Designed to support greater diversity and inclusion in marketing, adfellows is a one-of-a-kind fellowship at Verizon. Check out how our fellows are adapting to their roles as part of the 5.0 class.
Designed to support greater diversity and inclusion in marketing, adfellows is a one-of-a-kind fellowship at Verizon. Adfellows is an 8-month program that offers 1 brand and 3 agency rotations in the best companies in the business. Fellows gain valuable real-world experience and mentorship as they kick off their careers.
In August 2021, 27 new fellows embarked on their career journeys as part of our 5.0 adfellows class. We caught up with four of them to check out how they’re doing in their first rotation and what they’re looking forward to during the remainder of the program.
Chase Campbell - Corporate Communications
Chase Campbell begins his day reviewing his meeting calendar and setting priorities. This helps set the stage for his fast-paced days as a Corporate Communications adfellow at Verizon. So far, he has been able to see his ideas come to life, most notably when he contributed to the launch of our Women’s CoLab initiative.
“My manager put me onto the project team a little over a month out before the launch date. Our kick-off live stream event reached over 12,000 people,” Chase said. “With CoLab being such an important initiative, knowing that I contributed to the future of the workplace is super fulfilling.”
Chase talks about his first month in the adfellows program.
Chase’s experience as an adfellow is helping him move toward his goal of working in a creative strategy role, and further down the line, leading a group of remarkable thinkers, creatives and storytellers.
“Chase Campbell, Chief ____ Officer has a nice ring to it. adfellows will help me get there through all of the connections I’ll make and the experience I’m getting,” he said. “I’m taking on roles that I probably wouldn’t have pursued outside of the fellowship, so I’m molding myself into a well-rounded individual.”
Sophia Ortiz - Innovations and Creative Technology
When you’re an adfellow, no two days are exactly the same. Part of the experience is learning the ins and outs of marketing, including the fast-paced and energizing environment.
As an Innovations and Creative Technology fellow for the community, Sophia Ortiz spends her days working on everything from client briefs to creative brainstorming with her team. For her, one of the best parts of her fellowship is getting the opportunity to showcase her creativity.
After just two weeks in her rotation, Sophia was able to take the lead on a project with a new client. It was her first time taking on this kind of responsibility in a real-world agency setting, but she wouldn’t want it any other way.
“One of the best parts is constantly being pushed to think outside of the box. Everyone at the agency, not just in my department, wants to create innovative and unique work for its clients,” she said. “It’s all about pushing the envelope to reach consumers in new, powerful and effective ways.”
“I love connecting with audiences and the adfellows program has allowed me to do that from day one. Before even entering each agency or brand experience, the fellowship program sets us up for success by gearing us with the necessary tools and experiences before entering the industry full-time.”
Sabrya Said - Marketing Consultant
For Sabrya Said, speaking her mind and sharing innovative ideas with her team has been a big part of her first rotation as a Marketing Consultant with Accenture Interactive. Although she was hesitant at first, she saw the benefits immediately after sharing her vision and ideas for a holiday influencer campaign.
During her first rotation, she has learned all about social strategy and execution, which ties into her ultimate career goal — owning a music marketing agency. By the end of her time as an adfellow, Sabrya hopes to not only see her ideas through but also network with those she meets along the way.
Sabrya talks about how the adfellows program helped her find her path in marketing.
“I love the adfellows culture! Being surrounded by like-minded peers and passionate leaders really makes my day.”
Lauren Lewis - Business Leadership
Lauren Lewis always knew she wanted to pursue a career in the marketing and advertising field. Today, she is a Business Leadership adfellow at Momentum Worldwide where she’s been able to grow her career and connect it to her passion for marketing.
In her role, she has tackled hands-on, real-world projects, from leading key initiatives to creating and presenting a client deck. Lauren is looking to gain more strategy experience, so she knew this was the perfect fit.
One of the highlights during her first rotation was meeting the President and CMO of the company, who gave her valuable advice: “He said, ‘Raise your hand for everything, even when you don’t know how to do it. You’ll either succeed or make a mistake and learn for the next time,” Lauren shared. “Ever since then, I have tried to raise my hand for any and every assignment that my team has needed assistance on as I realize it will only enhance my functional knowledge of the position and increase my overall skill set.”
“Verizon cares for its employees and champions diversity and inclusion. The adfellows program alone shows how much the company cares about creating a pipeline for diverse talent interested in marketing and advertising. I have been provided the tools and the resources to be successful in the program and beyond.”
Best of luck to our 5.0 adfellows as they continue moving through their rotations!
Are you interested in moving your career forward in marketing and advertising? Find your path and apply to our next class today. The application deadline for our 6.0 class is 1/15/22.
