Student honored with national award

For Brandon Fields, a senior strategic communication and digital media major, his dreams of big-time advertising gigs were birthed in his hometown of New York City. Those dreams moved one step closer to fruition this week, as Fields attended a week-long workshop, networking and agency visit event back in his old stomping ground: the big apple.
Recently named one of 50 recipients of the American Advertising Federation’s Most Promising Multicultural Student in Advertising award, Fields was personally flown into the city on Feb. 12 for commencement of the week’s programming. The agenda came to a close today with a goodbye ceremony and free attendance to “The Lion King” on Broadway.
As part of this honor, Fields had the opportunity to meet with some of the world’s top advertising agencies for office tours. Just a few of the agencies Fields visited include 72 and Sunny, Wieden & Kennedy, Omnicom Group and Turner. Fields also attended a recruiting event with some of the biggest brands across multiple industries and agencies, such as Google, Apple, Daroga5 and Grey Group.
“Professionally, this trip has expanded my potential career paths and has opened my mind to all of the possibilities,” said Fields, who serves as the public relations director in Bonaventure’s AAF chapter. “I have always been interested in account management and PR. But, after this experience, production and strategy have become my interest.”
Fields said, though, in all these career insights, the true triumph is the validation of his hard work here at St. Bonaventure University.
“This experience, to me, means confirmation,” he said. “Confirmation that all my hard work has been for something. A lot of times, you feel like you’re hustling and moving nowhere. This really has shown me the caliber of what I could achieve someday. They say you are who you hang out with and I have been blessed to be around nothing but greatness this week.”
A Queens native, Fields has long realized it takes grit to succeed – a realization ignited by a solid family foundation and kept burning by a desire to make his childhood block proud.
Since enrolling at St. Bonaventure University, Fields’ work ethic and positivity earned him the role of president of the graduating class.
“Brandon, since the day I met him, has been the most passionate, creative and driven person I have met on campus,” said Dyanna Moreira, a senior biology major who worked alongside Fields as a leader on the orientation team. “One reason why he is so well known on campus is his charisma; he just brings so much joy and light to any room he walks in because he is such a happy and genuine human being.”
Fields has held multiple positions with the First-Year Experience office, serving as an orientation leader in the summers after both his freshman and sophomore years. This past summer, he served as the department’s communication intern.
Kimberly DeSimone, a lecturer in the Jandoli School of Communication and mentor to Fields, attested to not only his drive, but communication expertise, as well.
“I was delighted to provide one of Brandon’s letters of recommendation,” DeSimone said. “His qualifications, ability and overall creativity made my job easy. Above all, his incredible adaptability, infectious personality and natural leadership skills allow him to thrive and succeed in any environment.”
In the past academic year, Fields further represented the quality of Bonaventure’s Jandoli School through two internships, all while maintaining Dean’s list grades.
Fields began working at Olean’s Rehabilitation Center as a communications intern in October. This past winter break, he completed a month-long stint in advertising sales at Manhattan’s TV One cable network.
As much as Fields’ personal craving for success has propelled him into this week’s AAF program, he humbles himself by acknowledging on and off campus mentors, such as DeSimone, who have passed down their knowledge to him.
“Bona’s has prepared me in numerous ways,” Fields said. “With Bona’s being a smaller school, it is important to know how to connect and build strong, lasting relationships. In addition, I would be nowhere without the J School and the amazing professors I’ve had. They’ve taught me how to write to fit and communicate effectively.”
DeSimone added that, along with other campus faculty and Fields’ peers, the campus community has complete confidence he will charge forward, always bringing his positive demeanour wherever he goes post-grad.
“I’m excited that this honor and recognition might help springboard his professional success,” DeSimone said of Fields. “I can’t wait to see all that he will accomplish and contribute. He’s a fabulous representative of St. Bonaventure University.”