<p>Jose Mendoza's path to teaching was unconventional. Initially a computer engineer working for companies like Epson and Hewlett Packard, Mendoza's career took a turn when he transitioned to marketing. This unexpected shift ignited a passion that would eventually lead him to NYU's School of Professional Studies, where he supports future marketing professionals.</p> <p>The <a href="/content/sps-nyu/explore/degrees-and-programs/executive-masters-in-marketing-and-strategic-communications.html" title="Executive MS in Marketing and Strategic Communications">Executive MS in Marketing and Strategic Communications</a> program is designed by senior-level professionals like Mendoza for marketing and PR executives on the rise. This five-semester program is hybrid. It begins with one week in-person and concludes with four days in-person, while the remainder of the coursework is completed online, providing the flexibility to earn your degree while maintaining full-time employment.</p> <p>We sat down with Mendoza to learn more about his path from engineering to marketing, his experiences in the classroom so far, and his advice for future marketing trailblazers.</p>

<p>As an experienced computer engineer, Mendoza says, &quot;I never thought I would be teaching at all.&quot; But there was something deeply compelling to him about the intersection of computer science and marketing. “I transitioned from engineering to marketing and found myself hooked. I pursued further studies in marketing, including a master's degree and an MBA.&quot;</p> <p>His teaching career began eight years ago when he was invited to be a guest speaker at a university in the Midwest. He enjoyed it so much that he decided to take on a part-time teaching position and hasn't looked back. Today, Mendoza is a full-time faculty member and the academic director for the <a href="/content/sps-nyu/about/academic-divisions-and-departments/division-of-programs-in-business/integrated-marketing-and-communications.html" title="Master's in Integrated Marketing">Master's in Integrated Marketing</a> program at NYU SPS. He describes the program as dynamic and diverse, offering numerous career paths for students.</p>

<p>Impressed by the dedication and engagement of his students, Mendoza incorporates his extensive professional experience into his classes. His expertise in analytics and marketing, coupled with his background in technology, makes his teaching particularly relevant in today's AI-driven landscape.</p> <p>&quot;I like to bring my professional experience into the classroom. One of the things I found that was a differentiator in my case, was to have this combination of analytics and marketing. That combination, I found, was very interesting. And now that we are in this age of artificial intelligence, in this age of marketing analytics and digital tools, I found that in my environment, I think I'm able to transfer that to the students—the passion for the subjects and the passion for what I think was a good experience.&quot;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Having worked in various countries, Mendoza emphasizes the importance of a global mindset and multilingualism for marketing professionals. He believes that living and working abroad and speaking multiple languages provide invaluable skills that help marketers connect with a global audience. &quot;It should be mandatory. That should be a requirement. We have been going through this globalization process for many, many years. This is nothing new, but now with this age of the Internet, artificial intelligence, and all this social media, all the data connectivity, we can see that globalization is happening at a blazing speed.&quot;</p>

<p>In the classroom, Mendoza shares real-world case studies and anecdotes from his career, creating a classroom environment that mimics the one students will face on the job. He uses examples from his work with global brands like Chivas Regal to illustrate the complexities of international marketing. &quot;I like to bring to my students my anecdotes and cases where everything went well or everything went poorly. For example, I shared with them a success story of launching a new product in the Caribbean and Central America, but also the frustration of launching the same product in China or India. Because we didn't have the economies of scale required to compete in such a competitive market.&quot;</p>

<p>Mendoza is a strong <a href="https://www.datauniverseevent.com/en-us/blog/general/from-theory-to-practice-nyu-professor-bridges-the-gap-with-ai-and-data-in-business-education.html" title="advocate for integrating technology into education">advocate for integrating technology into education</a>. He has developed a custom GPT tool for his students, designed to help them with their assignments by providing tailored support based on the course syllabus. &quot;I'm asking them to embrace AI. They can click and ask a question like 'help me with assignment number one' or 'describe assignment number two.' This is part of my teaching style. I use analytics heavily and then let me show you how I do it.&quot;</p>

<p>Mendoza advises students to remain curious and engaged, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and networking. &quot;Marketing is a living thing. It's a very dynamic field where we're moving really fast, but sometimes we don't know what's going to happen in the next five years, ten years, fifteen years. So we all need to shape that, and we need to know exactly where we are going.&quot; He also encourages students in the program to remain curious about everything, especially emerging technologies.&nbsp;</p> <p>Mendoza's professional experience and innovative teaching methods make him a standout educator at NYU SPS. Join the next wave of future-focused communications professionals when you pursue an <a href="/content/sps-nyu/explore/degrees-and-programs/executive-masters-in-marketing-and-strategic-communications.html" title="Executive MS in Marketing and Strategic Communications">Executive MS in Marketing and Strategic Communications</a>.</p>