While Maricel Joy Dicion was enrolled in a nursing program at another college, she came across the Journalism program at Centennial. This discovery, which she describes as one of the best coincidences to ever happen to her, eventually propelled her to complete two programs at our college – the Journalism program, which she graduated from in 2007 and the Public Relations – Corporate Communications program, which she graduated from the following year.
Albeit a unique start in the industry, having been initially immersed in a very different field, it eventually led to Maricel starting her Toronto-based PR and strategic communications firm – DICION INC. This journey, in itself, was not without its unique components, especially with a very personal experience that helped start her company, all of which have led to the success Maricel has experienced thus far in her career.
Most recently, Maricel reached out to Centennial with a scholarship she created to honour her parents – the José & Araceli Dicion Scholarship. She shares, “My parents’ journey to Canada profoundly impacted how they raised me. Opportunities did not fall easily into their reach. They sought them, created them, and worked diligently to keep them. The success of their efforts was about much more than what they could produce for themselves as individuals. Metaphorically speaking, their mission was not to produce one tree; they needed to create acres of results to help family members back home.”
She continues, “I feel an immense responsibility to build on the opportunities that my parents created for me. As I continue to climb the proverbial ladder, it becomes increasingly important for me to proactively create ways to help ‘plant more seeds’ and ‘produce more trees.’ This is why I reached out to Centennial to create a scholarship. I hope that it will support a first-generation Canadian, like myself, as they carve their own path and inspire others to give back in any way they can.”
MARICEL’S JOURNEY TO CENTENNIAL
One of the initial components about Centennial that stood out to Maricel, particularly about the Journalism program she enrolled in first, was the field placement. “I learn best by doing and was happy to see that I would end the program with some real-life experience,” she explains. However, a significant part that influenced her decision to ultimately leave her nursing program and enroll at Centennial was the instructors who she describes as “respected professionals, celebrated writers, and influential individuals” whom she wanted to learn from.
“Ellin Bessner, for example, whose career as a journalist took her around the world. Ted Barris is an accomplished author and journalist. Susan McClelland, award-winning writer and journalist and winner of two Amnesty International awards. This was the company I wanted to be in. I was eager to receive guidance and mentorship from them,” she adds. “In any business or organization, the people make the difference.”
KEY LESSONS FROM THE PROGRAMS
Looking back at both programs Maricel graduated from, there have been many key lessons she obtained that still stand out to her and that she uses in her career today, one of which is to “tell meaningful, human-centric stories." She explains, “In both programs, I learned the importance and impact of meaningful, human-centric storytelling. This has played a huge role in how I have developed as a professional over the years.”
She adds, “DICION INC., my firm, is branded as a ‘human relations firm’ because it is important that the work I do positively influences people. It is no surprise that all my clients are in the health and wellness space — this allows me to develop campaigns and messaging to empower people through education.”
Maricel also shares that her instructors played an instrumental role in both programs. “Looking back now, I can see how their expertise and guidance helped shape me as a communications professional and an entrepreneur. They set me up for success and it was up to me to make the most of it,” she explains.
LIFE AFTER GRADUATION
When Maricel completed the Journalism program, she took on a role at 680News, starting as a traffic reporter, which moved to weekend reporting and audio editing. While still working there part-time, she enrolled in the PR program and explains that while it was a lot to juggle, it helped prepare her for the high-pressure world she would experience in her career.
“Over the next decade, I built a career in corporate communications, marketing, and public relations. This includes a lengthy agency background where I oversaw the development and execution of strategic communications plans for high-profile clients, including HP Canada, Ford Motor Company of Canada, Colgate-Palmolive, Procter & Gamble, Nintendo, Warner Bros., 2K Sports, and more. Several of the campaigns and programs I helped strategize and execute have won industry awards,” she shares.
In 2018, Maricel started DICION INC. She says “with nothing but my years of experience, a burning desire to do business with more heart, a laptop, and a lot of coffee.” She adds, “Fast forward five years and my little firm that could now boasts clients spanning various industries.”
ADVICE TO NEW GRADS
Maricel has several key pieces of advice for new graduates entering this industry. She shares,
- Be kind, be someone people want to, and enjoy working with.
- Take pride in your work.
- Remember, learning, developing, and growing opportunities come in many forms. Don’t miss important opportunities because they aren’t “dipped in gold.”
- Send the elevator down anytime you can.
STARTING DICION INC.
Maricel shares, “Though DICION INC. was founded on paper in 2018, the seed to start my own business was fuelled by my father losing his sight in 2016. That year was an immensely difficult one for my family and me to navigate and served as a harsh wake-up call that I needed to figure out how to be more present for the people I loved while continuing to work towards my career ambitions.
Six years ago, working from home wasn’t common practice. I needed the flexibility to work from the hospital, from home, and at doctors’ offices, and, unfortunately, that was not something my employer at the time understood or would give me. This experience fuelled my desire to create that for myself and any team members joining my firm. Work is important, but it is not everything. People have responsibilities outside of the office and wear many hats and titles. I was determined to put myself in a position where I would have the power to extend grace and empathy to a team member going through a difficult personal matter.
I am so happy to see that whole-person leadership is becoming the standard. In a way, I am glad that it wasn’t six years ago because that experience lit the fire to carve a new path for myself.
I have loved every moment of my entrepreneurial journey. There are some long nights and a few weekends, and there is no such thing as truly being out-of-office for me (at least for now). Despite that, I love what I’ve created and all the opportunities DICION INC. has created for my team and me.
Family is so important to me, and DICION INC. has gifted me the ability to be a present daughter, sister, aunt, and partner. We have secured some amazing results for our clients, and I love celebrating these wins, but the greatest thing to come out of starting my firm was the gift of being able to be there for my family.”
We are thrilled to follow along in your journey, Maricel, and wish you continued success.
Article by: Alexandra Few
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