By Alex Truex

Each year, the FSU Ad Club takes students directly into the heart of the advertising, media, and communications industry. This year’s New York City Trip, held Nov. 5-9, 2025, was nothing short of transformational. Students toured some of the most influential agencies and companies in modern advertising, including Gradient, The New York Times, Ogilvy, Steve Madden, NBCUniversal, and Mother. At each stop, they were welcomed by professionals (including several Seminole alums) who generously shared their time, expertise, and passion for the industry. The result? A trip that not only expanded students’ understanding of advertising but also ignited their ambition to become the next generation of innovators, storytellers, and strategists.

Inside the Industry: From Retail to Creative Agencies

The first stop on the trip was Steve Madden, where students learned about in-house retail operations and the marketing industry. The group then visited NBC Universal, gaining insight into programmatic sales. Friday offered a different kind of experience as students explored several other agencies. At The New York Times, they learned about the Brand T content studio, while Gradient, a world-class experiential agency, provided a look into life inside an experiential creative environment. At Ogilvy, students were introduced to the company’s internship programs and gained valuable insight into the opportunities available there.

Behind the Scenes: Making It Happen

This trip would not have been possible without the dedicated work of the Ad Club Executive Team. Colton Schneider, the club’s financial treasurer, played a pivotal role in budgeting and organizing the trip’s financial logistics. When asked about what it took to secure funding, he explained that the team relied on a combination of SGA support, contributions from the Spark FSU campaign, and individual student payments. He offered special thanks to Dr. Kelly for her encouragement and to the donors whose generosity helped make the experience accessible to every participant.

Reflecting on the process, Colton shared more about what went on behind the scenes. “There were so many things I didn’t know going into it,” he said. “But figuring them out taught me a lot about managing budgets, planning, and making sure everyone has a chance to participate.” Tracking expenses, he explained, came down to staying organized, keeping receipts, and consistently checking that all costs aligned with the club’s pre-trip estimates.

“There were so many things I didn’t know going into it. But figuring them out taught me a lot about managing budgets, planning, and making sure everyone has a chance to participate.”

 

Student Perspectives: Envisioning a Future in NYC

Students who attended the trip also emphasized what the experience meant to them. Laney Dunstun, an FSU sophomore, described it as “one of the most inspiring opportunities I’ve had in college.” She added, “the most impactful part of the trip was how encouraging it felt toward pursuing a career in this field. Exploring the many different opportunities within advertising was inspiring, and the experience gave me a real sense of what life could look like living and working in New York.”

“The experience gave me a real sense of what life could look like living and working in New York.”

 

Three Key Takeaways

This experience was made possible by our generous hosts at Steve Madden, NBCUniversal, The New York Times, Gradient, Ogilvy, and Mother, who shared their time, insights, and encouragement with our students. The trip also revealed three powerful takeaways: the importance of a strong agency culture in shaping meaningful work, the rapidly evolving trends reshaping advertising from experiential marketing to data-driven media, and the strength of the FSU alum network, which continues to open doors and mentor future professionals.

Special appreciation goes to our NYC hosts, the donors who supported the trip through the Spark FSU campaign, and SGA, whose contributions help ensure that students have access to this transformational opportunity. Because of their support, the FSU Ad Club continues to inspire, educate, and empower the next generation of advertising leaders.

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Alex Truex, an advertising major at FSU’s School of Communication and president of the Ad Club, a registered student organization, wrote and edited this article for the team’s blog.

 

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