Meet our February Alumna Spotlight: Jojo Racelis

Our February Alumna Spotlight features Jojo Racelis! Read more to hear what she has been doing since she graduated in May 2021!

Name: Jojo Racelis

Theta pledge class: MC ‘17

When you graduated from Mizzou: May 2021

Major/Degree: Journalism, Strategic communication

Hometown: Holland, Michigan

Where you live now: Chicago, Illinois

Where do you work right now, what have you been up to since graduation?

I work at a small creative agency. I manage the social media for luxury hotels all over the country. Some of my clients include St. Regis Hotels, Ritz-Carlton hotels, and Waldorf Astoria hotels. I moved to Chicago without a job lived off of miscellaneous freelance gigs until I found my perfect fit at Michael Coleman Creative Services. The right job is worth the wait!

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

My job doesn’t feel like work to me. It is something I truly enjoy doing every single day. My small agency has allowed me to step into a leadership role so early in my career. The best part of my job is that I get to travel around the country and create content with my clients.

What’s your favorite thing about the city you live in?

Chicago is the perfect place for me. It’s a huge city with endless opportunities, but it has a friendly, midwest feel that gives it the feeling of home. Each time I go to a new city, it reminds me how much I truly love Chicago. There is something for everyone here, and it always satisfies my craving to try new things and meet new people.

What are you passionate about?

I love making others happy, and I love documenting it. I’m the person in the friend group who carries around a camera and documents the entire night. It’s my way to connect with people and make memories. People that knew me in college will remember that I took a “video of the day” every single day of college.

What do you do in your free time?

I love to explore Chicago and make new friends. Whether it’s a comedy show, a museum, a trendy restaurant, or a concert, I love filling my time with new experiences. Work allows me to travel, so sometimes I get to extend my trips and explore the city I’m in.

Other future career/life goals:

I feel so lucky to be able to say I am doing my dream job right now. I think my future career will be in marketing in the hospitality industry. As far as life goals go, I’d love to live in another city (or country) for two years before settling down somewhere. Whether work takes me there or just my love for a new city, I definitely want to take that adventure. I know that my future holds a lot of traveling and visiting my friends in their cities!

What do you miss most about Mizzou?

I miss the community at Mizzou. I felt so empowered to make every day significant. I miss living by my best friends. I know that the time I spent and invested in those friendships while I was at Mizzou is something that built a foundation for forever friendships..

What do you miss most about Theta?

The people, of course! The community that Theta brought me is something I strive to find in my new home, but it’s something that can never be replicated. I feel so grateful to know that Theta gave me lifelong friendships. It’s so exciting to be celebrating my Theta friends during these new chapters of life, but we certainly all miss the years we were able to spend together in Columbia.

What is one thing you took away from being a part of Theta in college that has shaped you into the woman you are today? What impact has Theta left on you?

Theta taught me about true friendship and unconditional love. The passion that each Theta had allowed me to dig deep and find what my passions truly are. This helped me find the path I’m on today, and reminded me that no dream is too big. Thetas have passion, that’s something that ties us all together.

Do you have a specific favorite Theta memory?

I was a New Member Director for MC ‘19. I-week was so special to me. I loved welcoming each of the members of MC ‘19 into the sisterhood that I hold so close to my heart. Maddie Harres and I planned the first ever Camp Theta, which is a tradition that lives on today! It was so fun to come up with a concept that brought the entire chapter together at an event other than Bid Day.

Anything else you’d like to add?

This is an organization that only holds fond memories for me. I couldn’t be more grateful for the community Theta gave me that truly shaped who I am today. :)