About the Texas Advertising Group

National Advertising Networking Trips

Every semester, twenty TAG students are chosen to participate in different networking trips around the country. Participants get to visit major advertising agencies and network with Texas Exes, as well as industry professionals. These trips include a Spring Break trip to New York, a May trip to Chicago, a Dallas trip in October, the Houston Advertising Federation Student Competition in the Fall, and a San Francisco trip during winter break. Agencies we have visited in the past include Ogilvy & Mather, McCann Erickson, Weiden+Kennedy, Razorfish, and JWT. These trips serve as invaluable experience to those who participate and help to build a stronger foundation and network for students. For more information, please contact Special Events.


Testimonials

Becca Tomlin
On the TAG trip to Dallas I learned more about how to make myself a marketable graduate than I did all semester in my classes. Plus it was fun to get to know new people in TAG that I now have classes with!

Sarah Denney
This trip was very valuable to me because I really learned how to network. Networking isn't something they teach you in class but something you have to experience. I feel like this trip gave me a leg-up on other students because I had talked to real professionals and gained contact information for future internships and job opportunities.

Kathryn Poh
I went on the San Francisco trip in January 2011 and had a blast. It was eye opening to see that all of the agencies had different personalities to them, even if they were down the street from from one another. From the big agencies to the small agencies, we visited them all. Not only do you get to meet amazing people at the agencies, you also get to meet and bond with great people on the trip with you. I had qualms about San Francisco at first, but after exploring the city, I can see myself working in the city. If it had not been for the TAG trip, I would have never considered San Francisco as a place to live and work.

Eric Ormsby
The TAG Dallas trip was one of the best things I've done at UT so far. Not only did I learn more practical information about the industry in a few days than I had the rest of the semester, but I also got to hang out with a bunch of cool people who shared my interests! That's what college should be all about.

Tess Levitan
The 2010 Dallas networking trip was my first trip with TAG. It was great to see a variety of agency cultures because it is so important to understand what type of agency environment you will work best in. Even though I had seen speakers from The Richards Group speak at UT it was so much more informative to see how they actually work at their agency in Dallas. I would recommend this experience to anyone!

Tess Levitan
Going to San Francisco with TAG was probably one of the best opportunities I have experienced through TAG. I was able to set up a few interviews before the trip and really capitalize on the opportunity. I fell in love with San Francisco and I realized that San Francisco is really where I hope to work someday. Visiting a city with your friends and learning about various agency environments all in one trip is pretty much as good as it gets for me! I would recommend this experience to anyone and I will be going on as many networking trips as I can!

Susie Reinecke
Going on the New York City TAG trip opened my eyes to the realities of the advertising industry. It changed the way I view my place in it all. Networking with the real movers and shakers of this business and especially seeing Texas Alumni successful make the transition up to the big city has only reinforced my motivation to pursue this career. More importantly, I had the chance to build friendships with my fellow classmates, which turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences of them all!

Cassandra Webb
My trip to new York City with TAG was incredible. Every agency prepared an informative presentation about their culture, agency tasks, and samples of their work. The experience showcased various jobs and opportunities in the industry. It has been the most eye opening experience into the advertising industry. Do not miss out on this opportunity, you will learn more in 5 days about advertising jobs than at any job fair.

Mike Breighner
The New York TAG trip is such a great opportunity to see the world of advertising right at the heart of it. It helped me gain so much insight into all the different areas of an agency that I've now narrowed down what I really want to do. New York is amazing in itself, and if you're scared about making the plunge into the Big Apple, this is the trip for you. I thought the big city would scare me to death, but this trip made moving to New York seem so much more possible.

Robyn Tenenbaum
The TAG trip to NYC was incredible. It really opened my eyes to agency life in the big apple. We had opportunity to visit various agencies: from media firms, to latino agencies, to some of the biggest names in advertising, it really was a once in a lifetime experience. New York really doesn't seem as daunting any more, and the trip just reiterated that advertising is the perfect career choice for me.

Miguel A. Rayos-Velazquez
Going to New York with the Texas Advertising Group was such an invigorating experience. It helped me define more of why I love advertising, as well as learn more about the industry and the different agencies. No classroom experience could compare to the feeling of tangible information that feels current and relevant. The best way to discover an agencies culture is to visit it and discover whether the agency is a fit for you, and that is the most important thing that I learned in this trip. Also, bonding with the people you travel with is a lot of fun!