Tyler Musial
April 9, 2019
Tyler Musial (2018)
Tyler Musial is currently a Strategic Account Manager at Wolters Kluwer Health. Prior to this role, Tyler worked as Team Lead at Cerner Corporation in Kansas City. Originally from Saint Louis, Tyler now lives in Cincinnati with his wife Abby, a pediatrician, as she pursues a fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s. Outside of work, Tyler and Abby enjoy travelling, attempting to exhaust their dog of energy, and rooting for the Cardinals.
What year did you graduate and what was your concentration?
Spring 2014, BA in Communication with an emphasis in Public Communication.
What extra-/co-curricular activities did you do?
I came to Truman State University on a baseball scholarship but due to two knee surgeries I only competed for one year. Post baseball, I was a Building Supervisor at the Student Recreation Center, volunteered at the Northeast Missouri Special Olympics (now the North Missouri Special Olympics), and participated in various other small student organizations.
#32 in your program, but #1 in your heart . . . Tyler playing baseball for Truman (2010).
What was your first job after graduation?
My first job after graduation was an Account Manager for Major Brands, Inc. in Kansas City. Major Brands is a premium beverage distributor that is Missouri owned and operated and truly was a great entry-level job after graduation. I discovered Major Brands at the Truman Career Fair!
What work do you do/What are you doing now?
I currently work for a company called Wolters Kluwer Health as a Strategic Account Manager. WK Health produces databases and solutions containing pharmaceutical drug information, clinical decision support, and patient engagement content. I work out of my home office in Cincinnati but travel to pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmacy benefit managers, health plans, and retail pharmacies who consume our solutions throughout the Midwest.
Tyler and his wife Abby at their wedding (2017).
Did you go to grad school? If so, where? Was it immediately after you left Truman or did you wait? Why?
I have not pursued graduate school; however, I have considered obtaining an MBA in the future when my wife has finished her graduate studies.
How has your Liberal Arts/COMM education helped you?
The liberal arts education I received has helped me think critically, work within diverse groups to achieve an outcome, and instilled in me to always ask “why?”
Which class did you dislike at the time you took it, but now you’re grateful you took it?
Experimental Methods and Survey Research
What was your greatest accomplishment at Truman?
Somehow getting Dr. Yaquinto to let me enroll in two of her classes. I thought for sure she would cut me off after one!
Why is Truman a good place for a student to study?
There is no debate that Truman State is an excellent education at an affordable cost. I really enjoyed the small class sizes that created meaningful interactions with professors.
What would you say a COMM student should absolutely do while at Truman?
Focus heavily on interpersonal skills and apply what you learn in classes to your internships, relationships, and every day life.
What advice would you give someone who wants to go into the same line of work as you?
Networking, networking, and more networking. I was able to secure two internships while attending Truman that were very valuable to building my resume. The first was with the Iowa Cubs (AAA baseball team) doing Stadium Operations followed the next summer by a Sales Management Internship with Major Brands who hired me after graduation. After Major Brands the jump into HealthCare IT at Cerner and now my current role at Wolters Kluwer Health were all accomplished through networking.
What do you miss most about campus/Kirksville?
All the friends I made, Baby Ronzas (I refuse to call them Palonza’s) (Editor’s note: We agree with you!), and fishing at Hazel Creek Lake.
What tag line would you create for the COMM department at Truman?
“It’s Communication, without the s.”
If you could come back to Truman and teach a class for a semester, what would be its title and what would it be about?
Sales Communication. It would have an emphasis on sales presentations, strategies on interacting with clients, overcoming objections, and framing value propositions.
Tyler proudly walking offstage after receiving his degree at graduation (2014).
If you would like to learn more of Tyler’s story, you can follow him on LinkedIn.