In the spring of 2026 I was nominated to represent my college at International Marketing Week hosted by Munster Technological University in Cork, Ireland. This intensive, one-week marketing competition challenged global teams to create a comprehensive campaign proposal for Blackrock Castle Observatory— a 16th century castle turned space observatory and research center. 

Our objective, revealed to us upon arrival in Cork, was to drive foot traffic to the castle and to distribute 100,000 solar glasses to the people of Ireland for the 2026 solar eclipse. The challenge was to educate the public on the risks of viewing the eclipse without glasses while maintaining the brand’s engaging and accessible voice.

My team, a cross-cultural group from Ireland, Belgium, and Latvia, navigated language barriers and diverse perspectives to create the “300 Years Later” campaign. Using BCO’s unique historical positioning and their scientific expertise as leverage, we sought to promote this rare celestial event using the fact that the 2026 solar eclipse will be the closest one to total coverage in Ireland since 1727. 

Over the course of just 4 days, we conducted rapid-fire research, built an integrated promotional plan, delivered a high-quality presentation to Blackrock stakeholders, and had a ton of fun. This was a particularly rewarding experience for me as I took the lead on our out-of-home billboard design. As a writer who almost failed art class in middle school, I have always stayed far away from visual design. 

And yet, working in this new team of creative collaborators gave me the opportunity to, for the first time in my college career, experiment with visual creation. And while the output may not be hung up in an art gallery anytime soon, my confidence has definitely grown and I’m proud to have (somewhat) dismantled my “artistically challenged” self-image.