About Melodie Yang
Hi, this is Melodie Yang. I am 20 years old and a sophomore at Drake University studying Marketing and Magazine & Brand Media. I am originally from Saint Paul, Minnesota. I am part of a small ethnic group known as the Hmong people. Hmong People are an indigenous group in East and Southeast Asia.
I grew up in a generational household, which means uncles, aunties, grandparents, parents, cousins, and even the babies of those cousins lived in the same household. As I grew up around boys, I did two things: play sports or video games.
In my free time, I enjoy playing video games. Some games I have actively engaged in are Valorant, Sims 4, Animal Crossing, and League of Legends.
As for other hobbies, I am an active hiker. I have hiked the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho and the Weeping Wall on the island of Kauai, and my most recent hike was in Homer, Alaska, on the Grace Ridge Trial. Some dream places I would love to hike are the Swiss Alps, Glacier National Park in Montana, and Bomber Glacier in Alaska.
Student Life:
I work at Drake University’s convenience store and am an American Marketing Association (AMA) member. This organization develops skills for students interested in marketing. Students can dedicate their talents to becoming future marketing professionals. They can attend professional luncheons and job shadows, tour local businesses, and get hands-on experience in a case study project.
I am also a peer mentor for the BUS 001 course through the Zimpleman College of Business. As team leader for incoming first-year students, guiding them through the year and ensuring that they can be their best selves in the profession they want to pursue.
Professional Experience:
One of my favorite experiences was during my Freshman year, where in the Zimpleman College Business, I had the opportunity to do a mini-internship and work closely with Principal Financial Group’s Brand and Media Strategist. I was the project leader, and I helped do research and development on understanding SMBs’ behaviors as consumers and how to refresh the digital marketing journey to increase and engage action from SMBs.
I have worked in retail and customer service for two years as a Visual Sales Associate at H&M. I have the excellent opportunity to explore H&M’s resources by working in Minnesota and Iowa.
As a visual sales associate, I am focused on helping visual managers ensure we enhance the overall customer experience, leading to increased satisfaction and loyalty and improved business outcomes. My years as a retail employee have given me a closer understanding of consumer behavior, visual merchandising, and product knowledge.
I have also had the chance to be a tax bookkeeping clerk for a local restaurant business for four years. This experience has made me efficient in the organization, using my analytic skills to understand tax regulations and problem-solving.