Grace McConn is graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and a Bachelor of Science in Economics. During her time at Northern Kentucky University, she has maintained a 4.0 GPA while also taking full advantage of the opportunities provided by the Haile College of Business.
A key experience for McConn was joining The Underground Agency, a network of marketing students and alumni led by Dr. David Raska, where she did hands-on marketing research projects for clients like Kroger. This sparked her interest in consumer insights, leading to a 1.5-year internship at Big Village conducting research for other well-known companies like Bass Pro Shops, Bath & Body Works and Fidelity. Through the agency, McConn also studied abroad in Prague during her junior year. While there, she worked on building a brand story for Rutkovsky, a bead manufacturer in Northern Bohemia, unexpectedly witnessed a presidential inauguration in Prague Castle, and learned from top advertising executives at Leo Burnett.
Inspired by the mentors and faculty who have shaped her into the person she is today, in the future McConn hopes to return as a mentor herself for the next generation of NKU business students.
Once returning home from her studies abroad, McConn united her dual interests in marketing and economics by collaborating with Dr. Aron Levin on a market research project for Sazerac Brands, one of the largest spirits industries in the United States. Her success on the project was recognized among faculty and opened the door to her role as a Haile Fellow conducting economic research under the guidance of Dr. Abdullah Al-Bahrani.
As a Haile Fellow, McConn’s achievements include winning “best undergraduate paper” at the Kentucky Economic Association, working on a National Endowment for Financial Education project, creating engaging class content as a teacher’s assistant for the “Storytelling with Data” course, winning fourth place in the 2024 Econ Games competition and more. As a recent graduate of the fellowship program, she joins a community of alumni who will continue to support and advise each other as they navigate their lives as young professionals.
Originally from Hebron, Kentucky, McConn looks forward to remaining in her hometown to begin a position in risk management with Fifth Third Bank this summer. She is excited to carry both the technical and soft skills she has gained during her time at the Haile College of Business into her next role and throughout life. Inspired by the mentors and faculty who have shaped her into the person she is today, in the future McConn hopes to return as a mentor herself for the next generation of NKU business students.
