Happy Students

I have been working with Susan for the past few months to help me secure a job. I cannot emphasize enough how much she has helped me through the challenging process of job hunting. Susan is one of the kindest and most patient individuals I have ever met. She motivates me like no one else and goes above and beyond to ensure my success. Without her, I would not have landed my latest internship, which I am fortunate to be designing for today. Thank you so much, Susan!

“Susan changed my life. Her advice boosted my confidence and helped me land my first paid internship after graduation at Leo Burnett. I could not have done this without her.”

So much appreciation for Susan! I’ve had a truly transformative experience being a student in her Marketing and Branding Yourself class at Columbia College Chicago. Susan helps students realize their potential and how to properly advocate for themselves. I’ve been able to apply what I learned in class to every aspect of communication in my life. Thank you, Susan, for all of the support you give your students and for helping us realize our strengths. The lessons have been invaluable.

Susan is by far a stand out professor at Columbia College Chicago. Not only is her energy contagious, but she truly cares about each student and their future. As someone more introverted, it can be very hard for me to feel properly prepared for the real job world where I have to rep myself. But after Marketing and Branding Yourself, I definitely noticed my confidence grow. I’m proud of how my resume looks, and I feel interview-ready for when the time comes. I’m so grateful to have met and worked with Susan!

Susan goes over and beyond to prepare her students with the best work force documents and portfolios. She really takes the time to make sure you feel confident in your final results. I highly recommend anyone take her Marketing and branding yourself class.

Absolutely love Susan! Her marketing and branding yourself class really gave me the kick in the butt I needed and the resources to update my professional persona and help prepare me to transition from college to the workforce! Truly forever thankful for her dedication and guidance. She really has a unique talent in helping bringing out the best in people and helping them reach their goals. Probably the most inspiring professor I had in all of College!

Susan is the most incredible human ever! Susan helped me find my confidence,branding and patience during my last semester at Columbia College Chicago. With Susan’s course philosophy, preaching and guidance, she really prepared me for the real world. I definitely was very stressed throughout the job process search but Susan eased that hardship. She taught me to advocate and sell myself out to be quality! Susan’s course was a game changer and I’m so grateful for the class that I took with her! She a great resource, communicator and educator. Susan is the reason I got my first big girl job straight out from college! She’s the best and I highly suggest going to Susan.

Susan helped me figure out what I wanted to do after college, and pushed me to get there. She was realistic and honest, which is really important especially as a student looking for guidance in the real world. I got priceless connections in class through her and through my classmates in her class. Her course was truly life changing, and I am grateful I took it as a sophomore as it gave me more direction for the following semesters at Columbia College. She’s an incredible resource and an amazing professor!

Susan has been a driving force in my career since my class with her in college and has been consistently available as a resource since graduation. She is an expert motivator and communicator. I’ve endured some of my most troubling career situations with advice from her and come out on top every time!

Susan is an excellent communicator and motivator. Her Marketing & Branding course at Columbia caters to a range of skill levels on a personal level. I welcome the opportunity to collaborate with her anytime!

Susan is an excellent educator. She has valuable industry knowledge to share and knows exactly what the employers are looking for and how to market yourself to them effectively. I took her ‘Marketing Yourself’ class at Columbia and walked out of every session with a new set of skills and/or invaluable industry knowledge. Susan is the reason I went into my first interview confidentially (and got the job). There were multiple times when the hiring manager complimented things that Susan had taught me i.e. interview mannerism, how to present your portfolio/work effectively etc. Thank you so much, Susan. Wish you all the success in the world.

I took Susan’s “Marketing Yourself” class as a sophomore at Columbia. I was so intimidated by my upper class peers and what they were doing. Susan always pushed for me to do better. Susan is the reason I’m even on LinkedIn. Fast forward, I just graduated in May and all the value she taught me in that class I still use today. She’s an overall wonderful person and provides value to many people. I’m happy to always have her connection!

Susan is constantly doing great work. I hope that everyone she has taught as well as collaborated with has reflected on what a great impact she provides to their business and personal brand!

When I started my job search I went off on my own. Looking back on it, I really don’t know why I chose this route. From the day I started the job hunt, my family and friends told me to reach out to Susan. When I finally did reach out to Susan, I was blown away by how knowledgeable and savvy she was. Susan was unbelievably helpful. Without Susan’s insights I would have never known how to respectfully: 1. Ask certain/specific interview questions 2. Positively negotiate my salary If I could go back in time and do this whole process again I would email Susan on Day 1 and keep in constant communication with her. She is a great person to know and without her help, I would not be as happy as I currently am at my job! Thanks, Susan!

