1. My Experience at Hill Holliday
November 28, 2012
By Jonathan Follo
Written by Raquel Tellado-Domenech, Graduate Student Ambassador – IMC Program
Everything happens for a reason. A couple of weeks ago (November 5), the Office of Diversity and
Inclusion sent me an e-mail about an event called “Emerson’s / 4A’s (American Association of
Advertising Industries) Advertising Leadership Academy”. The event was not open to all students.
Students interested to attend the event have to fill out an application with personal information and
answer a few questions about why diversity and multicultural marketing are important for the
marketing and advertising industry. Then the Office of Diversity and Inclusion will choose 25
students who will go to Hill Holliday to attend the event. I read the email and sent my application
right away. But I never expected to be chosen.
On November 13 (Tuesday), I got an email informing me that I was selected to attend this event. I
was really happy and surprised. Only a few people from my program were chosen to go for an entire
day to one of the top agencies in Boston: Hill Holliday.
I had heard about this agency before in class and also from the internship fair this semester. Being
there for a day would be like walking in heaven for me. It didn’t matter the event was on Saturday
from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
On Saturday, November 17, I woke up at 6:00 a.m. It was so hard to wake up in a cold Saturday of
November, but I did it. I picked the clothes the night before, ate a quick breakfast and then was on
my way to the T. I live in Medford, on the Orange Line. That explains why I woke up very early. It
took me half an hour to arrive there. I arrived a bit earlier than expected. But for these events it is
better to arrive early than late.

2. The agency was beautiful, modern and simplistic at the same time. It is located at State Street in
Boston on the 35th
floor. The view from the agency’s windows was amazing. Being in that place was
like a dream.
The schedule for the day was very good. Some executives spent the day with us talking about what
kind of business Hill Holliday does, the search for a Big Idea, how to develop a Creative Brief, panel
discussions about why they chose their marketing career and a creative exercise. Also, they gave a
tour of all the departments at Hill Holliday. It was really awesome.
The most important part about this kind of event is the opportunity to do networking. Meeting with
these people will help you find internships or job opportunities. You have to step out of your comfort
zone and talk with them. They will happily answer all of your questions.
I am so grateful to be chosen from many applicants to be part of this event. I will always be thankful
to Emerson College to have these events for students and have more possibilities to land a job in
the advertising or marketing industry.
Maybe in the near future I will get hired at Hill Holliday, or maybe not. But for one day, I was in
advertising heaven.
Published on Emerson College Admission’s Blog
(http://press.emerson.edu/graduateadmission/2012/11/28/my-experience-at-hill-holliday/)