Graduating Student Spotlight: Austin Fletcher
Austin Fletcher graduates this semester from the MS Marketing program. He shares his background and memories at UF, along with advice for incoming MS Marketing students.
Q: Tell us about yourself.
Fletcher: “My name is Austin Fletcher and I was born and raised in Clearwater, Florida. I went to Osceola Fundamental High School and graduated in 2018. I’m a soon-to-be Double Gator, as I studied marketing during my undergraduate years at UF and graduated with my bachelor’s degree in the spring of 2022. I came back to the MS Marketing Program because I was uncertain of what I wanted to do after my time in undergrad, and the year has been a great opportunity to learn more about myself and who I want to become.”
Fletcher: “My favorite memories from the MS MarketingProgram started at the retreat we had for new students in the fall. I was skeptical of going but ended up making a ton of new friends and formed close relationships with a few people who really helped me get through the year at the retreat. The first day of class in every module felt like the first day of school again because of this, and I loved the moments of excitement I’d get from sitting near my close friends and catching up on what we did over our weekends or module breaks.”
Q: What are you doing on graduation from the MS Marketing program?
Fletcher: “After graduation, I will be moving to Atlanta, GA to work for Cigna Insurance. My specific role is as a Under 500 Customer Manager, which involves maintaining relationships with insurance brokers and working to offer the best insurance packages that meet the needs of the companies that the brokers represent.”
Q: Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Fletcher: “This is a great question, and I admittedly don’t know if I have a great answer. During my undergraduate time at UF, I was set on going to law school for almost the entirety of my years in Gainesville. I changed my mind at the last second and applied to the MS Marketing Program, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. As a result, I try not to put too much pressure on myself to predicting where I’ll be next, but if I were to try, I’d love to see myself in a position of leadership where I can help people become better versions of themselves. I’d also love to write and publish a book, so maybe that will get done in the next five years too.”
Q: Any advice for future MS Marketing students?
Fletcher: “My advice to future MS Marketing students would be to not put so much pressure on yourself when finding a job. I know the process is tough and going through interviews and applications can be stressful but remembering that whatever job you end up with at first isn’t where you’ll necessarily be forever is important. Don’t let the stresses of the job hunt or assignments distract you from the friends you have and cool opportunities available on campus.”
Q: Tell us a cool fact about you.
Fletcher: “Beyond being an MS Marketing student, I was also the Graduate Assistant for Heavener’s Experiential Learning Department. As part of the job, I was the Program Coordinator for the Leadership Development Program, which is a program for freshman and sophomore business students to start telling their leadership story at UF. During this past year, my team and I designed 11 new leadership activities, revamped the semester schedule and saw record applications for the fall and spring semesters.”
