By Nancy Sanchez-Diaz
Entertainment Editor
While at FDU, Alexandra “Ally” Thorp, a senior digital marketing major, has worked as a student ambassador, graphic designer, and marketing assistant. This year, she added “public relations coordinator” and “resident assistant” onto the constantly expanding list.
Though each entailed different duties, they share one thing in common: digital communication.
Thorp’s first exposure to digital marketing came as a member of DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) at Seneca High School in Tabernacle, N.J.
DECA organizes business competitions and holds rigorous educational conferences as learning experiences for students.
Few high schoolers can say they’ve had the experience of picking a real company to work with on an advertising campaign. Even fewer can say they won first place in a state-wide competition.
Thorp can. She thrives on competition and is persistent.
“I was doing [DECA business competitions] all four years of high school,” she said in an interview with The Equinox. “Sophomore year, I got third place and made it to the nationals. Junior year, I didn’t place at all. Senior year, I did it by myself. . . . I didn’t have a partner. I had a 100-question multiple-choice marketing exam, the 10-15 page paper, and then the presentation on the paper.”
The intensity of the student marketing program lit a flame in Thorp, birthing a love and passion for graphic design.
“I chose [digital] marketing because that’s where marketing was going,” Thorp said.
Today, Thorp heads into her last semester with a 4.0 GPA.
She runs the social media pages for FDU’s Women in Business club and makes sure that the Northpointe Residence Hall is in top condition for residents.
And, she also volunteers at Around The Worlds, a soccer non-profit organization, where Thorp helps raise money to run soccer workshops for kids in underprivileged areas.
Despite her strong work ethic, landing an internship was not easy for Thorp. She estimates having applied to more than 70 positions before finally receiving an offer in May 2021.
Going on one year with them, Thorp is now interning at AeroFarms, doing marketing for the Newark-based sustainable indoor agriculture company. Her areas of focus are social media, market/competitor research, and project design.
Thorp has high hopes for the future.
“My goal eventually is to be a marketing manager,” Thorp said. “Preferably for a mid-level or smaller business, because I feel like you can make more of an impact at a smaller business.”
No matter where her career takes her, you can bet Ally Thorp is only just getting started.
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A senior digital marketing major, Alexandra “Ally” Thorp is no stranger to hard work.
Art by Nancy Sanchez-Diaz
