Transylvania University alumna Josie Cunningham ’21 has seen first hand how college students can build experience, step by step, and then land a great job after graduation.
Cunningham, who majored in business with a marketing track, got real-world exposure to the field as a work-study student in the school’s Office of Marketing and Communications. “That was helpful for me,” she said, because it gave her an edge when applying for a marketing internship at the Big Ass Fans global headquarters in Lexington — and that led to her current full-time job with the company as an e-commerce administrator.
“I think internships are very valuable,” Cunningham said. “Everyone’s taking the same classes, so I think that’s kind of what sets you apart — your experience, not necessarily a grade you got in a certain class you took.”
She also received career assistance outside the classroom through Transylvania’s Center for Academic and Professional Enrichment, which offered guidance on things like resume writing. CAPE also put Big Ass Fans on her radar.
At the company, she’s involved with posting products and deals on its website and making updates.
Big Ass Fans is one of many Lexington businesses that, along with organizations like nonprofits, can help Transylvania students along their career paths — and secure jobs after college. Most liberal arts colleges don’t have the perks that come with being in such a large urban area.
Cunningham is from Lexington, so she didn’t have to move out of town for college — or to get job experience at Big Ass Fans. “It’s relatively close to where I live, so that’s really nice,” she said.