Olivia Fisher

Olivia Fisher, a fourth-year student and our January Student of the Month, chose to major in marketing at Penn State because of her curiosity about the motivations behind consumer behavior. A creative thinker by nature, Olivia is particularly drawn to understanding the emotions, perceptions, and decision-making processes that influence how consumers interact with brands. She was inspired by marketing’s ability to shape communication, build trust, and create lasting relationships between brands and their audiences.

Olivia’s favorite marketing course has been MKTG 422: Advertising and Sales Promotion Marketing with Professor Coupland. She valued the hands-on, real-world structure of the class, which centered around a campaign for the Smeal Master’s Program. Through the project, Olivia and her team conducted both primary and secondary research, interviewing current and prospective master’s students with a focus on non-STEM audiences. She especially enjoyed using data and insights to justify creative and strategic decisions, gaining a deeper appreciation for how research-driven marketing can directly influence business outcomes.

Within her academic program, Olivia is pursuing a General Marketing Management emphasis, along with a minor in Digital Media Trends and Analytics and a two-piece in Management. She also brings a strong Penn State legacy to campus, coming from a Penn State family whose roots include parents who met in the Forum Building. In addition, Olivia studied abroad with Smeal in Italy during Summer 2024, further expanding her global perspective.

Looking ahead, Olivia plans to pursue a career in entertainment marketing, with a particular interest in the intersection of marketing and event planning. Through her leadership experiences at Penn State, she discovered how marketing can extend beyond traditional campaigns to create immersive experiences that engage and inspire audiences. Her dream role is to work in marketing at Disney, where she hopes to combine storytelling and event design to create memorable, meaningful experiences for audiences around the world.

Olivia is deeply involved on campus and holds several leadership roles. She currently serves as Executive Vice President of Lion Ambassadors, helping lead the organization while representing Penn State through campus events, outreach initiatives, and long-standing traditions. In this role, she has planned and executed major events including S-Zones at home football games, the Be A Part From the Start pep rally for incoming first-year students, and Haunted Valley during Penn State Family Weekend.

In addition, Olivia is a Lead Intern for the Presidential Leadership Academy (PLA), a highly selective program that includes only 30 students representing the Class of 2026. Through the PLA, she participates in advanced leadership coursework and experiential learning taught by Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi and Dean Mather. As a Lead Intern, Olivia oversees program planning and execution, manages communication with students and alumni, and supports continued engagement within the program.

Professionally, Olivia served as a Marketing, Communications, and Analytics Intern with DDAR at the Penn State Alumni Association during Summer 2025. In this role, she led focus groups, researched alumni engagement strategies at peer institutions, and analyzed data to improve social media and email marketing campaigns, gaining valuable experience using analytics to drive strategic communication decisions.

Beyond her academic and professional commitments, Olivia volunteers with Harmony, a student organization that provides inclusive musical and performance opportunities for individuals with disabilities. She is also an active member of Delta Zeta, where she previously served as Social Media Lead.

When asked what advice she would give to new students entering Smeal or the Marketing Department, Olivia emphasized the importance of building a strong foundation:

“All of the concepts discussed in marketing courses build on one another, so make sure you master the concepts in your lower-level classes. Don’t hesitate to ask for help or guidance from professors, TAs, or even friends, everyone is in the same boat and wants to help.”