Cory Orlando (Class of ‘07) works in Marketing/Strategic Communications at Rutgers University. He helps with businesses owned by Rutgers and assists with their website development, marketing and  social media.

Orlando said he first became interested in website development and design when he “realized that Journalism and print media wasn’t going to be around forever as it shifted to a more digital environment.”

Orlando said one of the best parts of high school was being a cheerleader and traveling to new places with the football team.

“I was a member of the Warren Hills Cheerleading Team all throughout high school,” he said. “Getting to travel with the football team and being on the field for Friday night football games will always be a highlight of my experience.”

Another favorite was Peer Leadership.

“One of my favorite clubs was Peer Leadership.” Orlando said. “I was a part of it during my freshman year and then became a Peer Leader my senior year. I looked forward to that my entire high school experience.” 

Orlando said he believes his years at Warren Hills prepared him well for the workforce.

“I do feel it prepared me for my job today, especially Peer Leadership and Journalism,” he said. “Collaborating with other students and strategically thinking about projects has been the core fundamentals of some of the work I do.”

Orlando said his most stand out moment was when he got accepted for his job without any connections.

“I will never forget applying for the job on a Friday. That Sunday the manager viewed my LinkedIn profile,” he said. “On Monday morning, I was contacted for an interview and within about a week and half, received an offer letter. I was always told it was nearly impossible to get a job at the university and I rarely had friends who did, unless they knew someone.”

Orlando said one of the toughest parts of his job is website maintenance and design, as he has to deal with many projects at once.

“Between analyzing the data, creating the graphics, strategically picking data to fill objectives, presenting the data, it can be intense,” he said. “You also need to then understand the information you are designing and creating visuals, which can sometimes take additional work.”

For people who are also interested in marketing and strategic communications, Orlando said to not be afraid to learn new things.

“Don’t be afraid to learn new skills. You never know where your career path will take you in the future and what skills will benefit you. I never imagined a Layout Design course in college would lead me down a path of trying to create my own unique skill set by combining my love for business and creative design,” he said. “Doing that in the right combination makes you a very valuable prospective employee who shows a wide range of knowledge.”