Hanna Jung came all the way from Germany to study Marketing with a minor in Sport Management at St. Thomas Aquinas College. She was drawn to the College due to its location and tight-knit community, stating that “St. Thomas Aquinas gives you a voice and sees you as an individual, not just a number. I’m thankful for having the opportunity to have a one-on-one relationship with my professors and staff members so I can be fully supported in order to reach my full potential and be best prepared for life after college.”
In her two and a half years at St. Thomas Aquinas College, Hanna has taken advantage of all of the opportunities the College has to offer. In line with her career aspirations of being a sports marketing manager, she has interned for both the Athletic Communications and Campus Communications departments. Last summer, she interned off-campus for Ruotolo Associates, a philanthropic counsel company in New Jersey. She is also a Resident Assistant and Orientation Leader, as well as captain of the Triathlon team, President of the International Student Organization, and a former member of the Women’s Track and Field team.
Dr. Deidre Engels, her advisor and Marketing professor, states that “her curiosity and enthusiasm is infectious. Not only is Hanna an NCAA college athlete and top Marketing student, but she constantly challenges herself to learn new skills. Last year, Hanna came to me with the idea of conducting an independent research study analyzing the value of branded NIL deals for female versus male college athletes. Hanna partnered with fellow student Jamal Barnes, and their insightful results were presented at the Ignite Research Symposium. As the founder of the College’s International Student Club and the winner of the Hudson Valley Direct Marketing Scholarship, Hanna serves as a great role model for the St. Thomas Aquinas community.”
Hanna’s favorite things about St. Thomas Aquinas are the staff and faculty because of their open-mindedness and willingness to provide students with support, and the bond that the community has. She says: “everyone’s interest is in living and working in a kind, friendly, and transparent environment. ‘We are a family – We are Spartans’ is not just a headline someone created, it’s each and everyone’s lifestyle here at the College.” She believes that every individual on this campus gets the opportunity to reach their full potential if they are willing to put in the work and effort, and advises future students to take advantage of all the opportunities on campus and attend the information sessions that are offered. She recommends living on campus and attending events hosted by Residence Life as it is a great way to become a part of the community and make friends.
Hanna has always been an independent and creative individual: “According to my parents, I had a certain basic confidence, which took away my fear of many things. Very early on I was very independent, have not been afraid to go anywhere alone, or to occupy myself alone. At the age of four I could already write, and later I started to invent and write stories because of my creative urge,” she shares. Outside of school, Hanna enjoys being active outdoors — she has been a triathlete for twelve years and loves to try out new sports. She states that she has “always lived on a fine line of adventurousness, along the lines of ‘what Tom Cruise can do in Mission Impossible, I can do too.’” Other than sports, she loves music — she has played the saxophone, flute, and drums — and can speak five languages. Her mom is her role model and she cherishes the time she spends with family and friends.