Nicole Cheater
3rd-year student, Bachelor of Business in Marketing with a minor in Event Management
Nicole Cheater - who is studying a Bachelor of Business in Marketing with a minor in Event Management - says she wanted to study business because she wants to own her own event company one day.
“Growing up with my mum owning her own business I wanted to have the same freedom. I fell in love with business in high school, and was set on going to AUT and studying business as I love the practical aspects of AUT’s degrees and being able to gain workplace experience as part of my studies.
“I chose to major in marketing because I love social media, promoting and looking at new campaigns online, and have always wanted to be an influencer in my spare time. Event management, particularly weddings is a big interest of mine, so I decided to study event management as part of my degree too. I’ve enjoyed being able to put on practical events for some of my classes – it’s great experience for when I graduate.”
Now in the final year of her studies, Nicole already has a pretty good idea how she sees her future.
“When I graduate, I’d like to work in events, possibly weddings or social media marketing, or maybe events for a marketing company.”
The right choice
For Nicole, coming to AUT for her studies was a bit of a family tradition.
“I chose AUT because of my mum. She studied there and then became a programme leader for the Certificate in Travel in 2000 to 2003. I wanted to follow in her footsteps. I also appreciated the atmosphere and friendliness at AUT. The facilities and student support services are also good – it feels like AUT cares and is looking out for us.”
She has thoroughly enjoyed her time at AUT.
“The degree is practical and you learn useful skills you can take into the real world. I’ve loved being able to choose my own timetable and work alongside my studies. I also like that the Bachelor of Arts has many avenues I could go down and that I can tailor my courses to my interests. While you’re at AUT, you can also make so many new friends that you’ll have for a lifetime, and there are many networking opportunities that are provided to give you a headstart on your future career.”
Advice for other students
Expecting to complete her degree later this year, Nicole has some great advice for other students thinking about university study.
“My advice is to explore your interests and dive right into it. Plan for the future because you can get a headstart for it at AUT.”
Time management is important, she adds.
“Have good time management because there will be times when you’re stressed and overwhelmed, but just remember that there’s an end date and when you finish you’ll be immensely proud of yourself for sticking it out.”