I took Susan’s Marketing Yourself class in 2015, and in that time built a professional website, resume, and learned how to write an eye-catching cover letter, not to mention had so much time mock interviewing that I felt confident I’d get a job right out of college. I did, in fact, get a job soon after graduating in corporate events and stayed for two years. Fast forward to 2018, and I was looking to move internally, but to a different department where I had little experience but a lot of passion for. Lost on where to turn, I dusted off my Marketing Yourself folder and notebook and studied all the preparatory work from the class over again. After doing so, I felt much more prepared to go into the interview and application process. I got the new job! Before Marketing Yourself, I was a little “too” humble and had a hard time talking myself up. After the class, I was more than confident enough to go into interviews and discuss my accomplishments. I highly recommend any of her career programs! She is knowledgeable, honest, and professional. 1. Ask certain/specific interview questions 2. Positively negotiate my salary If I could go back in time and do this whole process again I would email Susan on Day 1 and keep in constant communication with her. She is a great person to know and without her help, I would not be as happy as I currently am at my job! Thanks, Susan!

During this past semester of Susan’s Marketing yourself class at Columbia, Susan provided, helped, and guided me with information and connections in the industry. Due to her help, I was not only able to land one, but two internships both which we spent the semester strategically aiming to get. Thank you so much for your tremendous expertise and wisdom. Best! 1. Ask certain/specific interview questions 2. Positively negotiate my salary If I could go back in time and do this whole process again I would email Susan on Day 1 and keep in constant communication with her. She is a great person to know and without her help, I would not be as happy as I currently am at my job! Thanks, Susan!

In my semester with Susan, in her Marketing Yourself class, she not only instructed but inspired. Susan is the epitome of drive, determination, and confidence. She instills this in every one of her students. Susan helped me refine skills I had, and not shy away from challenges. She truly sees her students as more than students but as the future of our respective fields. Susan is a professor I recommend to everyone I encounter at Columbia College Chicago, and someone I confide in entirely.

One year ago I was a student at Columbia College taking a class called “Marketing Yourself” taught by Susan Newman. From the first class, she insisted on leaving your comfort zone and exploring the real world through networking and quite literally marketing YOURSELF. This means having portfolio materials accessible for potential employers, business cards for quick interactions, and powerful vocabulary to pull listeners in. Not only did Susan help me form the foundation of what would be the business portion of being a freelance artist, but she strengthened my public speaking skills and pushed her students to reach out to working professionals in their concentrative field. She mentioned to me that one of her former students went out to New York and shoots models for Vogue. His name was David Paul Larson. I decided to reach out over instagram. He quickly replied saying hello. I thought that was that. Fast forward to now. David and I are great friends, I’m working in the field I went to school for, and I’m able to pay rent. A year ago that couldn’t have felt further away. Anyways I’d just like to thank Susan Newman for preparing me for the real world. You truly changed my life.

I took Marketing Yourself with Susan just last semsester, FA2017, and the results of her hands-on teaching style coupled with her passion to help those who were driven to help themselves is already showing. Strive to succeed and Susan will do whatever she can to help you reach your goals. Couldn’t be happier with my time learning from her.

Susan’s “Marketing Yourself” class is one of the first classes I recommend to Columbia students as it provided me with essential career-building tools. Her teaching style is a mix of heartfelt service to her students and a “just do it” mentality, a perfect combination as you implement her insight and exercises into your life and create a career you love.

Susan’s Marketing Yourself course can be summed up in one word — purpose. How did you build your brand this week? What drives you? Who are you? These are not easy topics to talk about but are necessary in order to achieve the career of your dreams. Susan provided our class with key industry insights, tools and perspectives to ensure each student was set up for success upon graduation. Susan is truly a remarkable woman — with captivating energy and a consistent smile — her motivation and passion will drive anyone down the road to success. Thanks to Susan’s Marketing Yourself class, I am confident to pitch myself to any professional and will carry all of the information that she shared with me for the rest of my life. My experience at Columbia College would not have been the same without Susan’s class.

I had the pleasure of being in Susan’s Marketing Yourself course this semester and it was by far the most helpful class I’ve taken. She’s enthusiastic and provides great insights about preparation for the real world that you don’t learn as a freshmen in art school. My colleagues and me now know how to conduct informational interviews and complete the next steps to obtaining a job. If every student were to take her class, I believe that they would be more successful in networking, building their brand, and selling themselves in interviews.

