Alumni Written Interviews

Emily Cain

We often have to jump right into the deep end to expand our own network of opportunities. That was what Emily Cain (Fox ‘11) did, coming right out of the Fox Honors program at Temple. Her experiences in the advertising industry allotted for fast paced environments and quick thinking. You may have even seen some of her high profile work: billboards in Times Square, national TV advertising, and sports sponsorships in Philadelphia, Boston, and Miami. She even had the responsibility to take on these projects at such a young age, only in her 20s:

“I think people like me kind of get an adrenaline rush out of deadlines and last minute requests. But the biggest payoff is seeing the impactful work, knowing that millions and millions of other people are viewing it as well.”

Being young and new to a whole industry definitely presented a learning curve for Emily. She had to manage others older than her all while leading comprehensive advertising campaigns, but this adversity only made her a more refined professional having developed the confidence to voice opinions, leadership abilities, and listening - all crucial skills, especially in Emily’s line of work. She was quick to note that many of her foundations came from the Center for Student Professional Development (CSPD) at Temple along with the close knit Fox Honors program:

“I was in a community of just like minded people and it truly just helped me acquaint myself with the business world. There were different areas of opportunity to learn from some just fantastic professors and professionals in the area.”

She also recognized Professor Mary Conran in helping her navigate professional opportunities and being a mentor figure during her time at Fox. Beyond providing valuable insight in her marketing classes, Professor Conran most notably assisted Emily with her first job offer at Tierney and guided her through accepting the position.

Since her days as an Associate Media Director Tierney, Emily faced a career shift leading her to a Senior Associate position at Capital One. She describes her project timelines and visibility dependent on the pace of industry. While Tierney presented quick client solutions, Capital One is more long-term strategy based. Emily helped drive the first targeted multichannel campaign at the company, a huge undertaking which showcases how opportunities present themselves when sparing no effort in her career.

Even though she is working full time at Capital One, Emily still has time to take care of her twin boys, born right before the start of the lockdown. Her greatest current accomplishment is managing her work-life balance during a pandemic; she has never had to take a backseat. 

“I'd say half of my co-workers have their kids on zoom with them so it's also just really nice to see that I work for a company that really foster's that kind of environment- a little plug for how great Capital One is.”

Connect with Emily on Linkedin here!

Jenna bohannon

Having undergone major shifts during her time at Temple along with exploring three different career paths, Jenna Bohannon (Fox ‘14) is no stranger to change. Her professional development revolves around her ability to adapt, scope, and maximize opportunities especially in her network. Jenna’s transition from the pharmaceutical industry, to retail, and then back to pharma has been nothing short of cultivating experiences, allowing her to grow soft skills such as how to be an effective manager.

Before her full time career exploration started, Jenna first had to settle on one of ninety distinct majors at Temple. She started on the science track to become a physical therapist, but Jenna eventually found her home in the Fox Honors Program as an International Business major with a Spanish minor. She became involved in Fox Honors, encountered great people, and even met the man that would become her husband. Jenna also attributes the start of her career to Fox’s professional development services which led her to a career in procurement: 

“Temple was super great in getting me ready for the workforce, so I was lucky enough to have a lot of great opportunities that came out of CSPD.”

Coming out of Temple with her BBA, Jenna’s first position was with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) as a Procurement Associate, rotating through various projects on the team. While she enjoyed her work, Jenna still had that idea of exploration at the forefront of her mind. That was when her first major career change occurred: the transition from her work in pharmaceuticals to retail. 

Jenna’s second position was with Macy’s as a Director for Merchandise Planning where her project timelines were drastically more condensed than at GSK. She attributes the pace of work to where she was at that point in life - being young, and a go-getter. However, that same attitude and driveness carried over to the present day:

“I find it exciting to try new things. Even within my current company I'm reaching out to people to learn about what they do to see if maybe one day I could ultimately be in that type of role.”

Jenna’s adaptability has served her well as she recently onboarded to Bristol Myers Squibb as a Global Procurement Associate Director during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. She attributes some of the success with her transition to the support system she has developed at home along with activities keeping her busy in her free time. Jenna is an avid runner, having completed multiple half marathons with a full marathon on the bucket list. She is involved in multiple volunteering organizations - some of which are rooted in her time with BHSA. But no matter what she does, Jenna always has a fluid, change-driven mindset.

“I do enjoy being adaptable in that way, and that's another reason why it felt right for me to kind of move into different areas and different industries.”

Connect with Jenna on Linkedin here!