Tuesday, May 5th, 2009 - 1:21 pm
Led by Professor Matt Hanson and Professor Hugh Daubek, students from the Mgmt/Com 429 class placed 3rd this year in the regional NSAC competition in Detroit on Friday, April 17, 2009! Their outstanding performance exemplifies the importance of experiential learning and its impact on students and what they learn.
Background and Structure
The American Advertising Foundation’s National Student Advertising Competition is considered the College World Series of Advertising. It provides more than 3,000 college students with real-world experience by requiring a strategic advertising/marketing/media campaign for this year’s client The Century Council – a non-profit that combats binge drinking activities from college students. Schools compete on a district level prior to a one-day national competition where the best campaign is then selected.
Purdue University Calumet is part of District Six; one of only two mega-districts that sends two winners from their district to the national competition. This year, our district consisted of Adrian, Augustana, Ball State, Butler, Central Michigan, Columbia, DePaul, Eastern Michigan, Ferris State, Grand Valley State, Michigan State, Northwood, PUC, Southern Illinois, Illinois, Michigan, Southern Indiana, Wayne State, and Western Michigan.
Place – 3rd
The Purdue University Calumet team finished third out of the nine teams in track A. This is the highest PUC has ever placed in over 15 years. That is a two-place improvement over the previous Purdue University Calumet best at fifth place in 2007.
PUC Campaign – Will TOD choose you?
Through research, the team identified some interesting beliefs that today’s college student lives by. First, they believe the idea that “It can’t happen to me.” Second, most believe there is nothing that you can say that is going to change what they do.
The team presented a variety of problems that stem from alcohol as well as the statistics to go along with them. Quickly the class saw that the statistics had a powerful effect that put the larger issue into perspective. From that response, the class identified six distinct stops that would make students seriously consider putting a stop to binge drinking behaviors. A stop is identified as anything experienced personally or through a family or friend, that would make them stop drinking. The six most influential stops included arrest, injury, death, drunk driving, sexual assault, and suicide.
By incorporating these six stops along with the statistics for the amount of college students that experience these on a daily basis, the class developed the “Will TOD choose you?” campaign. TOD stands for The Other Drug, which is quickly connected to alcohol. Based on the statistics, there are eerie similarities between drugs and alcohol.
Through a 100% non-traditional campaign, the class developed a series of advertising executions that incorporated TOD decisions into areas where students come in contact with alcohol on a regular basis. An example includes the bathroom stalls at bars and dorms. They wrapped the inside of the stalls with an image of dirt on all four walls, along with an image on the ceiling of a coffin shaped whole looking up at the sky. The idea was to give the effect that you’re looking up from your grave. The message was simply, “Will TOD choose you? Text TOD to #####.” The return message said, “TOD will kill 5 students just like you tonight. Will TOD choose you? Visit willTODchooseyou.com.
Posted in Student News |
Saturday, February 28th, 2009 - 10:50 am
Seven students were recognized by the Department of Marketing, Human Resources, and Management for their outstanding academic achievements and contributions to their discipline. The students were presented to the University community at the Chancellor’s Outstanding Student Event on Sunday, February 22, 2009. Each student was nominated by the faculty in their discipline. Congratulations to you all! We are very proud of you.
Imran Abbasi (Marketing)
Erick Demunck (Entrepeneurship)
Alejandra Gonzalez (Marketing)
Mark Joza (Entrepreneurship)
Bryan Lazorik (Human Resources)
Shirley Niebling (Human Resources)
Ray Schroeder (Equine Management)
Posted in Student News |
Saturday, December 27th, 2008 - 10:08 am
Graduation Feature
Stefanie Damjanovich said her father always told her, “You need to learn to stand on your own two feet, don’t expect anyone else to do anything for you.”
Damjanovich, a Schererville resident and Purdue University Calumet senior marketing major specializing in market research, is a candidate to receive her bachelor’s degree, Tuesday (12/16), during the university’s Fall Commencement Exercises at the Radisson Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville.
After a semester at Purdue’s West Lafayette campus, following her 2001 graduation from Lake Central High School, she transferred to Purdue Calumet to be closer to home.
In 2004, Damjanovich decided to take time off from school to work and help care for her mother, who was diagnosed with cancer.
After her mother died in 2005, she decided to return to her studies, Formerly a communication major, Damjanovich switched to marketing and found the opportunity to engage in market research an ideal fit.
Professors in Purdue Calumet’s School of Management helped accommodate her interest in the field. Professor Lori Feldman, head of Purdue Calumet’s Department of Marketing, Human Resources and Management, designed an independent study program for her to gain experience in market research.
“I felt motivated by my professors, because they saw something in me that I never saw in myself,” Damjanovich said. “You can’t help but want to succeed.”
And succeed she has. In addition to having earned regular Dean’s List status, she has assisted one of her professors, Associate Professor of Marketing Junyong Kim, on a market research study. The study, “Measuring Quality of Academic Advising Services,” has been an effort to develop a better survey instrument to assess the quality of academic advising services provided by Purdue Calumet’s School of Management and identify areas needing improvement.
Kim said Damjanovich’s involvement in all aspects of the study—from preparing a research plan and budget proposal, to conducting peer reviews and focus group studies—has helped provide insight into students’ expectations and perceptions of academic advising services.
“She has handled each task with great enthusiasm and competence,” Kim said, “and she has learned the nuts and bolts of conducting marketing research. As a result of her fine work, she won (Purdue Calumet’s Fall) Undergraduate Research Program Grant Award.”
Since 2007, Damjanovich has been employed at Purdue Calumet’s Center for Student Achievement, and she has served as president of the campus’ Purdue University Marketing Association (PUMA) student organization.
Feldman, Kim and other Department of Marketing, Human Resources and Management faculty members have described her as a hard working, outgoing individual who possesses the initiative to achieve her objectives.
Damjanovich said that despite all of her accomplishments, she always has felt that she could do more. After graduation, she plans to start working in the field of market research.
“It’s been a really long road,” she said. “But now, I feel like I’m starting a new chapter.”
Note: Originally posted at http://webs.purduecal.edu/news/2008/12/12/damjanovich-grad-feature
Posted in Student News |
Friday, October 10th, 2008 - 8:55 am
Stephanie Damjanovich, a School of Management senior majoring in marketing, was awarded an Undergraduate Research Program Grant from the Office of Research and Professional Development at the University. Stephanie is working on an experiential learning project with Dr. Junyong Kim entitled “Academic Advising Service Satisfaction Study”. She has been deeply involved in all facets of this market research study and is interested in pursuing a career in market research. Congratulations Stephanie!
Posted in Student News |
