Q&A: How a Recent Alum Landed a Marketing Role With a Local Tourism Agency
After graduating a semester early, media & communication major Maria Corradini ’24 began a role at Discover Lehigh Valley, which promotes the dynamic region that includes Allentown.By: Meghan Kita Monday, March 11, 2024 03:08 PM
Downtown Allentown. Photo by City Center, courtesy of DiscoverLehighValley.com
The courses Maria Corradini ’24 took as a media & communication major — including Communications and PR, Media and Society, and Introduction to Interactive Web Design — challenged her to build problem-solving skills and educated her about industries she might want to enter.
She applied what she learned in class through a series of internships she had as a student: with the Screen Directors Guild of Ireland while abroad, with Fastmail in Philadelphia and, most recently, with local news channel WFMZ 69-News. That’s where she made the connection that would lead to her current role as marketing coordinator for Discover Lehigh Valley.
Why were you interested in staying in the Lehigh Valley after graduating?
“I’m originally from the Hazleton/Scranton area, but my family moved to Coopersburg [about 20 minutes south of Muhlenberg] in 2013. I loved it immediately because there was so much to do even as a younger kid. Once I could drive it was even better since I could get to Quakertown, Allentown, Hellertown, Bethlehem and Easton within 10 to 30 minutes. I am so happy and proud to be living in the Lehigh Valley, and I boost it up to everyone who will listen. I think some of my peers born in the area don’t realize how good we have it here, and college kids who come in may not realize just how many cool activities, restaurants and events are right down the road.”
“I am so happy and proud to be living in the Lehigh Valley, and I boost it up to everyone who will listen.”
How did you get this position at Discover Lehigh Valley?
“I actually had an internship at WFMZ 69-News during my last semester. I met a reporter there, Hanna O’Reilly, who was leaving to work for Discover Lehigh Valley. We became friends during our short overlapping time there, and she reached out to me with a part-time opportunity to join her on social media shoots to help promote events and businesses in the Valley. I realized I preferred this type of work compared to hard news, and I reached out to the president of Discover to see if there was an open position. I had experience with copywriting and social media marketing from previous internships. He put together a position that filled in the gaps missing in their office and offered me the marketing coordinator position a month later.”
What do you wish more Muhlenberg students understood about the Lehigh Valley?
“Though there are awesome events and basically anything anyone could ever need on campus, the Lehigh Valley is more than just the Muhlenbubble. Getting away to go shopping, or to a show, or bowling, or out to eat with friends or even just to drive around is what makes Muhlenberg feel even more like home once you get back to the dorm. There’s no reason anyone should be bored at Muhlenberg, because if there’s not something you want to do on campus, there’s definitely something to do or somewhere to go just a few minutes away.”
