Class of 2025: Nikhil K. Niyogi

Somewhat nervous about navigating campus and wasn’t sure what resources are available to help with academic work such as the Writing Center and STEM Center. I was also worried about meeting people and making friends.

Somebody who is confident and ready for my next adventure. I can advocate for myself, network with different kinds of people, and I’m much more independent.

My favorite internship was when I served as a client services representative for an actual client in my Visual Communication class. My client was McDaniel alum Rob Holt ’09, who wanted to promote his new song “December Rain” on social media platforms such as TikTok and develop his band’s website to attract a larger audience. We were successful at reaching our target of 500-1,000 views in the first two weeks. This project really taught me to go outside my comfort zone, negotiate with the client, and design a professional looking website for the first time. 

I was a marketing and graphic design intern at Common Ground on the Hill, and I actually got to meet some McDaniel alumni at the festival. I also worked as a graphic artist for the Special Olympics of Montgomery County. At the end of my sophomore year, I really enjoyed my experience as a marketing intern at Atlas Performing Arts Center in Washington, D.C., where I developed and launched social media ads for the Intersections Festival. 

One of the most exciting experiences I had was a Jan Term study abroad trip to Italy hosted by Student Accessibility and Support Services, called Italy Unveiled: A Cultural Exploration. I spent a few days in Florence and in Rome. Some day trips that we took included Pisa, where I took a Tuscan food tour and climbed the Leaning Tower; Modena, where I tasted balsamic vinegar; and the medieval town of Viterbo where we tried six types of goat cheese! In Florence, the Uffizi Galleries was a standout experience for an Art minor like me. In Rome, I got to see St. Peter’s Square and the Vatican Museum which I had only seen in movies, and the Colosseum was breathtaking. As a celiac, I was surprised by how many gluten-free options there were at restaurants.

In my Statistics class, which I expected to be very challenging, I realized that I was able to explain concepts to other students who were struggling. This gave me confidence to explore potential careers involving data.

I want to be remembered as somebody who brought a lot of positive energy into all my interactions at McDaniel, whether it was my classes, clubs, friendships, or residences.

Professor Chloe Irla inspired me to be an Art minor and her Graphic Design class really sparked my interest in graphic design as a career option. It also changed my perception of what fonts and designs to use and how to use them effectively to convey meaning. Professor Bob Trader has increased my knowledge and understanding of how marketing and communications go hand in hand. His class allowed me to get some real-world experience working with a client. I have had so many positive interactions with him even after the class was over.

The best class I took at McDaniel was Consumer Behavior. As someone who is interested in marketing, this class really shaped my understanding of people as buyers, and I often find myself applying insights from this class in real life.

I served as the secretary for the Program in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (P.I.E.) Club. A year later, I was the events coordinator for the P.I.E. Club and helped plan what activities to host and what materials would be needed for them. As a member of the American Marketing Association, I participated in marketing-related activities such as fundraisers and learning how to use various software. This year, I was in the McDaniel Yearbook club where I helped to design certain sections of the book and took photos around campus. During my first year, I wrote articles on campus events for the McDaniel Free Press, which really helped me to get to know people around campus and resources for students.

I was surprised to learn that in addition to the Budapest campus, there were so many study abroad opportunities out there that students could apply for in many regions including Europe and Asia.

My favorite spot on campus is probably the Rec Lounge, because that was the place where I would hang out with my friends and play video games on the weekends. From my Saturday nights in the Rec Lounge, I feel like I built a small community of friends to socialize with on weekends.

After taking Marketing and Communication courses at McDaniel, I found that marketing and communication are used everywhere on campus such as flyers advertising upcoming events.

“Company and Industry Analysis of Walt Disney Inc.”

My capstone is about applying my knowledge of business and marketing to conduct a thorough analysis of Disney’s past and current strategy, financial reports, target audience, and future directions. I’m also analyzing Disney’s role in the three industries where it operates, which are entertainment, experiences, and sports.

I’m planning to work and build my career in marketing and communications.

I plan to stay in contact with friends, faculty, and staff who are still at McDaniel. I will also keep up to date with alumni events and look forward to going to Homecoming.

I got an academic scholarship to McDaniel which meant a lot to me, because it reduced the financial burden on my family.