Senior economics major Kevin Jones ’23 has made the most of his four years at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. With minors in the diverse fields of business and art, he has taken advantage of internship and work opportunities to supplement his studies, and melded those experiences into a skill set that will prepare him for a career. It was more than the academic opportunities that attracted him to SMCM, however. After being accepted into a number of schools, it was a campus visit that ultimately sold him. “I came here for a tour before I made a decision, I liked that it seemed peaceful,” he stated. “[It] seemed like a nice switch-up from the city.” The College’s comparatively low tuition as a public institution also figured into his decision. Kevin found his way into opportunities to apply his classroom knowledge in practical applications through his economics faculty advisor, Professor Asif Dowla, who holds the Landers Endowed Chair in the Liberal Arts. “He’s a no-nonsense type of guy,” said Kevin. “He wants what’s in the student’s best interest.” At Professor Dowla’s urging, Kevin sought internships, initially with the Division of Inclusive Diversity, Equity, Access, and Accountability (IDEAA) and later with the Office of Integrated Marketing & Communications (IMC). Those opportunities gave Kevin hands-on, practical experience, not only in the sense of technical skills, but in working with people. “I’ve been learning how to deal with people,” Kevin explained. “It’s real-world application of some of the things I’ve learned in my business classes.” As a member of the IMC team during 2022-2023, Kevin has produced videos used by the College in its marketing and communications efforts. He figures it is good preparation for his career goals working for a brand such as Nike, a sports team, or a tech company. “Basically their marketing, but more on the creative side,” Kevin said. “Their branding, visual brand, video, photos.” Don’t be surprised to see, “Directed by Kevin Jones” on a screen near you.