Rachel Heller, SOCY '21

We asked Rachel Heller, a soon-to-be sociology graduate from Gambrills, Md. a bit about what brought her to BSOS, plus where she plans to go next.

Why did you choose to major in Sociology?
I was a previous journalism major and I realized that it wasn’t really for me. I had taken a sociology class in high school and I just found it really interesting to learn about the inner workings of different groups in society. So, I kind of just ran with that. 

What have been your favorite memories during your time at UMD?
I’ve had an interesting UMD experience since I haven’t been here for that long—I transferred in my junior year, fall 2020. But, I really enjoyed the internships I’ve been able to be a part of during my time at the University of Maryland, over the summer and also currently. I’m an international marketing intern for Nickelodeon International, and I’ve really loved that experience. It’s probably been the highlight of me being here, and being able to gain more knowledge in the field of entertainment marketing, I have realized that’s what I was to do upon graduation. 

What hands-on experience have you received in the field?
I was a marketing intern for Merriweather Post Pavilion, which was in the realm of entertainment marketing. I found it really fascinating. I like how marketing combines the right brain and the left brain, with strategy but also creativity, and I think that I love both of those very equally. 

What are your post-graduation plans?
I would love to stay within the realm of entertainment marketing since we’ve seen during the pandemic that entertainment content can really be a way of facilitating connectivity. And, entertainment is something we can relate to as a society that brings us together. 

It’d be cool if I could continue with Nickelodeon in some capacity. But either way, I’m excited to see where I end up. While some people might think that sociology and marketing aren’t as compatible as other things together, I realized that with marketing, you have to know your audience and who you’re marketing to, and sociology is all about understanding groups in society and understanding how societal structures impact them, and thus how they navigate society. So, I think through sociology I’ve gotten a better perspective on how people think and just relate to the things around them. And that’s also informed my understanding of the best ways to market to people. 

Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Published on Fri, Nov 19, 2021 - 2:03AM