SDSU Alumna Shines in Social Media Marketing Industry
While at San Diego State University, Ellie Galinas took the initiative to get involved with various campus organizations early on. Through her involvements, she was able to gain personal and professional skills that set her up for success in her current role as an Organic Social Media Account Manager at Power Digital. Galinas reflects on her college experience and how SDSU prepared her for her post-graduate career.
Q&A with May 2021 Graduate, Ellie Galinas
Major: Business Marketing (IMC)
Graduation Year: May 2021
Pronouns: she/her
Campus Organizations: American Marketing Association and Pi Beta Phi
Q: Can you describe a little bit about yourself and how/when you decided to attend SDSU?
My name is Ellie Galinas—I’m originally from Cleveland, OH, and moved to San Diego in 2015 , finishing high school at Rancho Bernardo HS. I decided to attend SDSU because I hadn’t had enough of San Diego yet and knew I could count on a great education there in comparison to my other acceptances. I now live in New York, NY, working as an Organic Social Media Account Manager at Power Digital.
Get involved early and just explore! I truly believe that my campus involvements had just as much to do with my success and positive experience as my coursework did. Take classes outside of your major that you’re interested in, find your passions, and meet and network with those around you.
Q: Describe your experience with your current job and the responsibilities you hold.
I started as an intern at Power Digital during my fall semester of senior year at SDSU—I was then brought on part-time and eventually moved into a full-time role as an Organic Social Media Strategist. Now as an Account Manager, I still am specific to the Organic Social department, but I serve as the main point of contact between our clients and my internal team to ensure that we’re up to date on deliverables and the partnership is strong, especially meaning that we’re a strategic, proactive partner. All that said, I also own content strategy on most of my accounts, so really helping figure out which types of posts perform best on each social platform based on a client’s industry, staying up to date on all of the trends and platform updates, and working hand in hand with a social designer to ensure our ideas come to fruition in a visually appealing way. A few more of my involvements at Power Digital include being a part of the Fashion Division, running and overseeing my department’s internship program, and having a champion role within the internship department as well!
Q: Tell us a little bit about your involvement with student organizations at SDSU and how that shaped your journey both at SDSU and after.
I was in the American Marketing Association (AMA) for years on campus and served in several different leadership positions—Social Media Manager, Graphic Designer, and Vice President of Marketing. I feel as though I owe so much of my success to AMA. It introduced me to my current company and other marketing agencies, prepared me for the business world, and allowed me to network with other business professionals. Some of my favorite memories at SDSU were a result of my involvement with AMA.
Q: Can you recall a meaningful project or class you participated in while at SDSU? If so, please share details about that experience.
The best class I took by far during my time at SDSU was Internet & Interactive Marketing (MKTG 476) with Isa Grimes. It was specific to IMC majors and it was incredibly impactful. Professor Grimes was great at relating our class back to the real world by showing us real case studies and examples, and helping prepare us for post-graduate work.
I love to read, travel, watch different TV shows, explore the beautiful city of Manhattan and spend time with friends and family. When it comes to exploring, you can count on me walking miles and miles around the city, trying new coffee spots, looking for new bookstores, shops, and most definitely eating my way through every restaurant recommendation I see on TikTok.
