MARIETTA, Ohio (WTAP) – Building Bridges to Careers hosted Discover Marketing Magic Day at Marietta College on Thursday, connecting high school students with local marketing and communications professionals.
Approximately 40 students in grades 9-12 from Washington County participated in the free event, which ran from 9:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The sessions featured a marketing specialist from Texas Roadhouse, Christian Hudspeth, the communications coordinator at Marietta City Schools, and BB2C High School Marketing Interns who led a Shark Tank-style pitching demonstration.
“Discover Days allow students to see career possibilities up close and learn directly from professionals in our community,” said Kaitlin Streator, BB2C Communications & Engagement Coordinator. “These experiences help students connect what they learn in the classroom to real jobs right here in our region.”
Hallie Witte, a marketing intern with BB2C, believes the field offers incredible opportunities for meaningful work.
“Marketing is a super cool way to get into a job field where you get to interact with people on a daily basis, and that’s something that I would like to go into,” Witte said.
According to students who attended, the event proved to be an invaluable opportunity to learn about potential career pathways and determine whether marketing aligns with their goals.
“There’s a lot of writing and communication involved with marketing,” said Haley Wilkinson. “Just hearing from the different speakers and their different perspectives has been very eye-opening,”
“I know how to market things—especially like a promotion,” added Julianna Walters I’ve learned what I can do to showcase things and how to put it out there without hurting anyone, while pulling people in closer and creating that loyalty,” they explained.
The event highlighted careers in branding, social media, design and strategic communication through hands-on activities.
Building Bridges to Careers launched in 2026 with the Discover Day series, designed to give high school students real-world exposure to in-demand career fields.
An additional event is scheduled: Discover Entrepreneurship Day on Feb. 25.
Students interested in registering for upcoming Discover Day events can do so at www.bb2careers.org/student-events-resources.
For more information about Building Bridges to Careers, visit www.bb2careers.org.
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