A life of travel
Melissa Luebbe was an active student while she studied speech communication at Illinois, but one of the best things she did for her career was asking a single question: Can you give me an internship? Read how that led to the launch of a successful career promoting tourism.
Occupation: National Travel Director of Meredith Corporation, a media and marketing company
Place of residence: Downers Grove, Ill.
Degree: BA, ’01, speech communication
What was your first job out of college?: My very first job out of college was with a public relations firm, but I found my passion for my current industry as the marketing manager for an international destination marketing organization called Great Lakes of North America which markets Great Lakes states to tour operators and travel writers in the U.K. and Germany.
How did you land that first job?: As a college student I was involved in several student leadership activities including Student Ambassadors (now called Student Alumni Ambassadors) and LAS Leaders. I was a resident advisor at Newman Hall, and I took as many internship opportunities as possible by asking my favorite teachers if they could extend an internship opportunity to me. My greatest example of an internship for a favorite instructor was asking Robin Kaler, (current) associate chancellor and campus spokeswoman (who at the time taught one of my undergraduate courses), if I could intern for her.
I was given incredible responsibility and experiences through that internship and was hired as the Office of Public Affairs’ part time editorial and production assistant during the summer of my junior year until I graduated. Robin helped introduce me to some incredible people, and the position gave me the opportunity to work on campus-wide high profile projects such as helping craft the chancellor’s speeches, researching and editing historical bronze markers that were erected around campus, and writing/producing U of I campus commercials which were broadcast during televised sporting games.
I graduated a semester early and took a job in public relations, but realized quickly that I wasn’t thriving in the agency environment. I turned back to my U of I connections and worked with the department leaders that I felt closest to, to help me with my continued search for a job where I could find passion and happiness in the daily opportunities. I was lucky enough to find a job in the tourism industry.
How did that first job lead to your current position?: As the marketing manager for Great Lakes of North America I worked alongside the tourism directors for each of the states in the Great Lakes region. I attended conferences and trade shows and through these networking events I eventually met the hiring manager of my next job. I was hired as an integrated account manager for Midwest Living (and its parent company, Meredith Corporation) in 2003. Over the course of my career I have been promoted five times and am now at the height of my career as the National Travel Director, overseeing all tourism advertising sales in all of the Meredith properties. In addition to overseeing a nationwide team of sales representatives, I present research on tourism trends at conferences across the nation (using my speech communications public speaking skills), and proudly serve on the United States Travel Association Board of Directors.
What about college best prepared you for your life and career?: The LAS courses definitely gave me a broad base of understanding, and the communication courses helped prepare me for the public speaking engagements and interpersonal conversations that are so integral to being in sales. My internships and participation in Student Ambassadors helped me gain confidence and leadership skills, so when I was out of college I already felt that I had the basic understanding of working in the “real world.”
Are you a graduate of the College of LAS with an interesting job or career path that you’d like to share in your own words? Please contact Dave Evensen to be considered for the LAS@Work series!
May 2016
