Gary Liu: Marketing Student of the Month
One of Gary’s favorite courses has been MKTG 330: Consumer Behavior with Professor Courtney Szocs. He appreciates Professor Szocs’ engaging teaching style and the opportunity to apply concepts from the classroom to a hands-on marketing project. During the first half of the course, students explored different approaches to marketing and advertising. They then applied those concepts to develop cohesive marketing materials and a complete campaign. The project ultimately helped collect more than 200 items for a local food bank, giving Gary the opportunity to see firsthand how marketing strategies can translate into meaningful community impact.
Gary is following the general marketing management emphasis and has complemented his academic experience with significant involvement across the Smeal community. He currently serves as Director of Marketing for the FIRST@Smeal Academic Program, a Smeal Marketing Ambassador, and President of ASCEND. Through these leadership roles, he has developed his marketing skills while contributing to the experiences of fellow students.
Gary has also gained valuable professional experience through internships in both technology and supply chain industries. This past summer, he worked in Seattle as a General Marketing Specialist Intern with Amazon Web Services (AWS). The previous summer, he served as a Marketing Intern with ARMADA Supply Chain Solutions in Pittsburgh. These experiences have allowed him to explore different areas of marketing and gain a broader understanding of how the field operates across industries.
Outside of academics, Gary enjoys trying new experiences and embracing opportunities that take him outside of his comfort zone. This summer, he went hiking for the first time while in Seattle. He also has an exciting experience on the horizon as a co-star of an upcoming corporate reality television show.
When asked what advice he would give to students entering Smeal, Gary encourages students to embrace new experiences: “Don’t be afraid to try something new even if you feel uncomfortable! You’d be surprised how many opportunities this unlocks.”
