Master’s in Marketing: Avery Fowler, Texas A&M (Mays)

Student Name: Avery Fowler

Graduate Business School: Texas A&M University Mays Business School

Describe Yourself In 15 Words: Passionate about listening, learning, and helping people become the truest version of themselves. 

Master’s Graduation Class: 2020

Undergraduate School and Major: Texas A&M University, Accounting and Business.

Current Employer and Job Title: Accenture, Strategy & Consulting Analyst.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I have been able to help people whose lives, homes, and jobs have been affected by both natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic. The past year has affected people in so many unimaginable ways, and I am so grateful I have been given the opportunity to help others.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as a graduate student: I was able to get plugged into my business school beyond the master’s program. I invested time into meeting with undergraduate students, participated in extracurriculars, and maintained personal relationships. 

What was the key factor that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? The Aggie Network! This is an idea that everyone talks a lot about, but is something I really experienced while looking for a full-time job. Alumni of my master’s program were the ones who looked out for me, referred me to their companies, and walked me through the interview processes. I cannot express my thankfulness enough to the Aggie Network, and more specifically, the Mays Business School Master’s in Marketing program. 

What led you to choose a Master’s in Marketing over an MBA? I had already received an undergraduate degree in business, so I thought an MBA would not be as beneficial to my career as it is a more generalized degree. The Master’s in Marketing program allowed me the opportunity to take a deep dive and specialize in a specific area I found interesting during my undergraduate time.

What has been your favorite course and how has it helped you in your career? My favorite course was the Mays Business Fellows Program. This program was open to both undergraduates and graduates at Texas A&M, so I had the opportunity to meet people both in various stages of their college career outside of the business school. This course taught me about developing a highly functional team, communicating with others the way they need to be communicated with, and the importance of active reflection at every stage of my career.

What role did your school play in helping you to land your first job out of the program? Both the Aggie Network and the classes for my master’s program helped me land my first job. Texas A&M Alumni sought me out and discussed their company’s interview process. I was able to bring the knowledge I learned from my master’s classes into interviews to show the company how I could apply my educational background to benefit them. 

How did your classmates enhance the value of your business school experience? I was able to work with classmates who had vastly different educational and geographical backgrounds during my time as a graduate student. We were able to use our differences as strengths in our projects and produce creative, all-encompassing solutions.  

Who was your favorite faculty member and how did this person enrich your learning? I have two faculty members that come to mind. The first is Dr. Stephen McDaniel, and the second is General John Van Alstyne. Both faculty members continually reminded me that the most purposeful work lies at the intersection of passion, talent, and opportunity.  

What is your best advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s graduate Master’s program? While your GPA and test scores are important, don’t forget to show your personality in the application process. The letters of reference and interview are a great opportunity for you to paint a picture for the admissions team of who you are and what you can bring to the program beyond your transcript.

What was your best memory from your Master’s program? My favorite memory was getting to work with a real client in our Marketing Consulting class. We were able to work day-to-day to produce deliverables that could potentially help their business in the future. So many business classes work through business cases, but having the ability to work with an actual client allowed for so much learning and knowledge that I could not have gained otherwise.

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