When students are challenged to apply concepts learned in the classroom to strengthen local businesses, they excel at execution of theory.   This is precisely what happened for marketing students at LaGuardia Community College over the course of two semesters.   Organized into small groups, thus mirroring the current team-building landscape of marketing agencies, students were tasked with developing and executing practical marketing plans for the college’s Performing Arts Center and local businesses.   Over the course of the semester, student groups organized their recommendations into presentations that were shared with the interested entities.   The result of this engagement included both a successful understanding of marketing on the part of the student and relationship building within the college and community.

 

On average, experiential projects of this kind call for students to engage written and oral communication skills, knowledge of popular software (such as powerpoint or prezi), research skills, and several soft skills sought by employers.  This workshop, adaptable across disciplines and/or as a collaborative interdisciplinary effort, will consider the executed marketing projects to focus on further project building that provides the most holistic learning experience.