about me

My name is Brian Burke and I am a Communications Studies student at Loyola University Chicago. Growing up in Queens, New York wasn’t like growing up in a typical Midwestern town which I found to benefit me as I made the move to Chicago. Growing up in a diverse population allowed me to embrace social situations and adapt easily when it came to meeting and speaking with new people. I found that I became accustomed to a fast-paced life style and high stress situations at an early age. These experiences helped me become a quick learner. As a young adult, I wanted to challenge myself and move to Chicago despite not knowing anyone. As a result, I welcome new experiences and relationships as they only make me a more rounded person.

I have a great appreciation for art, music, and sports. My mother is an artist and teacher. She opened my world to art at an early age with frequent trips to The MET, the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim, and many more.  Don’t be surprised to find me at concerts or live comedy shows as I attend at least four each year. Some of my favorite shows being Pearl Jam, My Morning Jacket, and Gary Clark Jr. I grew up playing every sport imaginable from football to rugby. I make sure to attend at least a few Rangers games each season and I go to every rugby match that makes its way to Chicago.

During my time at Loyola I focused my studies on marketing, advertising, production and computer science. I enjoyed my production and computer sciences courses where I learned several programs such as Python, SQL, Adobe Premiere, Adobe Audition.  I have marketing internship experience at Rambler Consulting Group, a student operated company where I created SWOT analysis and contributed to website, logo, and business card design. I worked with clients to meet needs by gathering information and creating presentations for potential investors. My client was developing a grocery store solution to food deserts in Chicago. As a Jesuit student since high school I have always been motivated to serve others. So I was excited to have a client passionate about the same thing. During my internship I developed my networking skills by attending multiple events in the area each week for the company. I attended several conferences including the 3^rd party logistics and supply chain summit in Chicago 2016. I was introduced to the logistics industry and global transportation management. I participated in a case competition where I was randomly paired with a team consisting of two professionals active in the logistics field. I learned the technical side of logistics by developing a problem-solving plan for a common issue in the field, in addition to gaining presentation experience.

After getting my professional career off the ground I was excited to see what else was out there. I started a marketing internship at a startup where I felt I could get my hands on some real marketing experience while also learning about the field and professional life. I worked for FoodBoss, formerly known as Bootler, an online food delivery comparison company where I developed my skills by learning and implementing search engine optimization (SEO). I became familiar with resources such as Google analytics, Google Search Console, and SEMrush. I expanded the site’s reach by implementing keyword research and position tracking strategies. As part of a competition, the interns were challenged to increase mobile downloads. My team had the most downloads with over 250 downloads in one week. I also worked to develop and share content on their social media outlets and the sites blog. I sharpened my communication skills and business relations experience by doing outreach to perspective partners across the country in order to grow SEO.

Playing rugby for over 8 years has given me a broad skill set in which I was able to develop a sense of teamwork and discipline; not only on the field but throughout different aspects of my life – from my studies to building relationships. I have learned to be versatile in my work as things don’t always go as planned and often I find myself doing many jobs at once, whether it be in the kitchen, at the office, or on the rugby pitch. But more importantly I recognize that the right mindset and attitude can transform any environment into something positive and productive.

As a the youngest of five children I’ve learned to become a good listener in order to work through challenges or disagreements that come my way. As I finish up my studies at Loyola I am searching for a professional life that offers me the opportunity to work with and for people. I want to use my ability to connect with people as an advantage when it comes to developing and maintaining relationships. I have a positive attitude and strive to make things easier for the people around me. I’m always looking to grow my circle so I invite you to contact me for anything from marketing to music!