Made by Me Keeps Growing – And So Do We
What happens when you give first-generation college students the space to learn and tell their stories? You get a powerful and purposeful Made by Me.
What began in 2021 as a part of Think-A-Thon, an annual event where we dedicate our team’s talent to a local nonprofit for 26.2 consecutive hours, Made by Me has become an independent two-day workshop where our team teaches and guides students through branding, marketing and professional development activities. Following the workshop, students have the opportunity to make a self-promotional piece, highlighting how they can use their creative capabilities to change the world and submit it for the chance to win a $1,000 scholarship.
While our team dedicated two days in June to our third Made by Me, the excitement and energy didn’t start on workshop day — it started six months earlier, when a team of seven interns led the charge on Made by Me’s promotional campaign. From flyers around Orlando to 65 posts across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and LinkedIn, as well as three drip email campaigns, a landing page, a registration flow on Eventbrite, custom stickers, and Spanish translations on select assets, our spring intern group worked alongside Thinkers to craft a campaign that reached educators, parents and students, encouraging those who are the first people in their immediate family to go to college to attend the workshop.
The Made by Me Workshop
Both workshop days included interactive modules led by each department: account management, writing, design, web development, social media and video production, and digital marketing. In between, students participated in improv exercises with Bob Kodzis, Chief Creative Catalyst of Flight of Ideas and SAK Comedy Lab Instructor, as well as listened in on the inspiring career panel titled “Making It,” featuring powerhouse leaders La Toya Hodge, Director of Marketing at Smart City Telecom, and Jo Newell, CEO of Monday Strategies.
“It was nice to hear stories similar to mine and comforting to hear success stories and how the obstacles were overcome. It was also nice to meet kind people and hear their stories.”
– Rochelle M.
Across every module, our goal was to offer insight that made sure each student got a deeper understanding of a career in marketing and advertising as well as open the door to what’s possible in life beyond graduation.
Made by Me’s Impact
From 27 signups, 12 students attended, and each of them brought curiosity, creativity and heart. Over two days, they engaged with our team, shared their own journeys, befriended one another, began to shape their visions for the future, and inspired us as much as we inspired them.
After the event, students were invited to submit a creative project for a chance to receive a $1,000 scholarship, answering the question “How do you plan to use your talents and story to change the world?” Four students submitted final pieces, and one was selected to receive the scholarship and have their concept turned into a one-day billboard through our partner, Clear Channel.
Our recipient winner, film student Isabella Gonzalez from the University of Central Florida, leaned on her film background to submit a one-minute video answering the question scholarship piece: “I’m very passionate about using my voice and having my thoughts be known to the world. Vulnerability has been both praised and frowned upon throughout the years, and I plan to use my talents to set the precedent that transparency is what we need in the world of art.”
Though this is our third Made by Me, we’ll never get tired of the energy, openness and creativity each cohort brings. We love seeing the students light up with possibility, share their stories with honesty and laugh with our team as if they’ve known us for years, not hours.
“This was an inspirational and well-thought-out event. Not only did it change the way I thought about how an agency operates, but it gave an amazing perspective from each and every person that makes what they do possible.”
– Ashley G.
The magic wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible generosity of our sponsors and supporters: Bob Kodzis, La Toya Hodge, Jo Newell, Jason Chepenik, Smart City Telecom, Matthias Private Wealth, Lineage Coffee and Jeremiah’s Italian Ice. From sharing their stories to fueling our two days, every contribution made a difference in these students’ lives.
“I absolutely loved the environment Think cultivated. It was a much-appreciated safe space with so much variety and enough attention on each subject.”
– Isabella G.