Eli Skinner, ’24 Master of Marketing: Redefining Career Success with a Diverse Skillset
Friday, November 22, 2024
Program
'24 Master of Marketing
Hometown
Saint Louis Park, MN
Fun Fact About Yourself
Lived and taught on Tall Ships America member vessels for several seasons after undergrad.
Undergraduate School and Major
Carleton College, Environmental Studies
Most Recent Employer and Job Title
Split Rock Studios, Project Manager
Meet the Carlson School community and learn about the experiences and career connections we offer.
What was your initial reason or motivation for pursuing a Master of Marketing?
I'd never even considered business school until a coffee conversation with a colleague's partner, a producer at a local agency. I'd maxed out my growth opportunities in science and technology museums at the time and was looking for a more stable career direction. Building my business skills felt like the missing piece of the puzzle. I'd already been engaging with marketing concepts in my program management, program evaluation, and exhibit testing work but hadn't had the vocabulary to identify them as marketing because my view of the field was very narrow. Continuing to network with local creative industry professionals helped me determine that grad school could be a viable career move.
Why did you choose the Carlson School?
I chose the Carlson School of Management because I've put down roots in the Twin Cities and wanted to take advantage of how well-connected and respected the school is locally. I initially learned about the Master of Marketing program through a personal connection with a professor and felt like my decision to attend was well-informed. Coming from a nonprofit background, the "business as a force for good" philosophy was very important to me. I was also drawn by the fact that I could complete the program in 9 months since I didn't want to spend too long out of the job market. Between the Carlson School scholarship I received and the cost of living savings versus a two-year program, tuition and fees were an attainable cost.
What was your most valuable Carlson School experience?
My most valuable experience was actually culture shock. The business world had felt very foreign to me and sometimes conflicted with my own values. Learning about the philosophies and approaches that business leaders employ helped me understand decisions I'd seen made in my past roles. It has also helped me build more effective relationships with people across different roles in organizations.
Consulting for Winnebago Industries through Brand Enterprise was also an incredibly valuable real-world consulting experience. I'm still so proud of my team, the quality of work we did for our client, and how much we learned in the process.
Building out and credentialing my business skills, especially through quantitative courses and Brand Enterprise, grew my confidence when applying to mid-career leadership positions.
How has your Carlson School experience helped you change your career path and get to where you are?
Building out and credentialing my business skills, especially through quantitative courses and Brand Enterprise, grew my confidence when applying to mid-career leadership positions. Grad school also provided dedicated time, space, and support to figure out next steps and what I'd enjoy long-term. While I was prepared to change industries and go into market research or to a creative agency, I actually ended up returning to the museum world as a project manager. I feel much more confident managing business relationships with my exhibit design/build clients, who are usually leaders in their organizations, because of my experience at the Carlson School.
What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Carlson’s Master of Marketing program?
- Apply to an earlier round in the admissions process if you can.
- Curiosity and collaboration are key. The program has a lot of group work, often on problems without a clear-cut answer!
- The program is what you make of it and people come in from all sorts of backgrounds. Don't feel pressured to conform to a certain narrative of why you want to attend—a wide range of views and experiences actively improves the cohort.