Combining Her Passions for Business and the Arts

Mikayla Pasco knew she wanted to bring together her business acumen with her creative side, two academic areas that aren't typically combined. That’s why she chose Roger Williams University, which makes it easy for students to take courses in both the liberal arts and professional studies.

As a business management major and visual arts minor, and a member of the Honors Program, Pasco got the best of both academic worlds, building a strong portfolio in both management skills and photography. She says it made it possible to land her dream job combining these passions.

That dream job is at Rhode Island-based VUP Media, a digital media marketing agency. As one of their creative marketing professionals, she’ll work with clients to address their overall marketing needs, plan social marketing and website strategies, and create their visual content.

“I didn’t think I could have ended up with a more perfect fit for my first job – it’s exactly what I wanted to be doing. I thought I’d have to work my way up to what I want to be doing, not just land it as my first job,” says the Killingly, Conn., resident. “I got it through the connections I’ve made with students and with professors in both business and visual arts fields. Because the class sizes are so small here, I was able to make those connections. And the academic approach is so hands-on here that I was able to show them all the work I’ve completed.”

Pasco credits professors from both disciplines on making an impact on her creative work and professional skills. Visual arts faculty members Jeffrey Silverthorne and Murray McMillan “questioned the way I think about my work to make it better,” she said. While Professor of Business Management Sue Bosco honed her skills for enterprise and management, as well as assisted her with crafting a stand-out résumé and connected her to her own network.

“Because I have both the liberal arts and business side, I have that cross-thinking to combine something altogether new, and that’s what the marketing world needs is something new and fresh,” she says.