“Margaritaville University?! Do you drink margaritas all day?!” This is a pretty standard question when newcomers ask what MargU is all about. To which, ambassadors describe the Margaritaville College Ambassador Program, focused on spreading a relaxed state of mind on college campuses worldwide, while giving back in ways big and small. While we can rave about how awesome our college ambassadors are for days on end, one question still goes unanswered… What about after graduation? 

As a member of the inaugural class of MargU ambassadors in Fall 2016 and a senior at the University of Florida, I joined MargU as a way of gaining marketing experience while expanding my professional network. After a school year of promoting on campus and voicing my opinion about how the program could be better than the best, I was fortunate to be brought on by Margaritaville to run the college program full-time. My role with Margaritaville and Margaritaville University itself have grown tremendously since my college days, including the opportunity to build a job board that connects ambassadors with open positions at Margaritaville locations & licensed partners all over the world (More on this later.) In fact, the newest addition to the Margaritaville brand marketing team is another MargU alum, Kaitlyn, who shares her more recent professional experience with the college program:

The end of college is a scary time filled with uncertainty and continuous questioning of what the future will hold. Luckily for me, a new state of mind came into play thanks to Margaritaville. My junior year of college I was accepted into the Margaritaville University and spent my senior year turning High Point University in North Carolina into a tropical escape for myself, my friends, and our student body. I warmed up the campus with MargU giveaways in the winter, played Buffett tunes at pool days in the spring and made finals a little less stressful by handing out goodie bags full of merchandise in the library. MargU’s monthly challenges kept my creativity skills sharp and proved that hard work gets a lot of recognition. (If you’re an ambassador reading this, go the extra mile! And even if you’re not, always go the extra mile anyway- it’s very rewarding.)

The Margaritaville University program overlapped with my graphic design major and personal interests like photography and marketing, making it nothin’ but a breeze for me! Not only was this experience fun, but provided amazing opportunities for professional development including an invitation to the annual Ambassador Roundtable. This event brings together top ambassadors to celebrate our efforts while collaborating & brainstorming to make a difference in the future of the Margaritaville brand. 

My post-college uncertainty became clearer when I was offered a position to work as the Social Media Specialist with Margaritaville. I now spend my days connecting with our properties, overseeing our social channels and more. Just after my first day of work, I was traveling to Margaritaville properties from Palm Springs to Times Square and in between, gathering social content, working events and meeting the team. 

It’s safe to say everyone has a memorable story about Margaritaville. And as for me, my Margaritaville story is just the beginning. I learned the importance of taking risks, asking questions, applying yourself, and working hard. I had no idea while interviewing for a fun ambassador position that over a year later it would turn into a career. Margaritaville is more than just a brand or a lifestyle- It’s one big family of people, taking life one day at a time and I’m very excited to see where the brand takes me.

One of our biggest goals at MargU currently is to create more stories like Kaitlyn’s. Although the Margaritaville home office can’t hire all 1,000+ students who have participated in the college program, all ambassadors now have access to the MargU Job Board. The Job Board was created to bring together career-seeking college students and alumni with Margaritaville properties and partners. Our ambassadors come from a wide variety of majors, backgrounds and know the Margaritaville brand inside and out. Our site allows Margaritaville partners to post job listings from internships to mid-level career positions exclusively to Margaritaville University ambassadors. Secondly, it allows ambassadors to submit their resume directly to the hiring contact, so they never got lost in the mix. Interested in becoming a Margaritaville University Ambassador and gaining access to our exclusive Job Board? Applications for Fall 2023 are now open at MargaritavilleUniversity.com. 

Fins Up!