the Alliance of Minority Business Students. I am also active in the community through the Sports.Entertainment.Hospitality. Club’s community service partnership with 2nd and 7 (www.secondandseven.com), an organization established to “tackle illiteracy” in youth. Our club partners with UNC athletic teams to read to 2nd graders in the Durham and Chapel-Hill communities. Above all, I have been blessed by the relationships I have been able to establish at UNC. Many, if not all, are friendships that will last well beyond our years at UNC Kenan-Flagler. While these names are too many to list here, each of them has helped shape the person I am and the leader that I aspire to be.
My second year as a MBA
The second year of the MBA program has been great. I am taking some interesting classes and learning a great deal. More importantly, I’m building relationships with my professors. Each one has been extremely helpful in my understanding of what is expected of a PhD student at UNC Kenan-Flagler. I have also made an effort to get to know some of my classmates that I did not get to know very well during the first year. Also, the first year class is a talented group of students eager to learn and ready to carry the school forward. Through my leadership in the Sports.Entertainment.Hospitality. Club, I have been able to meet many of them and am excited to see what legacy they will leave at UNC Kenan-Flagler. Lastly, I am taking this year to reflect on the blessing these two years are. I try not to take anything for granted and am very appreciative for this opportunity to attend such a great school and learn among some of the business community’s leaders of tomorrow. It has truly been an honor to attend such a great school with such great people. I will remember these days for the rest of my life.
My UNC Kenan-Flagler and Consortium Network
The Consortium network has been great. Before I stepped foot on campus, Megan Godley ’09 connected with me to give me some advice on preparing for Consortium Orientation Program in Dallas, TX. She was extremely helpful and even though she has now graduated and started her ascension through the ranks at Johnson & Johnson, she still takes time to offer advice and guidance on navigating the second year of the MBA program. That is the type of community that is alive within the Consortium at UNC Kenan-Flagler. We are from several different walks of life and offer several different experiences, but we always make sure that we stay connected and that everyone is okay. At the end of the day, this is the reason why I chose UNC Kenan-Flagler for my MBA.