Kellie Senese
By Zoë Eitel
One of the most important things Kellie Senese did during her time at DePaul was take advantage of as many opportunities as possible. From club volleyball to an on-campus job to AAF’s National Student Advertising Competition, Kellie did everything she could to round out her experience in college and build up her portfolio.
“There were so many opportunities at DePaul to challenge myself and get involved, so I did everything I could,” Kellie says. “I just wanted to be involved and meet new people.”
Somewhere Kellie was able to meet new people was at DePaul’s Career Center, where she worked as a graphic designer for a year. She says her coworkers were always available to give her advice and motivate her.
“It was great because I was the only designer in the office, so I got to work with everyone in the office and teach myself a bunch of new things,” she says. “I built so many connections working in that environment.”
Content Creator and Designer for Ulta Beauty
BA Public Relations and Advertising 2018
After internships at Bradford Exchange, Lettuce Entertain You and Second City–Kellie is now a Content Creator and Designer for Ulta Beauty, designing the company’s Instagram stories and other social media-based creative projects. Kellie says designing for the fun brand is a better career than she was even hoping for.
“There were so many opportunities at DePaul to challenge myself and get involved, so I did everything I could. I just wanted to be involved and meet new people.”
Kellie credits the National Student Advertising Competition for inspiring her and filling her portfolio with great work. She took part in the AAF competition for two years, serving first as art director and then as creative director.
“I made two campaigns out of the National Student Advertising Competition, which helped me get my internships and the job I have now,” Kellie says, adding that she heard about the opportunity from a friend in the program. “If I didn’t have that friend who told me about it, I would never have taken part in it and changed my career path and made my portfolio amazing.”
Kellie emphasizes the importance of making connections in college, with your peers as well as your professors. One professor who led her New York Way trip also helped her get her internship at Lettuce Entertain You. And a peer she worked with at The Ray, who she calls her “idol,” shared her 5 a.m. shift, and Kellie says his motivation was inspiring and he would give her pep talks on mornings when she had an internship interview later in the day.
“If I wasn’t a part of all these communities, I would not have the focus I had in college. Getting connections, being focused, meeting new people who will forever be connections to me and shaped who I am.”
