Bryn Jackson is making the most of her University of Michigan experience. Currently she pursues a psychology major, Minor in Entrepreneurship, and the Ross Cappo Sales Track Certificate. She serves our community as the incoming Executive Director of Panhellenic Peer Educators, a member of her sorority’s Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee, and as a member of MDriven finance and entrepreneurship club. The common thread between her major, ENTR minor and her extensive campus involvement is a compassionate approach to the world of innovation. Bryn unites her professional interests in psychology and business through the application of entrepreneurial philosophies.
Bryn was introduced to entrepreneurship during the first semester at Michigan, when she noticed her friends had already enrolled in several ENTR classes, and loved it. This inspired her to take the first steps toward what would become her minor and an instructional aide (IA) position.
“I took my first entrepreneurship class during my freshman year,” she said. “I had friends who were taking entrepreneurship classes, so I decided to take one as well. I really loved it. I was excited to go to class.”
One entrepreneurship course led to another, and another. She has taken myriad courses ranging from Business Entrepreneurship in Thought and Action to Urban Entrepreneurship. With her expertise in the business side of entrepreneurship, she naturally assumed a leadership role at the Center for Entrepreneurship as an IA. She is currently the IA for ENTR 409: Introduction to Venture Capital, and has plans to continue as an IA in her upcoming semesters.
“ENTR 409 is the first class I’ve been an IA for. The virtual sphere has created some challenges, but the experience is rewarding,” she said. “Instructor Fortino is awesome, and the faculty I’ve worked with are very wise.”
In addition to leading and teaching others as an IA, she also plays a similar role in the psychology department as a Peer Advisor. In this role, she helps undergraduate students declare their major, select courses, and determine graduation requirements. Her academic identity as a psychology major is equally important to Bryn as she herself navigates career opportunities.
“My psych perspective helps me understand consumer behavior and my entrepreneurial background has taught me the business side,” she said. “I’ve learned about business model canvases, management practices and so much more within the business sphere.”
The unique combination of entrepreneurship and psychology provided Bryn with a highly desirable outlook for talent recruiters and employers. During interviews, she let this shine and found herself drawing mostly from her entrepreneurial experience when asked behavioral questions.
“The entrepreneurship program at Michigan has given me so many experiences to share during interviews,” she said. “Everything I’ve learned has been relevant and professionally valuable to me.
“My psych major and entrepreneurship minor have given me so many options, which is great.”
Ultimately, this led her to a virtual summer internship at Parlux Fragrances as a Global Marketing and Digital Communications intern. Parlux Fragrances LTD is a leading producer of prestige fragrances, responsible for developing products for international labels such as Jason Wu, Tommy Bahama, and Vince Camuto. Bryn’s role was to develop competitive analyses to ensure their fragrances would be successful within their target segments.
“My job was to compile competitive analyses for their upcoming celebrity fragrance launches, based off the competitive landscape,” she said.
After she compiled this presentation, she was responsible for presenting it to the Vice President of Marketing. Bryn also found herself forming a connection with the President of the company, Lori Singer, over their alma mater- the University of Michigan.
“I got to meet great people, I got to learn from the Vice President of Marketing, and bond with the company president because of the University of Michigan.”
Bryn’s internship experience is a testament to her hard work, and is a remarkable example of the powerful, lifelong connections the Michigan Alumni Network provides. After a successful internship, Bryn is currently exploring marketing as an option for her career. She is also interested in human resources, graduate schooling, and has even considered founding her own therapy practice further along in life.
“My entrepreneurial skills would be useful if I decide to start my own practice,” she said. “So many people start their venture later in life, sometimes even after retirement, these skills will come in handy.”
Entrepreneurship, business, and psychology provide Bryn Jackson a strong academic foundation. These, when combined with her dedication to leading in her community, and passionate advocacy for DE&I, shape her into the leader she is today.