Daniel Varitek
Daniel Varitek (B.B.A. '20), the former editor-in-chief of The Signal — Georgia State’s student-run newspaper — is making waves in the Big Apple. Now working in Strategic Programs and Operations for The New York Times, he shares how his Georgia State experience and time working as a college journalist helped him get there.
Interview by Jordan Ferguson
Why did you choose Georgia State?
I went to a very diverse high school, and I was looking at state universities like Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia and Georgia State. And Georgia State is the most diverse of these three, and it’s a very urban campus and academically challenging.
What do you do?
I work for The New York Times on the Strategic Program and Operations team that sits within the larger marketing operations team. The New York Times is about a 6,000-person enterprise, and the marketing organization itself is anywhere from 200 to 250 people. Essentially, I create processes and strategic plans for the marketing department.
The Times has multiple subscription offerings, like our All Access subscription, but we also offer subscriptions to Cooking, Games and Wirecutter, which is a product review website. Behind each product is a marketing team, and I work with them. I also work across the enterprise on some more ad hoc projects that have more enterprise-wide impact.
How did Georgia State help you get to this point in your career?
I was the first person in The New York Times marketing internship program to go straight from intern to full time, and I’m the youngest person in the marketing organization. That used to freak me out at the beginning, but now I’m comfortable with it. In fact, I wear it as a badge of honor.
So, yeah, Georgia State did a lot for me to get me where I am.
I studied marketing in the Robinson College of Business, and I learned a lot there. But honestly, what was even more important for me was getting involved in student organizations. It’s why I fell in love with media and with The New York Times specifically. At the tail end of my sophomore year, I joined The Signal, and it completely opened my eyes to what’s possible. It also completely changed my career trajectory because working for The Signal and ultimately becoming the editor-in-chief completely reframed what I was interested in and capable of.
A big motivating factor for me was having a career in a global city like New York or working for a global organization. And if you’re working in marketing, you’re probably going to be communicating with a very diverse audience. So going to a university like Georgia State that prides itself on having a diverse student body is just a critical social and academic experience.
What would you tell "first-year Daniel" if you could talk to him now?
The one thing that immediately comes to mind would be to trust the process. I have a bad habit of being quite impatient. And I kind of felt that way in college. I was always on to the next thing, you know? But everything’s going to happen exactly as it needs to. And you don’t have to rush as much. I wouldn't change a thing. I'll say that I wouldn't change a thing about how I experienced it. You've just got to believe in yourself.
