By Helen Quinn Pasin

At Northwestern University’s Medill School, students don’t just study marketing—they put their skills to work for real-world impact. With a long-standing commitment to social justice and changemaking, Medill has empowered students to use storytelling, strategy, and communication as tools for meaningful advocacy. Through the Medill Cause Marketing Initiative (CMI), graduate students from the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) program apply their expertise to help non-profits expand their community reach and strengthen their social impact.

This year, One Earth is thrilled to have the support of five talented IMC students—Ziyi Coco, Susan Zhang, Alina Liang, and Arjun Kumar— from Shenzhen, Beijing, and Wuhan, China, as well as Mumbai, India. They bring their expertise in marketing strategy, branding, and audience engagement to help amplify the One Earth Film Festival’s mission and expand its impact across communities to ensure this year’s theme, ‘Power in Unity,’ serves as a rallying cry to come together like never before.

Get to Know the Students!

Ziyi Coco (Shenzhen, China) – A certified dog lover and fashion minimalist with a closet that’s 80% black, Ziyi thrives on adrenaline—whether tackling roller coasters nine times in a row or exploring new destinations. For her, travel is both a reward for hard work and a constant source of inspiration. As the leader of the IMC CMI team, Ziyi is leveraging her expertise in marketing strategy and digital analytics to expand outreach and impact. Passionate about storytelling in sustainability, she is committed to engaging audiences, amplifying underrepresented voices, and inspiring action.

Susan Zhang (Beijing, China) – Passionate about film, photography, and fashion—with a scented candle collection that could rival a boutique—Susan brings creativity and strategy to everything she does. She enjoys sharing her outfits online, fueling her understanding of digital engagement and audience connection. Susan is applying her expertise in Google Ads and digital engagement to optimize venue marketing and outreach. Excited about this year’s theme, “Power in Unity,” she is committed to amplifying environmental storytelling, enhancing community engagement, and helping venues expand their reach.

Arjun Kumar (Mumbai, India) – An adrenaline junkie and explorer, Arjun has lived in 10 cities across India, fueling his passion for discovery and new perspectives. Specializing in marketing, data, branding, and strategy, he combines analytical thinking with a creative approach to problem-solving. Arjun is eager to use storytelling as a catalyst for environmental action, engaging audiences, amplifying diverse perspectives, and inspiring real-world change.

Alina Liang (Wuhan, China) – With a background in art history and business analytics, Alina blends creativity with strategy to enhance branding and visual communication. She enjoys combining aesthetics, design, and data-driven marketing to help organizations connect with their audiences. Passionate about sustainability, Alina is excited to use her skills in graphic design, business analytics, and branding to support environmental advocacy. Inspired by her father, an environmental scientist, she sees this work as a way to give back and drive meaningful impact.

The Wildcat Connection

These students aren’t the only Wildcats shaping this year’s festival. They report to Public Relations Manager Helen Quinn Pasin (Medill ‘21) and Marketing Manager Cesar Almeida (Northwestern ‘18) – proud alumnus dedicated to mentoring and uplifting students, equipping them with the tools to amplify their voices and create meaningful impact.

Quinn Pasin is excited to see her former Medill professor, Patty Loew, featured in this year’s One Earth Film Festival selection, Bad River. One of her most transformative experiences at Medill was traveling to Bad River Reservation in Wisconsin with a team of students and Professor Loew, where she created documentary shorts on Food Sovereignty and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

Patty Loew is a professor emerita at Medill and inaugural director of the Center for Native American and Indigenous Research at Northwestern (retired). A citizen of Mashkiiziibiig, the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe, Loew is a former broadcast journalist in public and commercial television and a key subject in the 2024 documentary Bad River.

Spending time on Bad River Reservation, learning directly from the Indigenous leaders fighting for their land, culture, and sovereignty, was an experience that changed Quinn Pasin forever, and seeing those same voices amplified in this year’s festival is an incredible full-circle moment.

Cesar Almeida has long been dedicated to education, cultural sustainability, and digital storytelling. With a Bachelor of Science in Education focusing on program design, learning technologies, and storytelling for impact, he began his journey at Northwestern’s School of Education and Social Policy, developing media and programs that fostered social change in creative ways.

After graduation, he took his passion global as a Fulbright Fellow in Ghana, designing cultural programs that preserved traditional music and dance while empowering young artists and bridging artistic communities to economic opportunities.

Additionally, Preeti Ganesh, our Marketing Analytics Support Intern, is also a Northwestern graduate, bringing her expertise in digital marketing and strategy to the team. With so many Wildcats contributing their talents, Northwestern’s legacy of impact and innovation is deeply woven into this year’s festival.

As we gear up for another powerful season, we’re grateful for the dedication and innovation of these Northwestern students and alumni, whose contributions help bring the festival to life. Many thanks to the Northwestern Medill Cause Marketing Initiative for fostering these impactful collaborations!