Alexa Wong

Alexa Wong’s post-graduate career aim was simple—create value in the world. A goal directly in line with Questrom’s mission. “I was particularly impressed by the robust focus on social impact,” she says. “I was interested in leading communications programs for a non-profit organization or a company with a significant public service focus, so Questrom was a perfect fit.”

As a part-time student last year, Alexa took classes in marketing social change and negotiation, while she continued to hold down her full-time job as a senior account executive at marketing communications firm. The commitment was well worth it when she discovered she could apply what she learned in class directly to her daily work. “It made me a more aware and conscious employee in terms of my job in an internal setting, how I communicated with my managers and colleagues. It gave me a lot of organizational awareness, and the opportunity to add value to my company and my clients.” The value of the lessons she learned? “Having that knowledge is priceless.”

This past winter, Alexa’s dedication paid off. She achieved her career goal—a position at a well-known company passionate about customers, stakeholders, and social impact. As a project leader on L.L. Bean’s internal creative team, she partners with designers, copywriters, and business owners on brand engagement and special retail projects—combining marketing, strategy and social impact.

“Sometimes they can feel disconnected,” she says of marketing and social impact, “but I’m noticing that the most adaptive and innovative companies and non-profits understand you can’t have one without the other. You can’t have a social impact without marketing, and marketing’s not going to resonate if you don’t have a social impact angle.”

Looking back, Alexa credits her Social Impact MBA experience with helping her achieve her goal. And realizes the flexibility she had with the part-time curriculum was something unique to Questrom. “No matter what your interest is, PEMBA—and Questrom—have it,” she says. “It’s just a matter of navigating it and putting it all together to create your career path.”

“YOU CAN’T HAVE A SOCIAL IMPACT WITHOUT MARKETING, AND MARKETING’S NOT GOING TO RESONATE IF YOU DON’T HAVE A SOCIAL IMPACT ANGLE.”

– Alexa Wong