Derrick Leonard (BSM ’25)

Name: Derrick Leonard

Hometown: New Orleans, Louisiana

Major: Marketing

Minor: N/A

Post Graduation Plans: Undecided. 

Freeman Activities: Tidal Wave (Court and Food Chair), TAMID Tulane (Director of Marketing/Development), Crawfest at Tulane (Content Manager, CultureAidNola (Volunteer), Coalition To Restore Coastal Louisiana (Volunteer).

Favorite Business Course: New Product Development.

Favorite Business Professor: My favorite Business professor is Jeff Salyers because he has a unique way to make complex concepts engaging and easy to understand. I took Professor Salyers' New Product Development and Sports Marketing classes a semester apart, and he brought creativity to the classroom, making all his lectures enjoyable. He also genuinely cares about his students success, always making himself available for guidance and mentorship. His teaching style encouraged innovation, strategic thinking and creativity. He pushed me and my peers to develop real marketable ideas when working on our presentations.

Academic, extracurricular or personal achievement you're most proud of: I'm most proud of my marketing portfolio because it showcases not only my technical skills but also my creativity, ability to develop compelling brand storytelling through graphic design and growth as a marketing student. My portfolio is a reflection of the hands-on experience I’ve gained through coursework, internships and personal projects.

Top items on professional bucket list: I hope to launch my own brand and lead a global marketing campaign for a major brand. 

Fun Fact: In high school, I earned nine tech certifications, ranging from CIW Advanced HTML5 and CSS3 Specialist to Autodesk Inventor.