Bringing design to life for students: Macabee’s EF journey

When Macabee heard how much Mary, one of his North Dakota-based Group Leaders, loved EF Education First’s marketing materials, he saw an opportunity. A Boston-based Tour Consultant with EF Educational Tours, Macabee thought it would be fun to offer Mary’s students a chance to learn more about art and design by providing them with an inside look at how it all comes together.

Macabee took the initiative to contact the head of EF Educational Tours in-house creative advertising department, known as the Studio, and asked if they’d be willing to show Mary’s students how the design process works at EF. The Studio was happy to oblige, so Macabee set up a Google Hangout with Mary’s entire classroom and the Studio.

Mary’s students loved the tutorial, which inspired Macabee to take things to the next level. He coordinated with the Studio to have nine of Mary’s students travel from Bismarck, North Dakota all the way to EF’s North American headquarters in Boston in order to tour the office and meet with the Studio team in person.

“Many of these particular students were told ‘no’ by their parents when it came to pursuing their passions for writing, editing and designing, telling them these ‘hobbies’ would not lead to ‘real jobs,’” explained Macabee. “But after touring the Studio, Mary’s students were able to put into context how their ‘hobbies’ could become real life jobs.” He found it truly inspiring to watch the students engage with members of the Studio, and he received positive feedback from the experience the Studio had themselves.

“Everyone here at EF talks about how we are entrepreneurial and that we are ‘ yes’ people,” Macabee said. “People say if you have an idea it can become a reality here. I saw firsthand that our values are really at the core of what we do.” Having taken this to heart—being able to run with a big idea after only a few weeks on the new job—Macabee said it makes him proud to work for a company like EF.

“When the weekend comes to a close, I never get the Sunday scaries because I look forward to coming into work on Mondays. People are truly excited to be here at EF.”

Interested in opening the world with us? Visit careers.ef.com.