Jamey Lundblad C’95 loves Chicago. As chief marketing officer for the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, his job is to promote the city’s many cultural offerings. It’s one he relishes.

“Chicago is an arts powerhouse and a global cultural destination—the birthplace of the skyscraper and modern architecture, storefront theatre, improv, the urban blues, and more,” Lundblad says. “I’m passionate about making the arts and local culture available to Chicagoans and visitors, and I love going to see exhibits, theatre, and dance myself—every chance I get. So, I’m grateful that my job allows me to advocate for the arts and Chicago every day.”

The communication arts and Swedish double major says North Park prepared him well for his high-profile position with the city, where he’s responsible for marketing Chicago’s many festivals and promoting Millennium Park, the number-one tourist attraction in the Midwest.

“My classes at North Park were terrific and provided a solid foundation for my career,” says the Minnesota native. “But what really shaped me were my experiences outside the classroom and around the world,” including his semester in Sweden and his role as Student Government president his senior year.

“My study abroad in Sweden gave me confidence and a more expansive worldview,” says Lundblad, who was mentored by many beloved North Park professors and staff, including David and Sue Horner, Melissa Morris-Olson, and Charles Peterson, among others.

After graduation, Lundblad got his career off the ground as an editor and event planner for North Park. Then he moved on to roles at marketing agency VSA Partners and as director of marketing for the Chicago Public Library.

Now a frequent world traveler, Lundblad also serves on the board of directors of Edgar Miller Legacy, a group whose mission is to preserve the architect’s “handmade homes” throughout the country, but especially in the Chicagoland area.

In fact, Lundblad and his husband, Bill Melamed, held their recent wedding in the R.W. Glasner Studio, a building designed by Miller, who was known as a master painter, wood carver, and stained-glass maker. Lundblad and Melamed are committed to supporting the arts, as well as a variety of LGBTQ causes.

Lundblad hails from a long line of North Park alumni: his aunt, uncle, brother, and sister-in-law all attended North Park.

“I’m proud to call myself a North Park Legacy,” Lundblad says.

Hi, I’m Leah, and I’m a recent graduate of ÂÜŔňÉç and currently employed as marketing coordinator at the British International School of Chicago, Lincoln Park. I work with the marketing side of our office, where I create promotional materials, take pictures, send emails and mailings, maintain the website, and network with parents and donors.

This opportunity excites me because the international school setting makes a difference in the development of children and their outlooks on life. It exposes them to other cultures early on and allows them to learn alongside other kids who may have a totally different background than they do.

My job is a combination of my professional experiences at North Park, where I was a student worker in University Marketing and Communications as well as the Office of Advancement. In the marketing office, I learned how to maintain websites and had an opportunity to hone my photography skills. I have my own style of photography, but when I started taking pictures for North Park, I had to learn how to transition to a new style to fit within their brand guidelines. I also learned more InDesign and other design skills from the lead designer.

The Office of Advancement gave me an opportunity to develop professional skills, such as welcoming people, providing customer service, and building relationships with people who are part of the institution, all of which are huge parts of my job now.

At North Park, I also I took a business communication class with the director of Career Development and Internships Office (CDIO). The class prepared us for job searching and interacting in a professional workplace. We worked in groups and practiced writing in various formats, including press releases, PSA’s, and more. We talked about interviews, how to dress for them and how to answer questions; received other tips for success; and then set up mock interviews with staff and faculty members to gain extra practice. I’ve never considered interviews to be one of my strengths, so the extra bit of practice really helped.

I see this position as a starting point for my career. I’m in a position where I am completing tasks that I know I can do. I’m using the skills that I have already learned, but there is still information that I know I have yet to learn. It’s nice to transition out of the student worker mentality into a leadership position where I get to take charge.