After three years of college, Robbie Higginbotham still wasn’t quite sure in what direction his degree in marketing would take him.
However, he got a much better idea through an opportunity he wasn’t really expecting.
Higginbotham, a senior marketing major at Southern Arkansas University, applied for the internship program at the start of his fourth year and suddenly found himself working in an environment he never expected . . . surrounded by food.
Higginbotham accepted an internship with Aramark, the campus food service, and he has loved the overall experiences he’s gaining with the national company.
“I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve really learned a lot,” said Higginbotham. “I was surprised at how broad a look I’ve gotten at the company. It’s really neat to see what it takes to make a company successful.”
The Prescott native has found himself working in a number of different areas within the company on the SAU campus. His duties have required him to help redesign the company’s website at SAU, help create promotional events for students, oversee email promotional to students, and to create flyers.
However, despite the wide variety of jobs he’s been asked to perform, Higginbotham said he has felt thoroughly prepared throughout his internship.
“I felt really prepared for it. My advertising class really helped prepare me. And my statistics classes also really helped,” said Higginbotham.
The SAU senior said he is glad he chose marketing as a major, which has allowed him to combine his strengths and interests into a profession he’s looking forward to embracing.
“I like people and engaging with people,” explained Higginbotham. “And I like creating things. Marketing kind of combines all of the things I like.
Higginbotham, who hopes to continue with Aramark after he graduates, said he feels the College of Business has prepared him for all the challenges and opportunities that will come his way.
“I have friends who go to bigger schools, and they say that it is so much harder to get involved in student groups, like Enactus (formerly Students In Free Enterprise).
Dr. Lisa Toms, dean of the College of Business at SAU, has enjoyed watching Higginbotham grow as both a student and leader on campus.
“Robbie is a young man who approaches everything with enthusiasm and commitment,” said Toms. “He has an engaging personality and a great work ethic. I have enormous confidence in his future success.”
Higginbotham said he has enjoyed the chance to choose from a number of opportunities through his education at SAU.
“I think the great thing about the College of Business at SAU is that you take a wide variety of classes. It opens up so many opportunities for you.”
Higginbotham is the son of Barry and Christy Higginbotham and Tammy Higginbotham of Prescott.
