From Student to Faculty on the Forty Acres
When Joey Williams graduated from The University of Texas at Austin, he never imagined that he would work at his alma mater. Years later, he is now the Director of Marketing for University Marketing and Communications, working to uphold the Longhorn legacy and showcase the ways that Longhorns are changing the world.
A Turn of Events
Joey’s journey in communications started years before he became a Longhorn. For five years, he served in the Navy managing radio communications on submarines and eventually became a lead diver. When he concluded his time in the military, he then went on to earn his Bachelor of Public Relations from UT Austin in 2008 and his Masters of Advertising in 2012.
“One of my goals for even going to graduate school was taking advantage of just meeting people,” he recalls while thinking back to his time as a student.“Building relationships and making those connections is one of, if not the most important thing you can do.”
Nearing the end of his Masters program, Joey was prepared to work at an advertising agency on the strategy track and had several job offers in New York, where he planned to move with his wife. Then, a major life event caused him to pivot from what he initially had planned.
“My wife and I had our first baby and she came a couple of months early, so they were in the hospital for months.” It was then that he realized he could not move his family to New York, and he needed to make plans for the future in Austin.
Joey struggled in the job market until somebody suggested that he look into working for UT Austin. While it wasn’t what he first imagined doing, he applied for a role in communications, intending to stay for a short period of time before pursuing advertising again. However, Joey ended up enjoying it much more than he expected.
“I got here and I was like, ‘Oh, this is awesome.’ Everything that I enjoyed doing, I could do here at a university that I was already very passionate about. Ever since then, I’ve just learned a lot.”
From his start as a Communications Coordinator to his current role as Director of Marketing for University Marketing and Communications, Joey has made huge advances in his 13 years of working at UT. He credits his success to not being afraid to take risks along the way.
“If there’s something you're passionate about, you can do it, andnd sometimes, even if people are trying to tell you that you can’t do it, just trust your gut."
Career as Director of Marketing
Some of the most prominent aspects of UT’s marketing strategies have come into fruition under Joey’s direction. One of these programs is the social media ambassador program, which allows select students to create content for the university’s social media pages. This content highlights various parts of being a Longhorn, such as popular spots on the Forty Acres or fun activities to do around Austin.
“So much of effective marketing now is authentic storytelling. We hired a really great group of 10 to 15 students that first year. They’re following all the trends, they already know how to edit, [and] how to do the storytelling. It’s been one of the most beneficial things that we’ve done.”
In addition to implementing new marketing tactics, Joey and his team have also adapted to the changing landscape of social media in recent years, working to be as effective as possible with the content that they develop.
One of the most important parts of Joey’s job is ensuring that his team’s messages are communicated effectively to all of the university’s stakeholder groups. These include faculty members, current students, prospective students, and the families of Longhorns, among others.
“You have to think about the right messages and the right channels, and you have to think about the right people to be ambassadors for those audiences as well. We also have to think about what groups we are going to have the greatest impact with and really make sure that we’re focusing our messaging and our channel strategy to those audiences.”
Words of Wisdom for Longhorns
Joey’s advice for students at the Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations is heavily influenced by the unexpected origin of his career at UT. He urges students not to close doors on any opportunities, because they might lead to success.
“There are great opportunities, so keep your options open, and don't write things off because until you actually go and investigate it, you don't really know. That was the case for me."
He also encourages students to avoid having tunnel vision and be patient for career growth to happen naturally.
“You have to be realistic. You’re not going to achieve everything right away. That’s normal; that’s the way it works 98% of the time. Give yourself some grace.”
Joey’s illustrious career at UT Austin exemplifies the good that can come from an unanticipated turn of events. A detour from the original path could lead you right where you’re meant to be.
