Brown Bag Scholarship Winner: What’s In Your Marketing Bag?
Strategic thinking. Creative marketing. A modern mindset.
Here at Brown Bag Marketing, this is our MO. Our unique approach is the “bag” that our clients—local small businesses and national companies alike—count on for all of their digital marketing needs.
But this got us wondering:
What unique perspectives and skills do other marketing professionals bring to the table?
To answer this question, we turned to the next generation of marketing professionals: college students. In our first-ever Scholarship Essay Contest, we asked students to answer our prompt question in a 500+ word original essay. We were thrilled to receive submissions from all over the country.
Now, we’re excited to announce that our winner is Kylie Alonso from Point Loma Nazarene University.
Congrats Kylie on your scholarship, and thanks to the many students who participated!
Here’s her winning essay:
What’s in your marketing bag?
I can picture it in my mind now, the exact spot of ground my friends and I sat at to eat our lunches in middle school. We used to play a game—every day—where we would auction off our lunch items to each other. It was exciting, seeing everyone pull their brown sacks out of their backpacks and wondering what was up for grabs that day. Every lunch looked the same from the outside, but we all knew that inside there were endless possibilities. In the spirit of Brown Bag Marketing, my marketing bag may look similar to others, but it’s not until you unpack it that you realize the individuality it holds. With networking, creativity, and problem-solving skills, I am confident that I will be a valuable asset to a marketing agency one day.
I’m more introverted by nature, so networking was not a skill that came naturally to me. I was never one to establish personal relationships with my teachers in high school; being a 4.0 student doesn’t always mean every teacher knows you well. My first year at Point Loma Nazarene University taught me the value networking holds in the business world. Since then, I have experienced it first-hand. I have had to push myself out of my comfort zone in more ways than one, but I have also gained opportunities I never would’ve had access to if I hadn’t. This past summer, I reached out to one of the MBA professors at Point Loma about an up-and-coming entrepreneurship website our school was creating. I am now the blog writer for the website and have plans to learn the web design for it. Through this venture, I have had opportunities to interview alumni and small business owners to gather content for the blog. Several of the executives I have interviewed have suggested that I reach out to them in the future if I ever need an internship. Networking pays off! This winter, my networking skills landed me a remote internship with Fern Street Circus, a non-profit that conducts community events and classes for underprivileged children in City Heights, San Diego. I am working as a Social Media Marketing intern, helping promote the company’s 30th-anniversary virtual event in February. Clearly, my networking skills have already proved beneficial to me as a sophomore in college. Not only will they give me a competitive advantage in my job search out of college, but they will also assist me in my career one day. I will be able to execute my responsibilities effectively having substantial communication skills. In addition, I will be able to make connections among colleagues and provide opportunities for my team to collaborate with other brands.
The aspect of marketing that attracted me was the opportunity for creativity. I am passionate about creating—whether it’s bringing my imagination to life on a paint canvas, making digital art, or editing together the GoPro footage from the adventures I’ve been on. I don’t necessarily have natural artistic talents—I just enjoy exploring all my creative outlets. The reason I won the yearbook cover contest in sixth grade was not because my drawings were superb, it was because of my creative innovation. This year, this skill has transformed into an entrepreneurial endeavor—the birth of my adventure apparel company, Seek Supply Co. Brainstorming, designing, and building my brand has been the thrill of my young life. I never imagined that running a clothing company would allow for so much creative expression. I can use my knowledge of business and entrepreneurship to my advantage in my future career, as well as the creative tactics and techniques I have learned through marketing my brand.
Despite my passion for the arts, I have always been a methodical, analytical thinker, excelling in math and science. My problem-solving acumen has been equally as prominent as my inner creativity. I have a knack for puzzles, riddles, and mind games. I tend to take a logical rather than emotional approach to most issues, and I address conflict head-on. These qualities will prove extremely valuable in the workplace, as they will assist me in not only working through problems but offering solutions. Problem-solving keeps me from complacency; I am always striving for the most effective method of execution. I believe my inclination to problem-solve goes hand-in-hand with my work ethic. I am extremely driven, which is most likely the reason I am a successful problem-solver. When I hit a roadblock, I don’t give up. I remain persistent and optimistic in the face of uncertainty and tribulation. I believe my optimism and ambition will help motivate those around me.
As I have just spilled the contents of my brown bag, I plan to continue adding to it as I learn and grow in my educational experiences, entrepreneurial endeavors, and professional pursuits. Each of these avenues will further develop my skills in networking, creativity, and problem solving, so I will be properly equipped to enter the marketing field when I graduate.
About our winner

Kylie Alonso is a sophomore business marketing student at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California. She grew up in Santa Clarita, California, where she enjoyed playing softball competitively. Transitioning from athlete to entrepreneur, Kylie created an adventure apparel brand, Seek Supply Company, with 2 friends after her freshman year of college. Kylie enjoys spending her time staying active and outdoors—surfing, camping, and hiking are among her favorite activities. She plans on pursuing her passion for Digital Marketing and Graphic Design, and hopes to do lots of traveling after she graduates.
Think you have what it takes to be our next scholarship winner?
If you are interested in participating in our next essay contest, we invite you to visit our Scholarship page to learn more about the essay requirements, the selection process and see the next essay prompt. If you have additional questions, feel free to contact us.
Congrats again to Kylie!