Andel finds her calling

MINOT, N.D. – Although Cavanna Andel began with a different career path in mind, it took her no time to realize that marketing was her calling.

“Going into college, I was an education major, and shortly after the first semester, I realized that I didn't want to do that,” Andel explained. “So I sat down and I was like, ‘Okay, what do I actually enjoy?’ I was scrolling through Instagram and I realized, ‘You know what? I actually like Instagram,’ which sounds really weird, you know. But I like social media. I've always been good at Photoshop and editing. There’s just something about creating things for people to see and seeing the effect it has on people and how well your posts do. It's just really interesting to me.”

Now in her junior year, Andel has kept her passion for marketing and social media going by gaining experience through an internship at the North Dakota State Fair Center.

“When I graduate, I want to go get a real marketing position,” she said. “It's just all experience, and I think that this job really teaches me so much about marketing that I'll take with me for the rest of my career.”

Although Andel will move to Arizona after her internship wraps up in August, she plans to still finish her studies at Minot State online. Andel grew up in Glenburn, a town only 20 minutes away from Minot, and she has been able to call both the city of Minot and its campus home for a long time.

“I think I've just built such a strong connection,” Andel said. “I feel like every time I step on campus, I should be here. And you know, all my friends and all the people I've met, whether it's through my job or through class, they are the ones that have been, you know, pushing me to continue my education and stuff like that. They just keep me going.”

As for role models, Cole Krueger, director of marketing, and Rick Heit, social media specialist, have both had an impact on Andel’s time and growth at Minot State. They, too, have valued working with Andel.

“Cavanna was the perfect student to learn from Rick and the rest of our team,” said Krueger. “She was always open to big, ambitious ideas and was completely unafraid to try them. I am amazed and proud of her growth as a student over the past two years.”

“Cavanna came to us as an eager, yet inexperienced student. She quickly shed the second half of that sentence,” added Heit. “Cavanna learned exceptionally fast and was soon conceptualizing ideas for content, then executing those ideas by shooting and editing mostly on her own. Cavanna wasn’t seen as a student worker in our office, but a full colleague who could be trusted to execute difficult projects.”

“They've given me so many opportunities to just thrive in my career,” Andel said. “Rick has taught me so much about marketing, and Cole has just given me every opportunity to be better.”

Thinking back to her first year, in the middle of her switch from education to marketing, Andel reflected on what that period had taught her.

“Don't take anybody for granted. And don't take this life for granted,” she said. “When I first switched my major, I felt like school just wasn't my thing. I didn't want to keep going, basically. But as soon as I switched and started taking the classes that I wanted to, I realized that I actually really enjoy it. So, just don't give up.”

About Minot State University
Minot State University is a public university dedicated to excellence in education, scholarship, and community engagement achieved through rigorous academic experiences, active learning environments, commitment to public service, and a vibrant campus life.

Published: 07/26/22   


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