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Garcia Follows Marketing’s Calling

February 7, 2023
By Larry Isch
Posted in About
Odalis Garcia

When Odalis Garcia first arrived as a freshman at University of the Ozarks, she had plans on majoring in biology with an eye on becoming a dentist. A few business classes led to an abrupt change of course for the senior from Clarksville.

Garcia is a business administration major who will graduate in May with high honors. She had initially planned on getting just a minor in business, but after a few classes she realized that business, and more specifically marketing, was her true calling.

“When I began taking these business and marketing courses, I found myself spending more time learning about the material and doing research on these topics outside of class, much more than I did with my major,” Garcia said. “I then realized that business was what I was most passionate about and took that route.”

Garcia said she loves marketing “because it is an open arena of creativity and innovation.”

“The constant shift in trends and consumption habits of a target audience requires you to constantly be on your toes, and that is what excites me the most — to be part of the change,” she said.

Garcia, who also has minors in Spanish, communication and health science, has made the most of her time at Ozarks, thriving to gain as much experience in the marketing field as she can. She served as a photographer and social media intern in the University’s Marketing Department during the Fall 2022 semester, which led to a position this semester working on the University bookstore’s new website.

“My experience interning with the Marketing Department has broadened my understanding of what truly happens behind every post; from analyzing prospects and communicating a marketing plan as a team to finalizing a project and monitoring results,” Garcia said. “This internship has not only helped me explore this career path, but it has allowed me to network with professionals, gain confidence and put my knowledge and skills into practice. My experience working with the Marketing Department opened new doors for me this semester that I believe will ultimately enhance my skills in photography and website design.”

Garcia has also been working for a local marketing firm, Scarlett Marketing and Design, as a graphic designer and website editor, where her responsibilities include everything from creating social media posts to working on websites and graphic designs for clients.

“Working for Scarlett Marketing and Design has allowed me to focus on my personal and professional growth every day,” she said. “This experience has given the opportunity to strengthen my professional communication skills, boost my efficiency, and improve my work-life balance. I have learned that a positive work environment is essential for the success of an individual as well as a business. As a full-time college student with a small photography business and in midst of starting up another business, I am more than blessed to have the opportunity to work with a team who is flexible with my schedule, gives me room to grow in a field I am passionate about, and constantly gives me professional advice.”

Garcia said one of the most impactful experiences she has had at Ozarks was an opportunity to travel abroad. She spent a month in Spain during the summer of 2022 taking a course called, “Food Culture and Spanish Society.”

“That experience studying abroad was unforgettable,” she said. “I had the chance to embrace Spain’s culture and learn about its history, architecture, and religion. The class was incredible; we cooked traditional Spanish dishes, went out to eat at the most authentic Catalan restaurants, went to tourist sites, visited the local markets, and took day trips outside of the city. Even though there were only five of us in the class, we had the opportunity to meet so many people from Barcelona and from all over the world. We even had the opportunity to explore outside of the country on weekends.”

It was the first time traveling abroad for Garcia.

“It broadened my horizons and helped me better understand another country’s culture and cuisine,” she said. “It was very eye-opening for me to experience a different lifestyle. At first, I was definitely nervous to be traveling abroad, let alone by myself, but I would do it all over again if I could. It really changed me as a person. I learned to love the little things in life and really appreciate the world and the people around me. As a student, I realize that all of the people I meet at Ozarks all have a different career paths and many will be leaving the state or country after they graduate. I want to cherish these last months before I graduate and enjoy every moment I have with my friends at Ozarks.”

Garcia, whose older sister, Daicza, graduated from Ozarks in 2020, said she was grateful for the scholarship support she received to be able to attend her hometown University. She is the recipient of the University’s Frontier Scholarship.

“The Frontier Scholarship has given me the opportunity to live the full college experience and meet new people while staying close to my family,” Garcia said. “With this scholarship, I am able to pay my own tuition and take off that heavy financial load off of my parents’ shoulders. As a first-generation student, this has had an inexplicable positive impact on me and my parents’ lives. My parents came to the U.S. at a fairly young age and have had to work hard each and every day to bring us these opportunities. Getting a college education is just one way of giving back to my parents and thanking them for everything that they have given me. I could not have done this without the Frontier Scholarship.”

Garcia, who plans to pursue a career in marketing as well as a graduate degree after leaving Ozarks, described her time at the University as “memorable.”

“I’ve met so many wonderful Ozarks students from all over the world, studied abroad and had the chance to experience life on the other side of the world, made connections and had the chance to work with the amazing marketing team at Ozarks,” Garcia said. “On top of that, I’ve received an excellent education in three academic areas with the LENS program.”

Odalis Garcia in Spain
Odalis Garcia visited spain as part of a study abroad program during the summer of 2022

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