Nefertiti Anderson ’12

Member of Adelphi University’s 10 Under 10.

Digital Content Producer for Ad Age

“I didn’t choose Adelphi, my mother did. She learned about the school through the parent of an alum and thought that it would be a good fit. She was right,” said Nefertiti Anderson, B.A. ’12. “It was the best of both worlds. Living on campus allowed me to have the full college experience without being too far away from my family in Long Island and Brooklyn. Adelphi was the opposite of everything I thought I wanted. It was an in-state school with small classes. Now I can’t imagine having gone anywhere else.”

During her time at Adelphi, Anderson said Writing Center Coordinator Hinda Barlaz was a mentor to her. “She provided structure and guidance all while teaching me how to answer the questions that no one was asking. We first met under recommendation. I needed help writing my personal statement essay for an internship I was applying for with Black Entertainment Television (BET) and everyone I spoke to pointed me to her. Not only did the essay she help me write land me the internship, it opened the door for them to hire me afterwards. She went on to help me craft speeches for various occasions and even laid the foundation for my GRE prep. She taught me how to be more succinct, organized, and intentional with my words and my life.”

Anderson’s first job after college was at Adelphi. “I was the social media correspondent for the Center of Career Development, a position I pitched and created myself after applying to numerous jobs in media and entertainment and hearing nothing back. I knew getting a job in that industry would be difficult so instead of waiting for someone to give me an opportunity I created my own. My responsibilities included on-site reporting, filming, and editing of major career related events and social media management.”

Soon after, Anderson received an offer from BET to become the social media coordinator for a new show the network was developing. Within two years, she went from managing the social media for one show to running all of the social media for BET’s brand accounts and spearheading the digital campaigns for tier 1 shows and specials such as the BET Awards, Black Girls Rock and The Game!. She also served as the digital correspondent for 106 & Park, the longest running music variety show on cable.

Anderson then moved on to work for Mediabistro as a marketing coordinator. Her responsibilities included maintaining the marketing calendar for all projects across social media, email and other digital initiatives as well as researching, initiating, and developing new media marketing opportunities.

In 2014, Anderson was unexpectedly laid off due to budget cuts. Instead of letting that bump in the road derail her, she decided to create, host, and produce The Path Less Traveled Series (TPLTS), an inspiring web series spotlighting millennial entrepreneurs who successfully turned their passions into lucrative careers. In under 12 months, the series received an offer for a radio deal, syndication on a Forbes listed top career website, and various forms of press coverage. “I am so proud that I was able to create a resource to help millennials like myself close the gap between setting goals and reaching them,” Anderson said.

Currently, Anderson is the digital content producer for Ad Age, a trade publication known as “the ad industry bible.” “The best part about my job is that I get to use all of my gifts in service to my role. My background and passion in on-camera reporting, video production, and social media strategy allows me to use multimedia storytelling to help the company reach its business goals while engaging their audience in fresh, fun and creative ways via social media,” she said.

“The University continued to invest in me years after I graduated, specifically the Center of Career Development,” Anderson said about Adelphi. “They went from helping me find my first internship, to co-hosting career related events I put on in the residence halls when I became a resident assistant, to giving me my first job after graduating—a position that I pitched and they created. Even after I went on to work for other companies and expand my career portfolio, they continued to pass along opportunities that would allow me to showcase my skillset and expertise. One that sticks out to me the most is being hired to produce the Community Fellows Program tribute video to then President Scott, in 2015. Bernadine Waller, Thomas Ward, Karen Autry and Jonathan Ivanoff from the Center of Career Development have been my on-campus advisors, co-workers, and mentors throughout my collegiate and professional career. The various ways they’ve invested in me is a reminder to all that support is a verb—it requires action.”

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