I was fortunate enough to have Susan as a professor at Columbia College Chicago. Her practices for teaching the ‘Marketing Yourself’ course left us all with invaluable real world rules for becoming successful individuals in many different areas. This class has stuck with me more than most college courses I have completed. I believe her teaching technique allows this class to be a quick catapolt to success in many aspects of many career types. I definitely recommend it for all college students in any field.

The career advice I learned through taking Susan’s Marketing Yourself class at Columbia is incomparable. She is both a teacher and a mentor, encouraging students to seize opportunities that can launch their professional careers. As a result of taking her class, I feel confident and prepared to go from the classroom to a full-time job position.

I want to publicly thank Susan for her awesome class! After I graduated I got married and picked up a random job while to work at until I felt comfortable leaving my newborn son..when i was finally ready I busted out that huge white binder to help me with my interviews and landed an AMAZING job at a small ad boutique and I would have been lost without it and everything i learned from your class. I never thought that elevator speech would have helped me in the future until I was asked at my interview, “tell me a little about yourself.” so THANK YOU.

I was fortunate enough to meet Susan during an on-campus presentation at Northwestern University on the Job Search. As a senior currently focused on a job post-graduation, Susan’s presentation was incredibly refreshing and very helpful, as she presented various strategies to best market ourselves and tactics that relate to today’s job search and interviewing methods, processes that have changed drastically especially within the last several years. Apart from her insightful presentation and profound understanding of the topics at hand, Susan is very personable. She has a great sense of humor and is clearly very passionate about her work. It is apparent that her objective is not only to educate, but also to instill confidence in the students she meets. Since her presentation at Northwestern, Susan and I have maintained contact, and I would consider her a mentor of mine. She has become a valuable resource of advice and guidance for my interest in communications, and I value her opinion greatly. Susan is a wonderful example of a successful businesswoman. I would highly recommend her services for any college campus.

I can safely say with 100% confidence that taking Susan’s class (Marketing Yourself) was the best decision I had made throughout my entire 4 years at Columbia College. She really transformed me from thinking of myself as a young and naive student to believing in myself as a young professional. Having always been naturally charismatic, I assumed that there was nothing more to this class than just learning how to interview. Boy, was I wrong. This class really made me ready to graduate college and get out there in the job world. Until then, I had only one immediate sight: graduation. I couldn’t think of myself in the business world. We not only learned what to do, we practiced it, which made everything real for me. Susan is a great motivator and teacher and I have never taken the time to write reviews for just about anything, so let that show just how strongly I feel. I graduated Columbia in May ’07 and was just hired as a Media Coordinator at Starcom in Los Angeles. I can say with the utmost truth that I thank Susan for providing me with the skills, self-assurance, and motivation to start my career. I don’t think I would have done it without her.

Susan is very knowledgeable and helpful for job seekers. Today as a Columbia College Chicago alumni, I still use the job market skills she taught me and my class. If anyone is seeking, work or needs help writing resumes or better interviewing skills Susan is the woman to talk to. Susan has a creative approach that she can mold to fit any personality and help reach their career goals.

I enrolled in Susan’s “Marketing Yourself” course at Columbia College Chicago during the 2010 spring semester. The skills that I learned and picked up during her course prepared me well beyond my expectations. Since Susan’s course, I have held two positions within the marketing and communications field. I’ve recently been hired as Media & Communications Coordinator at a leading tax and legal software solutions company. I would recommend Susan’s services for anyone who is looking to better their communication and leadership skills in the field they wish to enter in. Susan is a true motivator.

Susan provides insight on ways to market yourself and build yourself as a person but also as a business. She personally worked with me while preparing to exit the “college” life and was great help when it came to getting prepared for the first set of big interviews. Outside of CCC, I have spent a handful amount of hours volunteering at the Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation’s annual Be My Valentine event where I have been able to break ground and be inspired to pursue a few ventures that I may have never been exposed to. All in all, Susan Newman is beyond words.

Susan is an expert on the subject of Marketing Yourself/Job Seeking. The curriculum she develops and implements is full of takeaways that are invaluable in the work force and life in general. Susan strategically provides opportunities and advice to students that enable them to enter the work force and flourish. Her class personally changed my life and helped me reach a level of success that I previously never thought was possible at this age. I’m very thankful for Susan’s efforts and dedication and confident there are many others that feel the same way!

