Benjamin Theriot is a systems analyst/programmer at McIlhenny Company, the producer of TABASCO® brand pepper sauce.
“I work with departments across McIlhenny Company to make sure that the software and databases being used are functioning correctly,” he says. “I’m currently managing the interns within the Information Systems department.
“My goal is to help them grow as programmers and communicators while they help push McIlhenny Company forward,” he says.
Benjamin started his career in graphic design. He interned at a local agency while earning his degree and worked his way up to be the art director at a magazine in Baton Rouge.
After graduation, he took a design internship at Blumberry, a marketing and PR agency in Berlin, Germany. He was able to make the move in part because of his German minor.
“If I hadn’t learned German then I never would’ve worked in Berlin,” he says. “That was a huge moment in my life that would never have happened otherwise.
“Working in Berlin taught me to have a thicker skin when it comes to my work and personal life, to trust myself but to also poll my friends for advice, and to put clarity of intentions above all else,” he says.
Benjamin had to utilize a different skillset in the German program than he needed for his major.
“The visual arts program could be grueling,” he says. “Conversely, the modern languages department felt like a place where I could relax as an undergrad.
“Dr. (Caroline) Huey always encouraged us to ask questions and to be engaged both in and out of the classroom,” he says. “I loved all of the German classes … because they’re all excellent for different reasons.”