Q: Your Name?
A: Kathy Ciesinski
Q: At what school do you work?
A: University of Michigan
Q: What is your role?
A: General Manager
Q: How long have you been in student media?
A: 10.5 years. I joined the team as Sales & Marketing Advisor in 2011, and became General Manager in 2018
Q: What are you most proud of at your current Student Media org?
A: We just wrapped up our 10th annual “My Baby’s Graduating!” section. In 2020 and 2021 we published a limited run based on parent interest. This year we’ll be back at the Big House, handing them out on graduation day. I am forever grateful to CMBAM for posting the annual contest entries, which is where I first saw this idea, and to Chrissy Beck at Duke for helping me take their publication prototype and run with it.
Q: What is a fun fact about you, your town, your University?
A: I would like to clarify that in your recent Google search of my name, I am not a mezzo-soprano opera singer or voice professor. That would be my father’s cousin.
Q: What is a media project you would most like to pick someone’s brain about?
A: How to get students on board with accepting sponsored content.
Q: What is your favorite snack on a road trip?
A: A quick rundown of what’s typically in the car on my annual summer cross-country trip to Colorado: Reduced-fat Ruffles and Cheetos, White Cheddar Smart Pop, some variety of pretzel, trail mix, Starburst, Skittles, orange-flavored Life Savers, and chocolate, of course. Sounds like a lot, but it’s for two weeks, and it’s vacation!
Kim’s contact is kciesins@umich.edu
