AdClub's industry meeting showcases CSUF alum

AdClub kicked off its second general meeting of the semester with special guest speakers from the advertising industry: two California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) alums. The meeting, which took place on Sept. 13 in the Titan Student Union’s (TSU) Ontiveros, hosted over 65 students to hear from Jason Cary and Alex Rodriguez’s industry experiences to gain insight for their own future career endeavors. 

The first hour of the meeting consisted of peer networking, free food and Executive Board introductions. The AdClub board wasted no time getting to know the students in attendance, moving freely around the room to introduce themselves to every new face they saw. 

Cristian Flores, the club’s programs executive, vocalized that as soon as students line up outside the door, the Executive Board wants the attendees to feel the comfortable and friendly atmosphere exuded by the Board. As the first hour and the student chatter wound down, it was time to begin the second portion of the event: the guest speaker presentations. 

Cary, who graduated in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in advertising, was up to speak first about his journey throughout the advertising industry. Currently, Cary works as an associate creative director at draftLine, an internal creative agency for the brewing company Anheuser-Busch. However, draftLine is not where Cary got his footing within the industry. He started as an art direction intern for Casanova//McCann advertising, working on accounts such as Miller Lite and Chevrolet before becoming promoted to junior art director. In fact, throughout Cary’s entire professional career, he has only stuck to two account topics: beer and cars.

Alum Jason Cary discusses his journey within the advertising industry (Photo credit: Holly Johnson)

“Beer is great, and cars are great,” Cary joked, “but not when mixed together.” 

During the question and answer part of the event, a student asked Cary if he felt boxed in by sticking to only two advertising topics. Cary conceded, offering that that path was how he decided to market himself. He admitted to being passed over for jobs from various advertising companies based on his limited portfolio but jested that if you like what you do, you should stick to it. 

Rodriguez graduated in 2017  with a bachelor’s degree in communications with a concentration in advertising. He followed Cary in speaking and gave insight into his advertising industry experience. Having been with the company since 2017, Rodriguez is the senior product designer at Surfline/Wavetrak, Inc., a platform that provides surfers with accurate and trusted surf reports, forecasts and coastal weather. Before Surfline/Wavetrak, Rodriguez worked as a freelance product designer at Chronaly Inc. and was AdClub’s president from 2016 to 2017. As a result, Rodriguez urged all attendees to join AdClub, stating that they may make lifelong friends within the club community during career exploration. 

Alex Rodriguez, former CSUF AdClub president, advises students to enjoy what they do always  (Photo credit: Holly Johnson)

When asked by a student of Rodriguez’s career journey, he reiterated Cary’s sentiments, saying that you do not always have to know where things will lead, but if you are doing something you enjoy, that is a great place to be. 

As the evening ended, the speakers offered final thoughts and advice for attendees. Cary expressed that career journeys will progress, but it is important never to burn bridges regarding relationships within the industry. 

Further, Cary stated, “People around you don’t know what you want, so you need to speak up for yourself.” 

In the same light, Rodriguez communicated that CSUF professors are there to help students, and using them as a valuable resource is vital.