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Athena Discusses Development Through Dell's Marketing Development Program

Athena D. | Analyst, Marketing Development Program | California, United States

Originally Published: September 3, 2024

Athena sits on a couch with a man and three cats.

Tell us about yourself. 

I live in Los Angeles in a house full of animals! I enjoy volunteering at a cat shelter every week, walking on the beach and painting my apartment. I also regularly volunteer with the Surfrider Foundation. I pick up trash on the beach, and I wrote a children’s book for their budding educational program to teach children about the importance of clean beaches. 

 

Please share a bit about your current and any past rotations in the program. 

I started at Dell as an intern in 2022 on the Corporate Relations team. I built a strategy for Employee Resource Groups to vet their strategic relationships and did an audit of their current Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) relationships. 

 

I started the MDP program in the fall of 2023 on the ESG Transparency & Reporting team where I focused on change management around the new ESG Central SharePoint, which was recently launched as the one-stop-shop for all ESG information. 

 

I’m currently in my second MDP rotation in Field and Partner Marketing where I split my time between Canada Field Marketing and NA Acquisition. My position is as a Communications Strategist, and I’m focused on revamping communication around our events with sales reps. 

Athena and another woman stand on a beach holding trash bags.

What inspired you to apply for the Dell MDP program, and how has it impacted your career? 

When I entered Dell as an intern, I was really focused on ESG. However, my internship in Corporate Relations was so interesting, and I realized that you don’t really know what you like until you try it. I like that with MDP, I can try out four different areas of marketing before deciding on a long-term position.  

   

I really love the fact that post-graduation, I am not stuck in a position I don’t enjoy. I love that I can take risks and try new things because at best, I find something I love. At worst, I learn what I don’t like and can rotate off in six months. 

   

Could you highlight any standout projects or opportunities you've had a chance to work on as a part of the MDP program? 

Through the MDP program, I have been able to complete my Association of National Advertisers certification which has been beneficial because I was not a marketing major. This certification helped me fill in a lot of those knowledge gaps. 

   

Every semester of MDP, we’re given an independent research project (IRP) which has pushed me to learn things outside of my role and take advantage of the access I have in the marketing organization. My first semester IRP was on the Social Media team in Corporate Affairs. I learned about all the aspects of social media and how it helps our advertising strategy. For my second IRP, I am researching what Gen Z expectations of corporations are, how Gen Z thinks Dell is doing and Gen Z’s opinion of competitors. Both projects have been great opportunities to expand my knowledge on topics I wouldn’t be exposed to without MDP. 

Athena poses outside of a Dell building with five other people.

How has the program fostered a sense of community and collaboration between participants, and how might this benefit new members? 

It can be difficult to transition from college to a corporate setting, and MDP provides all the resources that make the transition easier. They provide opportunities to expand our knowledge and teach us how to work with different coworkers. Because there are so many participants from different backgrounds, everyone is coming with their own unique knowledge, and MDP creates a space to share and learn from each other. 

   

Would you recommend the program to other graduates? 

Absolutely, yes! It is a great career move to gain lots of marketing experience in a span of two years. It will help you land a business-critical position where you can have long-term success at Dell. 

  

Next, read about Sophia's experience in the Marketing Development Program.

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