Joselyn Rand, '10, M.B.A. '13, Inspires Her Team to Reach New Heights
By Lia Kizilbash Gillet
As an NIU cheerleader, Joselyn Rand, ‘10, M.B.A. ’13, learned the importance of teamwork and dedication—values that would later serve her well throughout her career. Now, as marketing director at Synergis, a workforce solutions company, Rand runs a lead-generating focused marketing team and works to develop each of her team members in their careers.
Growing up in Belvidere, Illinois, Rand attended NIU and earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and then a master’s degree through NIU’s Executive M.B.A. Program.
Before marketing, Rand first grew passionate for recruiting after completing a series of internships. As an intern at Target, Rand helped the company recruit fellow students and made NIU one of the top 10 schools that Target recruited from. After graduation, she continued working for Target as an executive team leader in guest experience and human resources, while pursuing her M.B.A.
Rand went on to work at TEKsystems as a recruiter for five years where she earned the title of “Company MVP,” served as a mentor to interns and led the onboarding of new recruiters. Her accomplishments at TEKsystems led to an opportunity to step into a marketing manager role at Allegis Global Solutions, where she oversaw marketing for North America and started the company’s first podcast that is now listened to globally.
Rand moved over to Pride Global, another global staffing and services company, as marketing manager and then marketing director, where she helped build up a global marketing team, oversaw design, email and strategy.
Now, in her current role as marketing director at Synergis, Rand is creating processes and establishing a strong lead-generating marketing team. She is focused on elevating the company as a thought-leader in the industry and as a brand known for caring for its partners, clients and employees.
Rand is most proud of her work in women and diversity initiatives.
"It has always been a passion for me to support equal opportunity for women and diverse employees in the workforce," she said. “From the start of my career at Target, I represented my district at Diversity, Equity and Inclusion roundtables and have continued to do so in each of my roles.”
Rand represented TEKsystems at the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) leadership conference. She served as the North American communications director for the women’s employee resource group at Allegis Global Solutions, where she conceptualized and headed an International Women’s Day event for all the Allegis companies with over 500 in-person and virtual attendees nationally. At Synergis, she is part of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee and continues to push for equal rights.
Rand credits her family as her most significant influence in life.
"My family is from Vietnam, and I am the first generation born in the United States,” said Rand. “They came to America to flee the war and in hopes of the American dream. Growing up, my parents always reminded me that they were able to create a life for us from nothing. They taught me that through hard work I could achieve a successful career and life.”
Watching family members succeed as entrepreneurs, doctors, top executives, and many other impressive careers, Rand wants to make her family proud with her drive and hard work ethic.
“Through hard times my mother used to always remind our family to be happy and I’ve taken it with me in everything that I do,” she shared. “Whether at work or in my personal life, I strive to be my best self and enjoy every moment in the journey.”
Rand put her best foot forward during her time at NIU and learned to network—identifying it as one of the most significant factors in her overall success. Through her involvement with the Marketing Student Advisory Board, Dean’s Student Advisory Board, and the business fraternity, Pi Sigma Epsilon, Rand learned the importance of developing her interpersonal skills.
"Throughout my career, I have been able to build strong and genuine relationships that have helped give me opportunities for my next role," she said. "When I started my career, I thought I could just come to work, and work hard, and that would be enough. I learned I had to let people in to build stronger relationships."
Finding mentors at NIU, Rand learned to share her career goals with her trusted network and ask for mentorships, advice, and opportunities.
“Dr. Tim Aurand and Dr. Geoffrey Gordon were two of my brilliant professors who prepared me for my career and helped me to grow and thrive,” said Rand. They truly were genuine and wanted their students to succeed—not only in their careers, but in life. I know that I can always reach out, and they will still be a great support system to this day, which is priceless.”
“NIU prepared me to be the best at what I do,” she said. “And through NIU cheerleading, traveling to Europe for my undergrad and China for an International Business Seminar during my M.B.A., I made relationships I will have forever.”
As Rand continues to make an impact in her field, she remains grateful for her education and those who have helped her along the way. She stays in touch with former cheerleading teammates, and they attend homecoming together each year. Returning to speak at the College of Business on various topics, Rand hopes she can inspire students working to define their career paths and give back to the university.
“Even if I’m just a pitstop in someone’s journey, I want to make an impact however I can,” she said.