Helping people grow, one opportunity at a time: Featured marketing alumnus, Craig Conyers

Helping people grow, one opportunity at a time: Featured marketing alumnus, Craig Conyers

Meet Craig Conyers, a 2020 Georgia College & State University marketing graduate who now manages Georgia Pacific's JumpStart Internship Program. His career is built on one principle: Helping people reach their potential.

Conyers' path wasn't straightforward. After an internship with GEICO, he accepted a full-time role - only for COVID to change everything. Working customer service calls during the pandemic pushed him to pivot. A friend suggested sales at TTI, and Conyers jumped in. His talent for spotting potential soon landed him in recruiting, a move that shaped his future.

"Someone saw something in me before I saw it in myself," he said.

From TTI to Norfolk Southern, Conyers took on big challenges like hiring 1,000 employees in a single year. He taught himself new tools and streamlined processes and proved what determination can achieve. Today, at Georgia Pacific, he focuses on developing early-career talent, looking beyond technical skills to qualities like curiosity, communication and leadership.

"Companies can teach hard skills," Conyers said. "What stands out is attitude."

He credits Georgia College for preparing him to lead with empathy. Active in Campus Ambassadors, Delta Sigma Pi and AMA, he learned problem-solving and people skills that still guide him. Professors like Dr. Joanna Schwartz and Dr. Whitney Ginder helped him understand marketing psychology and set realistic career expectations.

"That honesty mattered," Conyers said. "It made me confident in my path."

His advice for students?

"Say yes to opportunities," "Conyers said. If someone invites you to try something, it's because they see something in you."

His advice for graduates?

"Time is a currency you cannot get back," he said. "Make the most of it."