Campus to Chicago: How MSU Advertising Students Connect Classroom Learning to Agency Life
MSU Advertising Association event coordinator, Jaya Sangster, leads a Chicago agency tour to give students firsthand insight into the advertising field
By: Kaylie Johnson
For many Michigan State University advertising students, the professional world can feel distant — until they actually step into it.
In fall 2025, the MSU Advertising Association organized a Chicago agency tour, giving students an inside look at what a career in advertising can really be like. Jaya Sangster, an advertising management major and event coordinator, planned the trip as part of the association’s executive board.
“What inspires us to take the trip to Chicago is to get real-life experience and advice on what professionals go through day to day, and tour different agencies to give students the opportunity to see what their career can look like,” said Sangster.
The trip included visits to agencies such as Ogilvy and Publix Group, and Pivot Design, where MSU ADPR alum, Amanda McCafferty, works as a creative director. Sangster coordinated the entire experience, from arranging agency connections to hosting a networking dinner with MSU alumni, so students could meet industry professionals and hear about their experiences. The tour gave students insight that classroom learning alone can’t provide.
“Our classes don’t give the nitty-gritty of what a day-to-day working in an advertising agency looks like, getting insight into what our jobs will look like in the future is really helpful, especially for students who maybe don’t know if advertising is for them,” Sangster said.
Student participants saw firsthand how account management interacts with creative teams and graphic design, gaining a sense of what their future roles might involve.
Sangster says some of her most memorable moments came from Ogilvy: touring the office, seeing their award walls, and speaking with senior creatives made the experience both inspiring and educational.
“There isn’t a dumb question and there isn’t just one right answer,” said Sangster. “Professionals give advice and you take from it what resonates with you the most.”
Beyond national campaigns, students saw impactful projects like Pivot Design’s COVID-19 health communication work, showing that advertising can make a difference in people’s daily lives.
“It doesn’t matter if you got an A or a C in class, what’s going to matter is that you can learn and that you’re willing to do the work,” said Sangster. “Working in certain firms isn’t just business, it can also be a family.”
For MSU advertising students, the Chicago agency tour was more than a trip, it was a look into the future of how their careers might be. Students can join MSU’s Advertising Association and join future agency tours and events.