Christina Troy ’09, Senior Project Manager, Arnold Worldwide and Co-Founder, OnBendedKnee
As a Communication Studies major and Digital Media minor, Christina was able to tap into her artistic side by taking classes in computer illustration and typography. These courses, combined with the core principles taught in the Communications department, allowed her to develop a passion for mass media, marketing, and advertising.
That passion has landed Christina in the advertising industry as a Senior Project Manager, focusing on the Progressive Insurance account for Arnold Worldwide. In this role, she ensures that the company is delivering what the clients are asking for, on-time and on-budget. “Every day is something different, but that’s part of what keeps it both challenging and exciting. To be constantly surrounded by such creativity, strategic thinking and cultural relevance/influence is thrilling” says Christina.
The sense of drive and independence cultivated throughout her time at Merrimack also helped shape an entrepreneurial spirit that resulted in the founding of a small business with a fellow Merrimack graduate, Laura (Pallone) Perreault ’09. For the last 5 years, they have been running OnBendedKnee, an event styling company. As Principal Consultant for the company, Christina helps concept, design, and execute on ideas that can be as small as what a printed invitation may look like, to as large as how the entire event will be styled.
How did your experience at Merrimack help you as a professional?
Merrimack instilled a sense of drive in me to pursue things that matter to me most and to keep those things at the forefront when developing my career. Throughout my 4 years at Merrimack, I was consistently challenged academically, but also personally. Yes, there were the things we were learning on paper, but through my experiences I was also learning about who I wanted to be as a person, which I still carry with me.
What is the best advice you could give current Merrimack students?
Knowing what I know now, networking is huge. What will make or break an opportunity is often “who you know.” Never discount a conversation and always go after what you want, even if you feel like the odds aren’t in your favor. Find a way in and find a common connection. There’s no need to settle. The worst you can hear from someone is “no,” but if you make a positive impression and continue pushing forward, the break will come.
What is your favorite Merrimack memory?
Being a part of the Orientation program was both the scariest and best thing that happened to me while at Merrimack. At the encouragement of friends I signed up, and was completely out of my element. What was great about the program was that it brought together a bunch of us, all from different years, interests, and backgrounds, and bonded us together in a way that overcame all of that. We became a family that looked out for each other beyond that crazy week. I’m fortunate to say that 9 years after graduating, I still have some of those people in my life now.
