BYU David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies | Marketing + Communications Manager | Provo | 39
Marni Hassan is a BYU boss woman! As the marketing and communications manager at the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, her responsibilities range from social media and marketing campaigns to event planning and fundraising. But her overarching role is “collaborator.” Marni ideates with students, faculty and staff all across campus to bring ideas to life. Thanks to her influence and her team’s involvement, the BYU International Study Programs have ranked No. 1 in the nation for the number of students studying abroad. Talk about a marketing master!
PERSONAL GROWTH I’ve become more willing to take risks. Having worked in a lot of industries — restaurants, weddings, orthodontics, event management, cancer research, and now international studies — I’ve found that if you want to stand out and create lasting brand experiences and effective marketing campaigns, you have to push the envelope and go outside the norm. CODE RED When Covid started spreading and university classes went remote, the Kennedy Center’s digital communications became more important than ever. I had to find ways to help students stay connected with the Center and with each other, create a social media graduation ceremony for our students who wouldn’t be able to celebrate in-person, and facilitate a digital version of our study abroad fair for students to enjoy that year. It took a lot of innovation, adaptability and collaboration, but it was worth it! CAREER DREAM To get to a point where I can focus more on serving others and spending time with my family. I’d also love to create an endowment for the Global Opportunity Scholarship and the Simmons Center for Cancer Research someday. GOOD BIZ ADVICE Walt Disney created the film “The Three Little Pigs” and was encouraged to create a sequel to the movie, against his better judgment. He eventually gave in, and the sequel wasn’t nearly as successful as the original film, which thus prompted the quote “You can’t top pigs with pigs.” It’s a reminder to constantly push for new ideas. LIVING LEGACY I hope that no matter what industries I worked in, I contributed creative new ideas that were engaging and meaningful to the organization and its target audience, and that as a leader, I was known as a ‘multiplier’ and not a ‘diminisher.’ COMBATING DOUBT Dark chocolate almond sea salt bars and pep talks from my family!