experience
Studio Rubric
Since January 2020, I have been working for New York web-development and design studio, Studio Rubric, as a Junior Production Design intern. In this role I curate, design, and manage social media content. I create digital and physical content cohesive with Rubric’s branding. I gained new skills regarding web design, sitemap layout, and CSS language. Finally, this past winter I was solely in charge of a promotion and branding for Rubric’s ‘PSE’ art show.
Made For Masses
From July 2017 to January 2019, I interned for Baltimore-based design firm, Made For Masses. In this role I managed the brand’s social media accounts, designed social posts and contributed to design and editing of websites. I had the opportunity to handle client outreach – email, social media. Finally, I curated mailing lists to distribute promotions and information to clients.
Musician, Vocalist, and Songwriter
I have been a musician my whole life, yet in 2015 I began releasing music and touring as a multi-instrumentalist. The projects I have been involved with are: Jeff Draco (2018 - present). I am the band leader, instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, producer, and promoter. In rock band, The Dune Flowers (2016 -2019), I was the drummer, promoter, and contributing songwriter. And my first project, Stranger (2015 - 2018) where I acted as the guitarist, songwriter, vocalist, and producer.
Freelance Design
During the Summer 2020, I worked as an independent contractor for Maryland software-security company, Crimpco, to rebrand and rebuild their website. During this position I learned how to build a comprehensive website through SquareSpace. I also had the opportunity to go on several service calls, including a visit to the French Embassy.
EDUCATION
APPLICABLE COURSEWORK
MUSC205: History of Popular Music
MUSC215: World Popular Musics and Identity
MUSC220: Selected Music Cultures of the World
MUSC463: Technology and a Career in Music
BMGT458A: Design and Innovation in Marketing
BMGT458R: Advanced Computer Graphics Workshop
INST671: Introduction to Web Programming
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
Cumulative GPA: 3.68
R.H. Smith School of Business
May 2022
Bachelor of Science, Marketing
Ranked #44 by US News
Sample of writing
The Indie Music Scene: A Community That Some Call Home
Indie music has been a major part of the music industry for several decades. It all began in the mid-1960’s in New York City (Lynch-Badley). Art rock group, The Velvet Underground, is accredited with being the founders of the modern indie music scene. As a band they set out to “send a message through their music, fashion and artistic live performances they addressed the more confronting topic of society and the human complex and certainly set the standard that many artists strive to emulate in genres across the board” (Lynch-Badley). It wasn’t about being number one on the pop charts; it was about experimentation and exploration within the music industry. This ideology still exists today, yet indie music has reached much larger audiences due to streaming services and social media. California State University, Long Beach student Casey Shattuck feels that indie music has played a key role in her development while growing up in rural Maryland, and that it still impacts her daily. Casey's involvement in the Maryland indie music scene not only strengthens her central Maryland regional identity, it also enables her to expand her social boundaries (Gilman, pp. 1).
Strategic Design Fellows
Ten years ago, Professor Mary Harms created the Strategic Design Fellows (SDF) Program to prepare students to enter today's highly-competitive marketing industry. “The program curriculum and co-curricular activities are designed to produce business leaders who can generate strategically sound and creative design solutions using Design Thinking,” according to the SDF it’s the perfect opportunity to bring more creativity into your marketing major. This two-year program mixes business and design and inspires students to develop design literacy, a way to identify good design, while also strengthening crucial business skills such as creative problem solving through design thinking. The courses for the program fit nearly seamlessly into the marketing major, promoting discovery of different areas of the marketing industry. Learn more about the program below.
Activities
Terrapin Record Label
Upon entering UMD as a freshman in 2018, I joined Terrapin Record Label to find more students also interested in recording, writing, and performing music. Through my involvement in this organization I have been able to gain connections that have allowed my band and I to gain more exposure in the College Park music scene, and even perform at Firefly Music Festival in 2019.
Phi Chi Theta
I pledged professional business fraternity, Phi Chi Theta in the spring of 2019. The connections made through this organization, professional and social, have enabled me to create a discourse with alumni who currently work in the music industry, and to expand my outreach as an artist, while also meeting other musicians in the fraternity. Everyone in PCT is extremely motivated and passionate – joining this organization allowed me to put myself out there and continuously be inspired to put my best foot forward at all times.
WMUC College Radio
For the first two years of my time at UMD, I co-hosted a radio show called Solar Staycation. When I attended the interest meeting freshman year I was expecting to host my own show but then met Josh Poggioli – who is now my collaborator, co-songwriter, and close friend. This allowed us to share our love for a similar style of music while also promoting local bands in the DC scene.
Music Business Society
This organization really has helped me get my foot in the door (of the industry) by providing me with the knowledge about local and national entertainment organizations, connections with peers and professionals in the industry, and helping understand the significance and full range of my work as well as insight into the various career paths within the industry.