Jaclyn Crawford

What year did you start working at NIU?
2022

Where is your hometown? and where do you live now?
Chicago

Where did you attend college and what degree(s) have you earned?
Columbia College Chicago, B.S. marketing communications, 2012
Northern Illinois University, M.S. digital marketing, 2021

In which department(s) do you teach?
Department of Marketing

Were you a first-generation college student? If so, what advice would you offer to current first generation students?
I was a first-generation college student but do not have any advice at this time.

What do you like about working at NIU?
Working at NIU is unlike any other. It is an environment of collaborative, curious, lifelong learners all aiming for the same goal: the success of our fellow Huskies, whether that's students, alumni or fellow faculty. While I might be a part of a large organization, I also know my department and college well. There's never a shortage of new connections to make, but there's also a sense of unity and community. Working at NIU makes me strive to be my best self for the people around me.

What advice would you give to students currently attending NIU?
For both graduate and undergraduate students at NIU, the advice I would give is the same: to soak it in. You only get to experience this once, and it will fly by. Soak in all of the learning and opportunities you can because you never know where your next step will lead you.

Tell us about a research or engaged learning project you have led.
One engaged learning project I get to lead regularly is our Digital Dialogue sessions, for both graduate and undergraduate students. Every Friday, I bring a guest speaker from marketing or business into our virtual classroom (these sessions are held via webinar). Students get to hear how what they’re learning is being utilized in the business world and hear from industry experts. Guest speakers get to discuss a subject they are passionate about, so it’s a great time to hear something different every week. I feel lucky to sit in on these conversations and learn new things, as well — a marketer must always be learning!

What do you enjoy most about mentoring students?
There's nothing better than mentoring students! I love getting to know students better and help connect them to what they are excited about. Many students come to me not really understanding all the possibilities that exist within the world of digital marketing. I love getting to say "yes" to their dreams and goals and becoming a partner in their success.

What do you hope students take away from their college experience?
I hope to help them recognize how special this time is and to invigorate their love of lifelong learning. I always tell my students that what we learn here is the foundation for growth — once they leave my classroom the learning isn't over, its only just begun.

What is your favorite memory of NIU?
My favorite NIU memory is when I first came to campus. I was a student in the M.S. in digital marketing (MSDM) program, and since it’s 100% online, I had not visited until a semester after my program start. I was able to guest speak in one of my professor's classes at the time, and it was my first time doing so. I remember being very nervous, but I received the warmest welcome from the department (now the department I get to work in). Everyone was so friendly and curious about my career and how I was utilizing what I was learning out in the workplace. As an online student, being able to experience this sense of community was key. As a fun fact, I never had the opportunity to go to a football game or tailgate as an undergrad, since I went to an arts school. My first college football game was in 2022 right here at NIU after I became a faculty member!

What’s one thing about NIU that’s surprised you?
Coming from industry to academia, nearly everything has surprised me! How big the campus is was my first surprise; I'm still trying to navigate it. In a less practical sense, I think how supportive everyone is to new ideas and each other was a nice, refreshing surprise! I love getting to work with graduate students in the MSDM program. Although the program is 100% online, I am surprised by the strength of the community and hope to help it grow as I lead the program. It's a tight-knit group of students who are eager to learn and be catalysts for change in the fast-moving digital world.

What fulfills you personally and professionally?
I feel most fulfilled when I get to help others. This shows in my work as I help students succeed, all the way to a grassroots nonprofit I started during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Treasure Box Project. I love being able to give what I have to ensure others have enough to be their best selves.

Which of NIU’s core values align with your own?
It’s hard to just pick one! I enjoy NIU because its core values are ones I value personally, too. From creativity and curiosity, two elements that help someone succeed in marketing, to service and stewardship, since my personal fulfillment comes from helping others, it’s impossible to choose just one.

