NIU Today | Madeline Alger, ’18: NIU degree opens doors in digital marketing and publishing

Madeline Alger, ’18, (Photo credit: Matt Birtell, ’16)

When Madeline Alger, ’18, graduated from Northern Illinois University with a marketing degree and a graphic design minor, she knew she had the tools to succeed in the fast-paced world of digital marketing. What she didn’t anticipate was how those same skills would empower her to take on a second role — helping her family run a publishing company and bring a major project to life.

Today, Alger works full-time as a director at the digital marketing agency BluShark Digital, while serving as marketing manager for Four Walls Press, the publishing company owned and operated by her parents, Paul Alger, ’87, and Kristen Alger. In both roles, her NIU education is the foundation for everything she does.

“My marketing degree has been instrumental in my career at BlueShark, leading the community outreach team, guiding projects, and helping clients build meaningful digital and in-person connections,” Alger said. “Unexpectedly though, at Four Walls Press it has helped me develop pricing and publishing plans, as well as entire marketing plans including: drafting press releases for local audiences, grassroots marketing through book clubs, multi-platform social media campaigns, website design and SEO — you name it, and my degree provided the base for it all.”

Her expertise doesn’t stop at strategy. Thanks to her minor in graphic design, Alger has also handled the creative side of publishing.

“I was able to typeset the entire 587 pages of the book Letters of a Traveling Architect,” she said. “The cover design and internal illustrations are based on the architectural sketches of the main character and help make the entire book feel like his story.”

“My work is only possible because of my time and education at Northern,” Alger said. “NIU gave me the tools to succeed professionally and personally.”

Beyond her career and family projects, Alger continues to give back to NIU as an active member of the Master of Science in Digital Marketing board, where she mentors students and shares industry insights. Each semester, she speaks to students about emerging trends in search engine optimization and digital marketing, with recent topics exploring AI and Google algorithms.

“Alumni involvement helps the program remain at the forefront of digital marketing and complements the strong foundation students gain through coursework,” Alger said.

In addition to guest speaking, she’s reviewed resumes, conducted mock interviews, and coached students through their job search process.

“I love giving back,” she added. “I am always looking for more ways to help.”

For NIU, Alger’s journey is a powerful example of how education opens doors — not just to jobs, but to unexpected opportunities.

This is just one example of how NIU empowers alumni to help create distinctive experiences for future business leaders. Discover how you can help—start at niuforward.com.