Heather Keechel
Alumni Spotlight
Profile
I knew what I wanted to be 'when I grew up', but the things I did and learned at WVU proved to me that I could actually do it.
From Mountaineer to Mouseketeer By: Mandy Cutright
Heather Keechel has never dreaded waking up and going to work. Why would she? She gets to wear shorts and flip flops to work every day! She describes her job as an advertising copywriter at Disney’s Yellow Shoes Creative Group in Florida as a complete fantasy.
Born in Fairmont and raised in Westover, WVU was the only university Heather applied to or even considered. She graduated magna cum laude in 1997, majoring in journalism and focusing on advertising.
After graduating from WVU, Heather attended a specialty school in Atlanta, Ga., that would further her skills in copywriting. During her last quarter of the two-year program, she was recruited to work for Disney’s in-house ad agency.
Being a copywriter gives Heather the opportunity to work on all aspects of the Disney brand, including individual attractions, the _Disney Cruise Line_, special events and other unique offerings. She helps come up with ideas for everything from magazine ads and billboards to TV spots, brochures and other marketing communications. She writes the words and her partner designs the art for the various pieces.
Heather’s work can be seen in any of the four Walt Disney World Theme Parks and has also been featured in national publications including USA Today, US Weekly and even on starwars.com.
After almost eight years, Heather still loves her job. She adds that they (her leaders) fit her for a 20-year milestone ring when she started. “They said I seemed like a lifer,” she jokes.
Heather always knew what she wanted to do as a career. “I knew what I wanted to be ‘when I grew up’, but the things I did and learned at WVU proved to me that I could actually do it.”
During her time at the University she was a member of the Ad Team and has fond memories of winning first place in the district competition and placing fifth nationally.
Heather returns to Morgantown about five times a year, but that’s not quite as often as she’d like. She stills supports the Mountaineers from Florida though, saying she’s probably a bigger fan now than she was during her time at the University.
When asked what she would change about her time at WVU, her reply was “to win first place in the National Ad Team competition.” She adds, “Other than that, I consider my stint at WVU a great success. And why mess with that?”