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Stephanie Nguyen Draper, a graduate of HPU with a master’s degree in strategic communication, exemplifies both entrepreneurial spirit and academic proficiency. During her graduate studies, she and her husband successfully launched and operated a thriving pizza truck business, Zephanie’s Pizza, where Draper’s education seamlessly merged with hands-on experience. She applied insights from coursework and strategic projects to enhance the truck's branding, social media presence, and operational efficiency. Her journey underscores the synergy between education and real-world application, shaping a dynamic approach to business and communication in the culinary industry.

With a background in theater acting, Draper recognized the importance of building strong relationships and enhancing personal branding. Reflecting on her journey, she noted, "innately with theater or any performer, you're meant to learn how to communicate. You're meant to learn these skills of how to brand yourself and how to showcase yourself." This realization led her to pursue a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication (MASCOM) Å·ÃÀAƬ, where she was captivated by the knowledge of her professors and enthusiastically delved deeper into branding within marketing and communications.

While pursuing her degree and working as a graduate assistant for HPU's Housing and Student Life departments Draper's entrepreneurial spark ignited. Initially sparked by an interest in making pizzas for friends, this hobby evolved into a full-fledged business venture with the launch of a food truck. Aligned with her coursework and mentorship, Draper applied her graphic design skills to rebrand and develop logos, integrating lessons from PR, digital design, and social media marketing classes into her capstone project. She found the learning process exhilarating as she navigated a wealth of information, experimenting with various marketing and communication techniques.

“Everything I learned in Dr. [Lisa] Chuang’s [Associate Professor and Program Director of MASCOM] classes has come to fruition in real life. I would say Professor Quest [Kennelly] too, especially when it comes to digital marketing, digital design, or some type of understanding of it of some kind,” reflected Draper. Throughout her time Å·ÃÀAƬ, three of her biggest takeaways have been that communication is multifaceted and always evolving, networking is your best friend, and just be yourself.  

Supported by dedicated professors and mentors like Chuang and Professor of Communication John Hart, Ph.D., Draper has honed her skills and seized networking opportunities that propelled her entrepreneurial journey forward. Hart provided a connection with the owner of all Dominos on the island. Chuang offered numerous examples of people to reach out to for more advice. “The professors pushed me to open my network, to push myself, to go above and beyond. They encourage you to be better and they want to see you succeed,” shared Draper.

Considering her transformative experience Å·ÃÀAƬ, Draper advises prospective students: “If you’re considering coming to HPU, do it; you won't regret it. To any students wanting to join any program, not just MASCOM, remember that any experience you put yourself in is to dive in completely because once you do, you reap so much reward. I went into it with the mindset of whatever the schools are willing to give me, I'm going to use those resources and they’ll open so many doors to help me. HPU encourages you to take advantage of their resources, so take that opportunity. Enjoy the experience, make lifelong friends, and seize every opportunity,” expressed Draper.

Draper's journey Å·ÃÀAƬ demonstrates the powerful influence of education and hands-on experience. She utilized skills from graphic design, PR, digital design, and social media marketing classes to rebrand Zephanie’s Pizza. Embracing lessons in dynamic communication and networking, Draper highlights the impact of mentorship and academic rigor. As Zephanie’s Pizza thrives, her story exemplifies the synergy between passion and education, paving the way for ongoing success and innovation in the culinary industry and beyond.

For more information about HPU’s MASCOM program, click here.

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