Feature Stories Campus Events All Stories

Registration Open for 2017 AdLib Conference

“We want students to know that they can major in any of the liberal arts subjects and not just get jobs in advertising, marketing and PR but excel in those jobs, precisely because of the academic experiences they’ve had here at W&L.”

Washington and Lee University will host its sixth annual AdLib Conference Mar. 2-3, 2017.  The conference brings alumni who work in advertising, marketing and communications together with students interested in careers in those industries.

“The conference emphasizes the power of the liberal arts experience in this industry,” said Amanda Bower, the Charles C. Holbrook, Jr. ’72 Professor of Business Administration. “We want students to know that they can major in any of the liberal arts subjects and not just get jobs in advertising, marketing and PR but excel in those jobs, precisely because of the academic experiences they’ve had here at W&L.”

Registration is now open through the W&L website for students and alumni to reserve a spot for the conference. The conference begins on Thursday evening at 5:30 p.m. with a reception in the Center for Global Learning.  On Friday, presenters take the stage beginning at 9:05 a.m. in Stackhouse Theater.

The conference will feature four alumni speakers to give “War Stories” on Friday morning, discussing their time in the industry and specific campaigns that have taught them valuable lessons. Gerard McKee ‘08, Group Director of Cross Media; Elizabeth Dawson ‘07, Email Marketing Manager at ThinkGeek; Swan Burrus ‘12, Strategist at OgilvyOne Worldwide; and Brooke Segodnia ‘08, Content Partner Manager at Twitter will take the Stackhouse Theater stage the morning of March 3rd to share their insights.

Along with the War Stories, additional returning alumni will participate in three panels. Breaking into the Industry: Young Alumni Panel at 11:15 a.m. will feature alumni in the advertising, marketing and PR industry who will answer questions about their experience after graduation. At 1:30 p.m., Finding Your Niche: Writing and Strategy Panel delves into the different skills that students can utilize in their professions, and at 2:30 p.m., a group of alumni will discuss digital media on the Digital Media Panel.

W&L Class of 1995 alumnus Jeffrey Buntin, Jr., President and CEO of advertising agency The Buntin Group will speak as the conference’s closing keynoter on Friday at 3:30 p.m. on March 3rd. The Buntin Group, based in Nashville, TN, is one of the top 30 independent U.S. agencies specializing in strategic branding communications.

Students and alumni can register to attend the AdLib Conference at go.wlu.edu/adlib.