Do you keep in touch with any NIU alums? If so, are there any doing something interesting and exciting that we should know about? Please share some information with us and we’ll consider them for a future feature. 
Yes! Elizabeth Gavin is an alum of the MSDM program. Her and I actually go back to undergraduate at Columbia College Chicago, where we were roommates. We became lifelong friends there, and we both ended up both choosing NIU for our MSDM degree. She is a 2022 graduate of the NIU MSDM program. Carolyn Vandenbrock (Reece) and I graduated from the same MSDM class (2021). Since then, she has founded a social media company that has won multiple awards. She has also won an MSDM award for alumni involvement. Andy Riviere and I are former colleagues who still keep in touch. He attended NIU for undergrad and has been doing fantastic things in sales and business development.

Who has influenced your professional path?
So many people have influenced my path, it’s impossible to choose just one. My first influence was my favorite Columbia College professor, Chris Efken. She not only got me intrigued in marketing as a career path, but also in teaching. George Bozonelos, Anthony DAmico and Gerald Mathews were the biggest influences in my early career. They each valued me fresh out of college and helped my ideas come to life. Thanks to their influence, I discovered what I loved and how to be a better businessperson. I spent six-and-a-half years at my last job, CraftJack, with people who inspired me to be a better marketer. Noah Mishkin helped me see past the hierarchy and make big ideas happen. Zach Saloh, Kaitlin Lamb, Jamie Segovich and Andrea Lewis composed the scrappy and strong marketing team I was a part of there. I keep their picture on my desk at NIU to remind me of all the lessons I learned with them. Jill Scheer and Christine Berndt taught me the value of collaboration with product teams, and Andy Riviere (an NIU alum) and Pail Merritt taught me that sales and marketing can and should work cohesively together. NIU professors and faculty have been cheering me on since my start here. Geoff Gordon, Samantha Gibson, Denise Schoenbachler, Ursula Sullivan and Vijay Krishnan are all professors I had in the MSDM program. I remember sitting down with each of them on my first visit. They allowed me to ask them anything about teaching marketing, and I am forever grateful! I'd be remiss if I did not mention my husband of 11 years, Keith Crawford. He is also in business, and we often talk about ideas for our respective jobs or opinions on the latest industry trends. He's always been supportive, pushing me toward that next goal. There's nothing better than having a supportive life partner!

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you currently doing it? If not, what changed your path?
When I was growing up, I wanted to be a teacher or a writer. However, as I entered undergrad, I discovered marketing. That's likely because kids don't exactly dream of growing up to become marketers. However, I saw how marketing merged my love of writing and creativity with logic and technology, and knew it was for me. After I graduated, I felt the itch to teach, so I started teaching workshops and consulting. I loved that moment when I saw things "click," that the lessons I was teaching were obtainable for that person. That led me to start my master's program with the intention of teaching marketing someday. It seems like my childhood dreams did come true, just in a way that's a bit unconventional and more suited toward my interests.

What community organizations are you involved in?
I am the founder of The Treasure Box Project Chicago. This organization works to get neighbors the hygiene and home products they need based on gaps I have observed in my neighborhood. It was inspired by the needs from the COVID-19 pandemic.

What do you do to relax or recharge?
I love to read. I read 119 books this year and my goal is to get to 130 books in 2024. I usually enjoy fantasy, historical fiction or contemporary romance. I enjoy playing pickleball and am currently taking lessons. I played competitive badminton for many years, and this seemed like an easy segue to try something new. I live in Chicago's Portage Park neighborhood in an old bungalow with my two dogs, Sundae and Robey, and my husband, Keith. We enjoy spending time hammocking by Lake Michigan together, trying new restaurants and taking the dogs for many walks.

Is there anything else you'd like to share about your NIU Huskie story?
I am proud to be an alum of the MSDM program, the program I now get to lead. It has been instrumental in my career as a marketer and professional. The deep dive into topics like content marketing, digital analytics, AI and SEO was the perfect complement to my undergraduate education. With the 100% online format, I am so grateful I was able to balance school with working full time and other aspects of my life.