Spartan Advertising Club Takes NYC

Earlier this semester, Professor John Delacruz and 17 SJSU students were able to fit in a visit to New York City on a trip organized by the Spartan Advertising Club. The club takes a trip every year, typically lasting 5 days in length. New York City is undeniably a media hotspot, making it the perfect location for learning the industry of advertising. The group spent their days visiting agencies and their evenings enjoying the city’s tourism, with stops at galleries and exhibitions such as "Vida Americana: Mexican Muralists Remake American Art" at the Whitney.

This year they were able to make stops at 5 different agencies, with each offering something new to be experienced: FCB Health, The Working Assembly, Havas Health & You, TBWA, and VanyerMedia. It was a priority to visit a variety of agencies in order to allow students to get a feel for the diversity of the industry.

Students saw it all from a startup with a dozen employees to global agencies occupying plenty of Manhattan real estate. This ensured the full range of the advertising industry was included in the trip. One of the most memorable moments of the trip, according to Delacruz, happened when the group spent time at Havas Health & You. The students were allowed on the production level, which gave them an incredible firsthand look at the development of everything from virtual reality to print.

Aside from an incredible traveling opportunity, this trip was an extraordinary chance for students to network with recruiters, both in person and on LinkedIn. Speaking with media professionals face-to-face offers a more personal and memorable way of establishing connections. Notably, the students were able to meet with a recruiter at Fordham University.

The feedback I get most invariably is "now I know what I want to do with my life."

— Prof. John Delacruz

Board Members Q&A

Tony Wong, Ad Club President

Andrea Perez, Ad Club Board Member