Marketing students tout ASU teacher education
Marketing students in the W. P. Carey School of Business are gaining real-world experience while helping to promote an ASU teaching program.
The students, members of Pi Sigma Epsilon’s Iota chapter, are creating a marketing campaign to target and inform undergraduates about the secondary science teacher program in the College of Education. The overall objective of the campaign is to increase awareness and bolster enrollment in the program.
In collaboration with faculty in the College of Education, members of the nationally ranked marketing fraternity are helping to establish target audiences for the campaign, create selling points for the program and provide a framework for the implementation of the strategy.
The college’s dean, George Hynd, says he already can see the benefits of working with Pi Sigma Epsilon.
“The marketing plan and strategies developed have been dramatically enhanced through this partnership,” Hynd says. “PSE’s insight, enthusiasm and recommendations have truly influenced the way we will market our science education program.”
The development process of the campaign, which has been in the works since the beginning of the fall semester, is scheduled to wrap up in May. Once the plan is finished, PSE will assist the College of Education in implementing the campaign over the summer.
Such campaigns provide great real-world experience for students, says Fanny Halsey, PSE’s president-elect and committee chair.
“Working on a project like this shows members what it takes to create a marketing plan that includes strategy and in-depth concepts,” Halsey says. “This allows them to use the skills they learn in the classroom, and also provides them with valuable networking opportunities and résumé-building experiences.”
PSE’s Iota chapter at the W. P. Carey School models itself on the concept of a marketing consulting firm, and treats each project like an internship for its members.
Student members are encouraged to participate in projects that give them the opportunity to develop and fine-tune the business, communication and marketing skills they will need when they enter the work force.
Fraternity members have worked on marketing campaigns with a number of companies, including local start-up Arizona Ride Home, Dewalt Power Tools, and Scottsdale nightclubs Axis-Radius and e4.
James Spiers, a senior lecturer in the W. P. Carey School’s marketing department, serves as faculty adviser to the fraternity, preaching the value of hands-on experiences.
“Students can learn a lot by reflecting upon the campaigns they create,” Spiers says. “By analyzing what does and does not work, students are able to grow and become better prepared for their careers.”
Jacob Karp, jacob.karp@asu.edu
W. P. Carey School of Business
(480) 965-0468