Bronco Spotlight: Mary Murphy
Bachelors of Business Administration in food and consumer packaged goods marketing, 2019
Sales Associate at Breakthru Beverage
I am a sales associate for Breakthru Beverage. Breakthru is a liquor distributed in Chicago, IL. I am on the food and drug side of the business, so most of my day is spent in chain grocery and retail stores.
What is the most rewarding and the most challenging part of your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is the people I work with. We all work so hard throughout the week, and it makes us become a family. The most challenging part of the job is figuring out how to win with displays and shelf placement against our competitors.
What experiences impacted the choice of your career path?
I was a 4-year varsity student athlete at Western, and all the ups and downs I experienced throughout my 4 years help prepare me for the corporate world. Just like in college, you will have good days and bad days. But one day at work doesn’t define your career. Your first year on the job is such a short span in your career, just like your freshman year of college is a small part of college. The tough experiences and the long days as a student athlete prepared me to be a hardworking and dedicated employee.
What advice would you offer students to help them decide on a career path?
When you get older, and post-college life starts to hit you, you begin to realize that you are only as good as the people you surround yourself with. When you look back on college, all of your memories will be with the people who meant most to you throughout your 4 years as a Bronco. My best advice would be to choose a company that feels like home to you. The people you work with truly make or break your experience in the work force. Choose the people and the company who will challenge you, but also build you up when you need it.