Ashley Nunes is more than just a student at UC Davis; she is also the Director of Marketing at EBSA (Economics and Business Student Association), a club at UC Davis focusing on helping its members to thrive in the business world. With the help of Ashley, the club successfully hosts workshops, guest speakers, and allows for networking among student and alumni alike. We spoke to Ashley to gain further knowledge about this club and her role in it.Â
What is your role in EBSA and how has it affected your future aspirations in marketing?
My role as Director of Marketing is to market EBSA’s unique qualities. We are proud to say we have some of the most motivated and involved members that UC Davis has to offer, but there is always room for more. That’s where I come into play. Through several marketing strategies, I try and recruit those interested in business and economics to further expand our diverse community. This has undoubtedly affected my future aspirations in marketing. It has given me the necessary hands-on experience that I need to grow. I’ve learned through trial and error what works and what needs improvement and continue to grow my skill set day by day.
Can you tell me a little bit about EBSA?
EBSA stands for the Economics and Business Student Association and is one of the largest undergraduate business organizations on campus. We run on three pillars: professionalism, community, and discovery. We strive to be the link between your college undergraduate and professional career. EBSA provides the necessary resources to develop future business leaders but also equips members with a tight knit community of like-minded individuals.
In what way is EBSA different from other business/economics clubs on campus, and what motivated you to get involved?
EBSA is unique because we aim to have each and every one of our members discover their passion and we provide the workshops, guest speakers, and competitions to do so. We also put a huge emphasis on our community and making sure our members feel engaged and welcomed. We aren’t all business! Our members and board have get-togethers all throughout the quarter to get to know each other and we are actually really good at intramurals (we get down to business on the field).
How does EBSA help make up for the lack of a business major here at UC Davis?
If you’re like me, you actively searched for at least something business related when you started here at UC Davis. After realizing there wasn’t a huge emphasis on marketing for my major (which is Managerial Economics), I knew I needed to find a club that could give me the skills I couldn’t find in the classroom. When I found EBSA and saw how interactive it was with its quarterly competitions on different business disciplines each quarter, I knew it was the one for me.
What can a member of EBSA expect from the organization in terms of helping them with a career in business?
Networking! EBSA members must go through an application process to ensure we have active and diligent members…EBSA alumni are notorious for landing jobs at big firms and reputable companies because they have these qualities. Since our community is so close, it’s very common for our alumni to refer our current members or for our older members to provide internship opportunities they were a part of.
How has your role in EBSA helped you grow as an individual since you joined the organization?
When I started college, I felt lost. I had always been apart of clubs all throughout high school and when I came to UC Davis I was overwhelmed by its size. However, joining EBSA really was a turning point for me. It provided me with valuable connections, friendships, skills, and the opportunity to have a leadership role after just a year. The people I met made Davis seem a lot smaller and more manageable. It really helped me break out of my shell and to become more active in the Davis community. Joining EBSA gave me the confidence to apply for my current internship as well as to join Greek life- I owe it for all it has done for me!