Emma Harrison ’25 jump-started her passion project — Emma’s Plate, a food content platform sharing original recipes — in high school. Ever since, the intersection of brand and audience has been at the heart of her work. The marketing and psychology major used knowledge from coursework, Berry entrepreneurial opportunities and campus jobs to expand her brand. Emma also landed a position as an assistant manager of influencer marketing and social engagement at Newell Brands, a global consumer goods company.
Emma’s Plate gained traction over the years. “I started consistently posting in 2022, launched my website in 2023 and have continued developing recipes, building community and partnering with brands like Vital Farms and Poppi,” Emma explains. “I’ve spent time refining my content, experimenting with what resonates, investing in food photography, learning SEO and building my website.”
Emma brought her creativity to the LifeWorks program, rising from social media associate to student social media director for Berry’s digital marketing and communication department. She honed skills critical to her future.
“I learned how to build a strategy, collaborate with a team and create on-brand content that reflects Berry values,” she says. “These skills directly translate to my work in influencer marketing and content creation.”
That hands-on experience set Emma up for a summer internship at Inspire Brands, where she worked as a brand management intern on the Jimmy John’s team. She helped manage the innovation calendar, conducted competitive analyses and worked with the social media team.
“Berry helped me build a strong foundation,” Emma reflects. “I developed critical thinking, communication and problem-solving skills, all of which were essential in my internship.”
Emma competed in the PITCH, a competition where Berry students can present their ideas and compete for funding. Though she did not advance to the final round in 2024, Emma’s business won $5,000 last April.
“I am using the funding to purchase ingredients for recipe testing, invest in website upgrades, and improve site speed and SEO, all of which help Emma’s Plate rank higher on Google and reach more people,” she notes. “The PITCH gave me the push and resources I needed to take my platform to the next level.”
As she heads into her professional career while continuing her entrepreneurial endeavors, Emma says, “Berry shaped me into who I am, personally and professionally, and I’ll carry those memories and lessons with me always.”
Emma's Plate
