Arianna Fuchs (M.S. Digital Marketing) has made meaningful contributions to the Department of Marketing and NIU’s Digital Marketing programs through her dedication to student success, creativity, and willingness to take on new challenges. Now in her second year as a graduate assistant, Fuchs supports Professor Xiaoru Gao and Jaclyn Crawford in MKTG 370 (Principles of Digital Marketing) and MKTG 295 (Principles of Marketing), while also contributing to initiatives across the Digital Marketing programs.
In her role, Fuchs balances the administrative demands of a large-enrollment lecture course and two additional courses while applying her digital marketing expertise to create engaging social media content, support program events, and mentor fellow Huskies pursuing careers in digital marketing.
“Arianna is a pleasure to work with,” says Jaclyn Crawford. “She’s a self-starter who thinks critically through challenges, anticipates needs, and approaches her work with both initiative and enthusiasm. What stands out most is her genuine curiosity about digital marketing. We’ve had many insightful conversations about emerging trends and complex topics in the field, and she consistently demonstrates knowledge and perspectives well beyond what I would expect from a graduate student at her level. She’s already developing into an expert in her own right.”
Having previously completed both MKTG 295 and MKTG 370 as an undergraduate student, she brings a valuable student perspective to her work, offering thoughtful feedback and practical guidance to students navigating the same courses.
“Arianna is very considerate and self-motivated,” says Xiaoru Gao. “She pays close attention to the course schedule and often begins grading before I even ask her to. She also provides students with detailed feedback, especially on their projects, and is highly responsive to emails from both students and me.”
Beyond her graduate assistant responsibilities, Fuchs serves as a student representative on the Graduate School Council for the 2026–2027 academic year, further demonstrating her commitment to the NIU community.
Fuchs earned her undergraduate degree in Business Administration, Hospitality and Tourism from NIU in 2025 before continuing her education in the M.S. in Digital Marketing program. She anticipates graduating in May 2027. Her experience supporting undergraduate students has also sparked an interest in teaching, a path she may explore alongside her aspirations for a career in the digital marketing industry.
Whether supporting faculty and students, developing engaging digital marketing materials, or helping create opportunities for students to connect with industry professionals, Fuchs consistently demonstrates initiative, creativity, and a commitment to the NIU community. Her contributions reflect not only the value she brings to the Department of Marketing today, but also her potential as an emerging digital marketing professional.
Nominated by: Jaclyn Crawford & Dr. Xiaoru Gao, Marketing
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