Ivy Jacobs Lustig ’13
What was your major/minor and what year did you graduate?
I majored in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. I graduated in December 2013.
Tell us about your current position. Can you describe a typical day?
I am the Assistant Director of Social Media and Digital Marketing at the UVA Darden School of Business.
In a typical day, I am handling all of the social posting for the main Darden accounts and working with different department and teams to craft a social strategy to ensure we’re propelling the Darden brand and goals. I also work on a variety of projects across digital marketing including the advertising, e-mail marketing, data analysis, etc. No day is ever the same!
How do you think your major/program prepared you for the job you have now?
I feel like my time at UMW gave me the underlying foundation that I needed to succeed in the business world. I had professors that took the time to help me develop skills like speaking to audiences, preparing concise reports, and analyzing data. These are all skills that I’ve had to put to use frequently since graduating.
How did you become interested in your field?
I knew I wanted to have a career in marketing after my Junior year, and digital marketing has been a rapidly growing area in the field so it caught my attention.
What’s the best career advice you have ever received?
Work hard and be nice to people!
Was there a professor, advisor, or fellow student who made an impression on you or helped you when you were at UMW?
Dean Richardson and Professor Strassheim.
Dean Richardson was by far the most influential person on my time at UMW. When I took her Professional Selling class it felt like she was 100% committed to the class and our success. She wanted to propel us to do better, and it really inspired me.
I took one of Professor Strassheim’s marketing classes my Junior year and it’s actually what made me decide I wanted to pursue marketing. He presented the information in such a unique and intriguing way. He used real-world examples to make his points so it was more relatable to us.
What’s your fondest memory of UMW?
Well, I met my husband the first week of my freshman year so that’s definitely my most fond memory! However, just spending time sitting on Ball circle with friends would have to be my second favorite.
Are there any special accomplishments you’ve achieved after college that you would like to share?
I’ve had the honor of speaking before several JMU and UVA business classes about digital marketing and it’s been an amazing way for me to see how much I’ve grown since graduating.
How would your family or friends describe you in seven words or less?
Happy, aspiring, book-nerd, and type A.
What’s the single most important advice you’d like to give to current business students?
If there’s a job out there that you want, even if you don’t think you’re fully qualified, go for it anyways. You could be chosen because of other strong traits you have that make you stand out amongst your competition. Oh and seriously, networking really is the most important thing you can do!
