Jacht partnering with Nebraska-based ad agencies to help students learn, grow

Jacht Ad Agency, the student-run advertising agency at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, will partner with Artillery Media, redthread and Swanson Russell to provide professional development opportunities through micro-internships and mentorship programs.

The community partnerships will give Jacht students opportunities to job-shadow companies, learn technical communication skills, participate in micro-internships and pair up with professional mentors.

A creative shadowing opportunity with Artillery, a web design and development company in Lincoln, will allow students to participate in a Jacht-specific project where students will explore the strategy behind web content development. They will meet with Artillery co-owner and director Jake Kramer once a week to develop their web design skills.

“Team Artillery is excited to partner with Jacht Agency to not only rebuild their website, but also to dive deep into the ins and outs of the web design process with the students,” Kramer said.

Through the redthread mentorship program, 20 to 25 Jacht students will be paired up with redthread professionals. This one-on-one program will give the students a chance to learn directly from someone who works full-time at an agency that specializes in brand awareness and creative production. Students will be guided by an industry expert who may have been in their position only a few years ago.

“As a former Jacht student, I wanted to do something to give back to the program that helped jump-start my career,” said Marissa Scalora, project manager at redthread. “The goal of the mentorship program is to connect students with industry professionals to help set students up for success. Mentors at redthread will meet with the students throughout the semester to provide real-world scenarios, review resumes and hold mock interviews. I’m very thankful to have the opportunity to start this program and hope it has a positive impact on students’ lives.”

The Swanson Russell Pathway Program will invite students to be part of a six-to-eight-week learning experience where they will learn how the agency-client process works from one of the top marketing communications agencies in Nebraska. The company also has a four-part industry workshop series planned throughout the semester to talk about industry trends.

“We know that the College of Journalism and Mass Communications is packed with amazing talent,” said Tony Sattler, vice president at Swanson Russell. “The more students get to experience what it’s like to work at an ad agency, the more they realize they love it and feed new energy into the industry.”

Jemalyn Griffin, executive director of Jacht, said: “We are incredibly thankful for our industry partners at Artillery Media Co., redthread and Swanson Russell for taking the time to give back to our students at Jacht. Not only will students have the opportunity to learn from top-notch professionals in Nebraska, but these types of partnerships open the door for future internships and career paths.”