Major: Marketing
Certificate: Project and Supply Chain Analytics
Hometown: Waterford, Pennsylvania
Why she chose Behrend: I loved the beautiful campus, the strong academic programs, and being so close to home.
Why she chose her major: I’ve always been fascinated by the business world, particularly the strategic thinking behind advertising campaigns, why companies position themselves in certain ways, and how these approaches ultimately succeed.
Proudest accomplishment at Behrend: Having my research paper accepted to the European Marketing Academy Conference (EMAC) in Madrid, where I will be traveling to present it. I am conducting this research along with faculty members Dr. Ben Lee and Dr. Amit Agarwal. Our paper examines how a data breach impacts a firm’s marketing capabilities.
Campus involvement: I was involved in the Lion Entertainment Board and the sailing club during my time here at Behrend. I was proud to contribute to our sailing team’s achievement of reaching the semi-finals in Virginia last year. I had never sailed before I joined the club in my freshman year, so this was a huge accomplishment for me.
What you’d be surprised to know about her: I grew up in Alaska, only moving to the Erie area after my family sold everything that we owned and drove around the United States for months. We had originally planned to move back to Alaska once our travels were over but decided to stay in Erie to be closer to family.
Highest priority for the coming years: My top priority is to establish myself in my field while creating lasting memories—after all, I’ll never be in my twenties again.
Advice for first-year students: Make the most of your time here. It goes by fast, so don’t hold yourself back, even if it scares you.
I was proud to contribute to our sailing team’s achievement of reaching the semi-finals in Virginia last year. I had never sailed before I joined the club in my freshman year, so this was a huge accomplishment for me.
—Benita Bowden