I remember the first time I saw an advertisement for Chadron State College. I was a freshman sitting in my high school library trying to pass the time during lunch by thumbing through a magazine. I was skimming an article about some sort of recent conservation project when I saw an ad for CSC freshmen scholarships. I didn’t realize how much the magazine advertisement would influence my future, but I do now as I share with you my full circle moment. Now let’s get back to my flashback.

This ad stayed with me throughout my junior and senior years when I was choosing what college I wanted to attend after graduation. I considered many colleges, but what set Chadron State apart from other schools was the scholarship I was offered. This scholarship was the same freshman scholarship highlighted in the magazine I saw more than three years before.

With all of this in mind, why did you choose Chadron State College or why are you considering attending CSC? Was it because of an advertisement you saw or heard? Was it through word of mouth? Either way, this is the power of marketing at work. Fundamentally, marketing is the action or business of promoting and selling products or services, including advertisements. Chadron State College puts out hundreds of print, video, digital, radio, and social media advertisements each year. Did one of them influence your decision to commit to CSC?

The first person I would like to highlight from the College Relation’s office is Marketing Coordinator, Tena Cook. Tena began her career at Chadron State in 1993 as an Admission Representative and became the Director of Admissions in 2003. She became the Marketing Coordinator in 2013. Tena plays a key role in creating and distributing these hundreds of advertisements and I recently learned was one of the people who played a role, along with others in the department, in the print advertisement that influenced me to attend Chadron State.

I now work closely with Tena as a student assistant and occasionally give my perspective on various advertisements created by College Relations. One of the other duties I have as a student assistant is distributing advertisements through our social media platforms. Follow us at @chadronstatecollege. Sorry for the shameless plug.

So, the next time you see an advertisement, consider the people (like Tena and the College Relations’ employees) who helped create, place, and pay for that piece of advertising intended to reach you. My time with College Relations is just one example of a full circle experience I have had at Chadron State. I hope you too will have your full circle experience at CSC whether you are a current or prospective student.