Camille LeJeune ’17, AdLib Co-Chair "When you’re involved with a large-scale project like AdLib that’s sponsored by the school, you come to learn that your work is a reflection of W&L as a whole."

“It’s really cool to have a voice in helping put together such an important project.”

Camille LeJeune ’17

What first interested you in AdLib? How did you first get involved?

I attended the AdLib Conference during my first year at W&L and was instantly hooked. I was so drawn by the inner-disciplinary nature of the advertising/marketing world – to me, it was a translation of my liberal arts education into a career path. I first got involved in the conference last year as a member of AdClass. Liz and I both worked closely with last year’s co-chairs within the class, and realized that AdLib was a project that we wanted to inherit.

What is your current role in the organization, and what are some of the challenges and rewards you’ve found in that role?

I currently work as a Co-Chair, which involves running the conference from the student side. It’s very rewarding to be able to work so closely with faculty and administration from the school. Liz and I are valued as key assets on the AdLib team, so it’s really cool to have a voice in helping put together such an important project.

If you share the role, how do you and your counterpart divide the responsibilities?

Liz and I have mastered a balance between our skill sets. We’ve worked together in the past on projects including AdClass, the executive committee of our sorority, and Kathekon, so we’ve really come to know each others’ strengths and weaknesses. It’s made working together a breeze. I tend to handle more of the graphic design aspects while Liz manages coordination with school officials and faculty, but we share duties such as working with alumni and organizing schedules. She’s one of my favorite people to work with because we make such a great team.

How would you characterize your experience in one word? Why?

Dynamic. Headlining AdLib requires you to wear many different hats – we are more than just planners, we are creative thinkers, alumni coordinators, graphic designers, public speakers, detailed organizers, proofreaders, the list goes on. You have to be comfortable with fulfilling many different roles in order to be successful at this position.

What has been the most challenging experience?

The most challenging experience about this role is that no one tells you how to run AdLib. There is no training guide or checklist to follow, so a lot of this project requires you to figure it out on your own. We just had to dive in and then learn how to swim. However, I’ve come to find this to be the most rewarding experience as well. It is such a valuable lesson that I can take with me into my career and my life, and I feel lucky that this experience has prepared me to take on anything in the future.

What have you learned about leadership in this role, and what other lessons will you take with you going forward?

When you’re involved with a large-scale project like AdLib that’s sponsored by the school, you come to learn that your work is a reflection of W&L as a whole. I’ve learned that the level of dedication and effort that we put into AdLib is a message to the entire W&L community, as well as the companies who will attend the conference. So there’s a pretty big weight on Liz and I’s shoulders. The effectiveness of our leadership is indicative of how W&L prepares its students to be successful in the real world. The good thing is, however, I feel fully prepared. Although leadership like this can be a bit intimidating, this experience has taught me how rewarding it is to be able to step up to the plate and perform.

What advice would you give to students who may be interested in getting involved?

First of all, attend the conference! W&L works so hard to bring in incredible, successful people in the advertising/marketing field who want to share their stories so that you may be successful, too. Second, feel free to reach out to Liz or me. We are so passionate about this project and are working to make this year’s conference the best yet, so we’d love your help and support. As we strive to communicate through AdLib, the world of advertising/marketing is for more than just C-school majors. Everyone from every major or background has something to offer, and this conference will help you find out what that is. Please email us at lejeunec17@mail.wlu.edu or tarrye17@mail.wlu.edu.