Nicole Yonan: Chase Who You Want to Be
As a young girl growing up in Los Angeles, Nicole was bitten early by the acting bug. Her love for acting was a major reason why she decided to stay in Los Angeles and go to LMU. Upon her first visit to campus, she immediately felt like she was home. She decided to major in marketing with a minor in theater. Through her experience at LMU, Nicole built personal relationships with her professors. A requirement of the business program is to take a variety of courses from all specializations. One of those classes was Business Law. It was in this class where she fell in love with law. She kept in touch with the professor, and that connection changed her life and career.
Today, Nicole works on the Learning and Development team at WarnerMedia. One thing that college and her career have taught her is that two passions can blend. She noted that many of her classmates felt they had to focus on one subject matter and one career, especially if their passions do not appear to blend naturally. Nicole also noted that unlike many graduates, she could use her degree in her position. She pointed out that she even had one of her textbooks on her desk.
While Nicole can use her degree at work, she admits that the real world is much different. Every day is different and brings new and exciting challenges. Working for entertainment, she can see the growth of a project at a foundational level. Now, when watching a TV show, she might notice a song that she had to help get clearance for use. She works with and learns from all departments and aids them in moving forward with whatever initiatives they seek.
As the world continues to grow and change, careers evolve as well. Gone are the days when teacher, lawyer, doctor or nurse are the only real options for students. Through her experience at LMU, Nicole learned firsthand that a genuine college experience is preparing you for the dream job you did not know you wanted.
When asked what she would tell her younger self, she said, “Make the most of the resources. Be open to new opportunities. Make an effort to get outside of your comfort zone. Make connections with everyone, even professors. You will be surprised by whom and what will help you later."
Written by Lindsay Western, MBA '17