Ole Miss Student Prepares for Dream Career by Working for Coca-Cola

By Ava Jahner

Meagan Harkins, the face of Coca-Cola on campus, is using her undergraduate years to prepare for a career in creative media. 

Harkins was named Coca-Cola campus ambassador after a friend thought she would be perfect for the position and told her about the opportunity. 

The job entails sampling events, product drops, attending monthly webinars, bringing products to groups on campus, and running advertisements and information through her own social media account. 

“One of my main responsibilities is to bring brand love,” Harkins said.

She began working with media, running the social media account for the UM School of Journalism and New Media. 

She did similar work for the Ole Miss Women’s Council, attends monthly dinners for the scholars and meets with mentors who support her career ambitions. 

Harkins is a committed Christian. 

“Being a Christian to me means loving God and loving people because love is the fruit that shows the spirit within us,” Harkins said. 

She uses her creative media skills and her passion for people and spreading her love of God to others through Camp Ch-Yo-Ca, Delight Women’s Ministry at Ole Miss, and a bible study group for FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students). 

She is one of the women who founded Delight Ole Miss. It is a women’s ministry group on campus that started in the Fall of 2019. She is a group and community events leader. 

“I really love that Meagan has been so open and welcoming since I first met her,” said Olivia Reeves, a freshman member of Harkins’ Bible study. 

“Our mission is to help like-minded girls find genuine friendships and help each other navigate life’s struggles. My position as a leader is to be the social media director,” said Ole Miss junior Aniston McClellan. 

“When you think of Meagan Harkins, you think of sunshine,” McClellan said. “She is one of the most welcoming and open people I’ve ever met.” 

Harkins uses her selflessness to make a difference in other’s lives and show it through media with pictures, podcasts, stories, etc. 

She is producing content for nonprofit organizations to dive deep into the story the organizations aim to tell. 

For example, she produces videos and a podcast for Camp Ch-Yo-Ca, a Northern Louisiana Christian Camp. 

The camp is led by Duck Dynasty’s John Luke Robertson. Its website indicates, the camp is designed “To offer an experience for young people to play, study, sing, and seek God.” (http://www.campchyoca.com/about/)

“Having really good conversations with 14-year-olds is so inspiring to me because they are willing to ask questions. It means they trust me enough to ask and care enough to listen,” Harkins said. 

Harkins, originally from Orlando, Florida, is a senior majoring in broadcasting. She was drawn to Ole Miss through her great grandfather, William Joel Blass. He was a faculty member for the University of Mississippi School of Law in the 1960s and received the Teacher’s Excellence Award in 1969. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Joel_Blass)

Harkins received a four-year scholarship from the Ole Miss Women’s Council before arriving at university. However, the beginning of her time on campus was anything but magical. 

“Freshman year was the worst year of my life. I wanted to transfer and was so uncomfortable making friends,” Harkins said. 

After freshman year, she realized that she had begun to grow and recognized that she is capable of pushing through hard situations. 

“Storytelling is one of the most natural functions of human beings. If companies tap into their emotional appeal, it gives humans something to hold onto and even have others share the stories again,” Harkins said. 

Being a Coca-Cola brand ambassador, working on a campus ministry and leading a Bible study, Meagan Harkins is using her passion for people and their stories, all while preparing for her dream career.