Building a Personal Brand Through Campus Leadership and Passion Projects

When you hear a name on a college campus so often, it becomes its own brand—you know that student has left a mark. That’s precisely what recent graduate Matthew de Prado ’25CCPS did at St. John’s University.  

Through leadership, mentorship, and creative risk-taking, he turned his time as a commuter student into something memorable. 

In this Q&A, Mr. Prado discusses the creative projects, impactful role models, and personal moments that helped him grow, and reminds us that some of the most meaningful college experiences come from simply taking the first step. 

Can you tell us a little about yourself—where you’re from, what you studied, and anything that’s shaped who you are? 

I’m Matthew de Prado, from Long Island, NY—about a 30-minute drive to the Queens campus most days. I’ve always been creative, even as a kid, but being at St. John’s kick-started something in me. I started wanting to create my own clothing brand and even got into the Fashion Institute of Technology, but not for the exact program I wanted. I chose St. John’s because it felt right, and I chose the advertising communications program with the hope of one day marketing my own brand.  

You’ve worn a lot of hats on campus. Which roles impacted you the most? 

I started as an orientation leader, which was my first real leadership role on campus. The following year, I became an orientation coordinator, and that was a massive shift. I was still new to campus and competing against upperclass-level students, but they took a chance on me. That role changed how I saw myself, not just as a student, but as a leader. 

Event planning, hiring a staff of 60, and teaching a spring course while juggling my classes was challenging but rewarding. That role snowballed into so much more: I became a R.I.S.E. Network mentor, joined leadership societies, and took on leadership positions in organizations like Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society and the Filipino student organization, Philippine Americans Reaching Everyone PARE. 

How did being an orientation coordinator shape your presence on campus? 

It gave me a platform—literally. I’d be on stage weekly with 500 students, setting the tone for their first experience at St. John’s. I created a chant for my brand, “Mystery Destroys Passion” (MDP), which became my persona on campus. I even started running upcycling workshops and building a social presence around that. By my final summer, three entire classes of students had seen me in that role. 

You were also involved in several major creative projects this year. Can you tell us a little about those? 

Senior year was crazy—in the best way. I was art director for the National Student Advertising Competition, designing videos and campaign visuals while doing an advertising internship at The BAM Connection simultaneously. I also helped create the Red House Club Fashion Show, which I treated as my final project for St. John’s.  

I sewed everything from scratch and brought in people who had impacted my time here. For five minutes, the whole campus had their eyes on my work, and that meant a lot to me. 

In addition, I was one of only two designers who helped design all the merch and graphics for Stormin’ Loud. It was intense, but seeing your work materialize in front of you made the sacrifice worth it. 

Were there any mentors, professors, administrators, or staff members at St. John’s who made a lasting impact on you? 

There are so many people. Professor Audrey Siegel and Professor Neil Feinstein helped me secure internships. Other impactful professors, like John Swan and Jeffrey J. Taylor, supported me even when I was exhausted from all my commitments.  

On the administration side, people like Samuel Baah, the Director of Campus Activities and New Student Orientation, helped me grow and still support me now. First-year mentorship leader Amber Wilson gave me a journal with a beautiful poem when she realized I was burning out and I cried in her office. Assistant Vice President for Equity and Inclusion/Student Belonging, Sharod L. Tomlinson '21Ed.D., is like a warm hug. All of them are incredible. 

Outside the classroom, what creative projects are you most proud of? 

MDP became my brand. I started a 100-day graffiti challenge on Instagram, documenting myself learning and posting daily. 

That inspired my designs for the Red House fashion show—each look was based on a graffiti writer. I used what I learned from the National Student Advertising Competition to market the show, so it was all connected. Now I’m wrapping it into a digital lookbook. If you told me as a first-year student that I’d be doing all this, I wouldn’t believe you. 

What advice would you give to students with a creative passion who aren’t sure where to start? 

Write it down. Seriously. I started carrying little notebooks from the bookstore where I’d sketch or jot down every idea. I didn’t always act on them right away, but having them written down meant I could return to them when I was stuck. Some of those old sketches even made it into my final collection. If the idea still excites you when you revisit it—act on it. That’s where it all begins. 

To explore Matthew’s work, check out his Instagram @mysterydestroyspassion.