All I wanted was a national advertising account.
I could see myself in a corner office of Leo in Chicago, Goodby in San Francisco, or Crispin in Boulder, account planning for the next ad campaign for Nike, Microsoft, or Kelloggs. It was all perfect, and all so attainable.
After graduating college, a nasty recession hit and every agency in the nation seemed to be laying off more than they were hiring. It was not a good time for a kid from Wyoming with an education from a school no one heard of to be trying to make his break into the big agencies. After months of job searching, I finally started thinking that maybe advertising wasn’t where I needed to be.
One day, I applied to Teach For America on a whim. I was having fantasies of the Peace Corps and other meaningful work, but found the great corporate branding of TFA as well as their prestigious nature appealing. I don’t know if I cared about education then.
But I do now. Throughout the application process, I became obsessed with the mission of Teach For America, and was incensed at the enormous, prevalent achievement gap between wealthy and disadvantaged students.
So now, I find myself in Colorado, taking steps each day towards becoming a secondary English teacher. I have moments every day where I step back, and ask “am I really doing this?” Those moments, along with the moments of frustration, ecstasy, laughter, and pensiveness, all will be chronicled in this journal.
You have a front row seat.
Also, be sure to check out my (currently in hiatus) advertising blog at www.thebrandanthropologist.wordpress.com
Well-put; what a way to express such an exciting twist in your life!
Hi Marcus,
I have read your blog with great interest and love being able to be on the journey with you somewhat. It seems like an impressive effort for education in America and one that does not allow participation without some “dues”. I think that this will be a great opportunity for you to use your talents to make a difference and also a great life experience for you. I think you have what it takes to be successful in this effort. I have read a lot on the TFA website also. May God bless you in your efforts to better the lives of others! Mom
I love this blog. and yes, I want to marry it. If that is deemed inappropriate and gets deleted, then so be it. ps they play madmen here in korea on sunday nights.