D’Andre Young: world-class communicator

Brandeis University junior is building a brand you’re going to know

Photo/Mike Lovett

D’Andre Young ’15

On his semester abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, D’Andre Young ’15 decided on a few career goals: travel, build global brands and communicate across cultures.  

When he returned to campus in January, Young set out to pursue those goals and a career in international strategic communications. Brandeis doesn’t have a communications major but that’s not a problem — Young plans to create his own.

Just add it to his list of projects and accomplishments here at Brandeis. 

Young is a member of the first group of Atlanta Posse Foundation scholars to come to Brandeis. When he arrived, he hit the ground running. He joined WBRS Campus Radio, where he started his own show and was recently appointed news director for the upcoming year. He serves as treasurer of the Brandeis Black Student Organization and helps lead the Men of Color Alliance, where he serves as co-president.  

Young always knew he wanted a career in communications but he didn't know whether it would be journalism, public relations or marketing. At Brandeis, he was able to try all three. 

He explored journalism as a student blogger with Alive Campus. He worked in PR as an intern with the Boston-based Regan Communications. Young even became a communicator for Brandeis, working as a Brandeis Ambassador tour guide. 

Young is also deeply involved in his community, both on campus and off. On campus, he works to give voice to minority students. Off campus, he’s spent past semesters volunteering with Waltham TIPS (Tutoring in Public Schools), where he helped students at John McDevitt Middle School in Waltham. 

“It's important for me to be involved in service because I'm able to help others find their path through life, like people did for me when I was growing up,” Young says. 

Last spring, Young was awarded a LAGRANT Foundation scholarship, a prize that promotes students of color working in the communications field. Young was once again awarded the scholarship this year. The LAGRANT Foundation scholarship helped fund Young’s semester abroad, where he studied strategic communication at the Danish Institute for Study Abroad in Copenhagen.

“DIS gave me a new perspective on what I want to do with my life,” Young says. “I was taught by pioneers such as Cathrine Gyldensted and Torsten Jansen, and I was able to visit with different companies from all over the world, see how these major corporations actually work and really understand what global communications means.”

Young traveled on his own to Prague, Amsterdam, Rome and Barcelona, meeting up with friends and other Brandeis students along the way. 

When he got back to Waltham, he knew what he wanted to do.

“I have always wanted to work in the communications field but now I realize what I like most about the field is branding,” Young says. “I love that idea that you can build a brand that people will know, that people will grow up with.”

Now, Young is working as a PR and marketing intern with the Boston-based Mills PR, where he works with well-known brands such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston. 

Categories: International Affairs, Student Life

Return to the BrandeisNOW homepage