Alumni Spotlight: Erika DeVriendt
Published July 9, 2026
Current Job Title
Advertising Copywriter at Leo Burnett Chicago
Describe your current position.
I concept ideas for advertisements across all mediums—think, TV spots, magazine ads, website content, social media, e-mails, in-store signage, and more. I sell the ideas to clients through storytelling and bring the ideas to life by overseeing them through production. Along the way, I write the headlines, scripts, and content within each project, and make consumers fall in love with brands through my dazzlingly clever words.
Please briefly describe your path from graduation at GVSU to your current position.
After graduating from GVSU, I accepted an Account Coordinator position at a Detroit advertising agency, Campbell Ewald. This was an entry-level position, without a focus on writing. From there, I remained within the company, working in account management. I expressed my interest in a copywriting position and leveraged my resources and connections at the agency to eventually land a junior copywriter position at a sister agency, Commonwealth//McCann. I have since re-located to Chicago, where I've had the opportunity to work on the SC Johnson account at TracyLocke, and my current position working on the MillerCoors account at Arc/Leo Burnett.
To what extent does writing relate to your current position? What type of writing/design do you do for work?
It's the basis for my career! My position requires me to be creative and produce and publish written work for global companies.
What parts of the writing major had the strongest impact on you as a professional?
Creative workshops—they really taught me how to handle constructive criticism on my work. I have to deal with that on a daily basis.
What advice would you offer to current/future writing majors at Grand Valley?
The cool thing about the writing major is that it's obviously something we're all passionate about. You can take it and use it in many different ways. You might not know which way that is right away, but you can leverage the program to help you figure it out. Writing can be a hobby AND a career—don't let anyone tell you otherwise!