Alumni Spotlight: Jolie Guz
Advertising alum Jolie Guz (B.A. ’18) built the foundational skills at Meadows to prepare her for design work at a global brand.
Jolie Guz (B.A. ’18) is this week’s featured alum in our new Alumni Spotlight series for the This Week at Meadows e-newsletter. Each week, a different Meadows alum will be highlighted for their accomplishments post-graduation.
The Temerlin Advertising Institute (TAI) at Meadows prepares advertising students to think boldly, create strategically and imagine their work on a global stage. Advertising alum Jolie Guz now brings brands to life as Senior Packaging Designer at Harry’s, where she leads the in-store experience for the women’s shave brand, Flamingo.
She credits her Meadows experience with giving her both the confidence and creative range to build a career in New York’s competitive design world. One of the most transformative moments of Guz’s time in the program came each May, when TAI takes students to New York City to tour agencies and connect with alumni. Those trips opened her eyes to the possibilities of a future in advertising and helped demystify an industry that can feel worlds away from campus.
“I wouldn’t have moved to New York without my Meadows experience,” says Guz, who was introduced to a wide range of agencies and creative environments during the trip. “Experiencing New York alongside my peers gave me a tangible glimpse of what my future in advertising could look like, and I’m forever grateful for it.”
The exposure proved pivotal. After graduation, Guz made the move to New York and eventually joined one of the very agencies she had visited as a student: BBDO. That full-circle moment reinforced the power of experiential learning and alumni connections fostered through the Temerlin program.
At Harry’s, Guz now works on the brand side, shaping how Flamingo products appear on shelves across the country. As Senior Packaging Designer, she collaborates across teams to guide everything from packaging design to photography, ensuring that every detail reflects the brand’s identity and values.
“As a Senior Packaging Designer at Harry’s, I am responsible for driving the in-store experience for the Flamingo women’s shave brand,” she explains. “From packaging to photography, I am honored to have the unique opportunity to work with so many incredible partners in order to bring the best shave products possible to shelves across the nation — all in a beautifully branded way.”
Guz points to the breadth of her education at Meadows as a key factor in her success. TAI encourages students to flex multiple creative muscles, from graphic design and copywriting to campaign development and strategy, equipping her with a versatile skill set that has served Guz well in her professional journey.
Just as meaningful as the technical training were the relationships she built along the way. Today, as she contributes to a nationally recognized brand, Guz carries forward both the creative confidence and sense of community she developed at SMU. Her advice to current students reflects that same spirit of generosity and perspective: be kind, stay connected, and remember that the creative world is smaller than it seems. It’s a place where talent matters, but character leaves a lasting impression.