Susan is amazing! Susan was my instructor during my senior year at Columbia College Chicago. She is honest, patient, and genuine. She taught me the importance of self-confidence, networking and representing myself not only as who I am but as a brand. Susan always saw the best in me even when I doubted myself. Her vivacious teaching approach made class fundamental and worthwhile. Whenever Susan spearheads an event she always informs me to continue to help expand my brand and horizons, and I truly appreciate her!

Susan Newman is not only a brilliant professor, but also an extremely admirable role model and businesswoman. I had the pleasure of acting as one of Susan’s students in the Columbia College Chicago course, Marketing Yourself/Job Seeking. With all thanks to Susan’s high level of knowledge on the subject, I am very happy to report that I now feel completely confident in my abilities to properly market myself to potential employers. She is a phenomenal instructor, one who I hold in the most high regard, and I would certainly recommend her course to anyone who is looking to significantly better their entrance into the professional world.

Technically Columbia College Chicago hired Susan to teach my “Marketing Yourself” class, not me. But I’m glad they did. As Susan was instrumental in helping me land my first job out of college. Not only was Susan’s class fun but it was useful – which in my college experience was a pretty rare combination. And I’ve continued to keep in touch with Susan throughout the years for advice on my career. So in my opinion, if you’re looking for help with how to put your best foot forward with potential employers, your first step should be contacting Susan.

Susan Newman is one of the most dedicated professors I’ve had in College. She challenged us to be more than just a candidate for a job but the right person for the job.

I truly enjoyed my time with Susan in her class, “Marketing Yourself.” The class helped me redefine my portfolio and resume to be the best it can be. In addition to this, I learned many great tips on how to network, how to craft an elevator speech, professional etiquette, and much more. Since graduating Columbia College Chicago in May 2010, I have used many of the skills I learned in Susan’s class on a nearly daily basis. I also have used the knowledge I obtained in her class to assist friends who were in different majors or did not attend Columbia at all polish their resumes and portfolios.

Susan has a unique hands on teaching style with her extensive background in the field. Her class is one that every student should take before they graduate at Columbia College.

I took Susan’s Marketing Yourself course at Columbia College in 2007. This is a mandatory class for marketing majors at the college, and many students suggested that I take it with Susan. She was a phenomenal teacher who was thorough and made class enjoyable. The course work was not just relevant, but vital to our careers. Susan also linked me with an on-going volunteer event opportunity with two great public relations professionals in Chicago while I was in Chicago. Upon finishing the course, I felt well prepared to step out into the working world. Now as a working professional, I have been asked to review portfolios and resumes for friends, colleagues and mentees, and through sharing what I have learned from Susan, helped them land jobs. I go back to what Susan had taught me and share those skills when helping someone apply for a job. Without Susan, I would not have a solid resume and portfolio and the vital skills needed for the job searching process.

After taking Marketing Yourself with Susan, I felt WAY more prepared and confident when going on job interviews. Susan also helped me create my individual brand, and nail my 30 second elevator speech which I still use when I am networking! I recommend this class for all graduating senior’s, thanks again Susan! Now as a working professional, I have been asked to review portfolios and resumes for friends, colleagues and mentees, and through sharing what I have learned from Susan, helped them land jobs. I go back to what Susan had taught me and share those skills when helping someone apply for a job. Without Susan, I would not have a solid resume and portfolio and the vital skills needed for the job searching process.

Happy Students

Cobey Pava

Madison Apton

Ivonne Malagon

Natalie Piaskowski

Miadore Allen

Michelle Delamatter

Mylinh Truong

Armin Korsos

SARAH K.

Nicholas Jordan

Nayyab Siddiqui

Mena Nelder

Michael Ulm

Max Emmerman

Juliana Foreman

Dillon Kennedy

Brian T.

Joey Abreu

Chase Mincey

Kathryn (Katie) Walters

Elif Negiz

Brittnee Snodgrass

Bails Palmer

Stephanie Clark

Nikki Osterloh

Diana Karvelis

Ashton Esling

Teena Cathey

Ryan Hoesley

Jonny Boucher

Adam Mankoff

TL H

Emily Bertino Honings, MBA, MSHRM

Dan Catterson

Stephanie A. Taylor

Sarah (Bonkowski) Shaw

Jonathan Kim

Stephanie (Bradbury) Gohn

Mallory Stein