Business Program

Featured Alumni

Alumni Spotlight

Emily Chou, Class of 2024

Major: Business Major, Concentration/Specialization in Marketing

Current job title & company: Marketing Leadership Development Program I, Customer Retention Marketing Strategy at CVS Health

Q: What brought you to the Brandeis Business Program?
A: When I first came to Brandeis, I didn't know what I wanted to do, so I explored a number of courses. When I took BUS6a and BUS10a, I loved the variety of soft and hard skills that were emphasized and developed, and knew that this program was unique and would support me in achieving the career that I wanted.

Q: What was your favorite Brandeis business class and/or professor?
A: Business Communication (BUS47a) with Erin Vicente - there was so much passion and vibrancy integrated with the meaningful learning in that class, and it played a huge role in building my confidence with public speaking and presenting - which are both skills that are integral to my day to day at work. I'm genuinely very grateful that that course challenged me to step out of my comfort zone and learn how to navigate speaking in front of others - the exposure it gave me allowed me to give myself a voice in presentations and meetings throughout my internships as well as my current full-time role at CVS.

Q: How did the Brandeis Business Program help prepare you for your current job?
A: The business program helped me develop a well-rounded skill set and mindset - there was never just one path or "right way" - I was encouraged to explore different areas that I'm interested in, figure out what I'm passionate about, and how to intertwine that with the rest of my life and identity. I was able to pursue graduate courses based on topics that I'm interested in, attend and plan events for students that furthered our knowledge, and work with experienced professors who shared their knowledge and wisdom. This emphasis on developing in multiple areas, as well as focusing on different forms of growth, has helped prepare me for the diverse tasks and projects that I'm responsible for at my job.

Q: Where was your favorite study spot on campus?
A: Third floor of the Mandel Center for the Humanities, or late night at IBS! Super comfortable and quiet spots to study with friends.

Q: What energizes you about your career?
A: What energizes me is the ability to be creative, as well as analytical and data-driven at the same time. I love that I am encouraged to think outside of the box and develop new strategies, campaigns, and initiatives that resonate with audiences and consumers like myself. Marketing is all about relationship-building to me - it's another form of building community and trust, and understanding the psychology behind why people behave the way that they do.

Q: What is the career highlight that you are most proud of?
A: My CVS capstone project (a final project for the Marketing Interns that we worked on throughout the summer) was focused on reaching and impacting historically underrepresented and marginalized communities by connecting them to CVS health resources to get their flu shots. Because of the way that these communities have been mistreated by the healthcare industry in the past, it's important to pursue initiatives that create genuine trust and understanding, and let them know that they are cared for and heard. My team worked on developing campaigns and partnering with community affairs on outreach opportunities that would help protect individuals from these communities from the flu during peak seasons. I'm most proud of this because - what makes marketing so significant to me is my ability to communicate with audiences and make a difference - and this was a project that was deeply meaningful and impactful. I felt like I was genuinely making a change in peoples' lives and helping build community and change.

Q: What is the best career advice you've heard?
A: .Find ways to bring your authentic self into your career. It's important to be professional and act appropriately based on your environment, but make sure you learn how to stay true to yourself and let your personality and values shine through as well. If you feel like you are constantly playing a role, it can get exhausting.

Q: What advice would you give to current Business Program students?
A: Don't compare yourself and your journey to anyone else! In this day and age where everyone is posting their wins on LinkedIn and/or seems to be able to juggle a million things, keep in mind that you don't know what is happening behind the scenes, and the path to success looks different for everyone. It's super important to push yourself out of your comfort zone, challenge yourself, and be ambitious, but your health and well-being is the foundation. Taking care of yourself is the first and most important part of building a good and healthy career! You wont fall behind if you take a day off, as long as you keep on pushing and working hard. 

Make sure you research and use your resources! Even as a Business UDR and someone who worked at Hiatt, I was constantly discovering resources and tools that Brandeis provides, like virtual internships, work experience programs, travel grants, and more!

Previously Featured Alumni