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Jillian O'Connell: Finding opportunity in all the right places
Winter 2026
By Emily Fontana
Jillian's hometown: Hamilton, Ontario
MMJC alumni Jillian O'Connell has learned to trust in the paths that present themselves.
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Being open to opportunity is a philosophy that Jillian O’Connell has always tried to live by. From spending summers climbing mountains and working in hospitality and communications in Banff, Alberta, to her current role in marketing at Collective Arts in Hamilton, Ontario, Jillian is a master of seizing opportunities.
“I tell myself everything happens for a reason,” she says. “If one opportunity doesn’t pan out, there's a better one on the way if I just ride it out.” This openness is what brought her to MMJC and a career she didn’t anticipate, but that is just right for her.
In high school, Jillian was president of her school’s athletic council and took it upon herself to create their Instagram page. “I would go to the different sports games and take photos, and I was making different graphics,” she explains. “I discovered creating media content on my own and I really took that and ran with it.”
Fun Fact
#1: Jillian once had a close encounter with a grizzly bear on a trail in Banff, Alberta - she even has the pictures to prove it.
#2: Jillian won the coveted MMJC David Mills Trophy for Best Video Story in 2025 for her piece about a goat yoga studio outside of London.
Seeing Jillian’s passion for creating and storytelling, her mom suggested she consider studying communications. Following her advice, Jillian pursued an undergraduate degree focused on communications at the University of Ottawa. While completing this program, she met a core group of friends who helped her on her journey to the MMJC program.
It was through these friends Jillian learned Western University in London offered a Master of Media in Journalism and Communication. She was encouraged to apply to the program by a trusted friend and MMJC alum who raved about her own experience at Western. Jillian also felt drawn to the variety and breadth of courses offered and the hands-on pedagogical approach.
She says developing a foundation in both journalism and communications while in the program has been a great strength not just for her, but her entire cohort. Specifically, she says learning how to use concise language to convey her messages has made a huge difference.
“This is something I use every single day now working in marketing,” Jillian says. “MMJC really gave me the confidence to be able to walk into my job on day one.”
Jillian landed her role with Collective Arts in Hamilton immediately after graduating from MMJC. A craft beverage company, Collective Arts collaborates with artists, spotlighting their work on the company’s cans, marketing material and merchandise. Her work includes looking for promotional opportunities for the company, navigating press releases, social media strategies and recently, a last-minute TV appearance.
The biggest motivator in Jillian’s career has always been her empathy and care for the people around her. She wants to tell people’s stories and be the type of team member who makes sure everyone feels welcome and included, and to spread as much positivity as possible.
This is why the storytelling skills Jillian perfected in MMJC have been invaluable in her current position. As part of her role, she promotes the talents of emerging artists from around the world. She says this is one of her favourite parts of her job, as it is rewarding to work closely with the artists and give them an avenue to show off their work.
What might be next for Jillian? While she remains open to opportunities, Jillian feels that for now, she is in exactly the right place. Recently, she promoted an art series for Collective Arts that seemed to contain a hidden message to her. One of the art pieces she promoted was of Mount Yamnuska, a mountain that has special meaning for her as it is one she climbed in Banff. As one of her favourite places on earth, Jillian says encountering the mountain again in her work felt like a sign, affirming she is where she is meant to be.
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Profiles in the Meet Our Students section are written by students in the Master of Media in Journalism & Communication program, who are enrolled in MMJC 9604 - Corporate Communications.
