Making connections in the classroom

Some courses taught at the Debbie and Jerry Ivy College of Business stray from the normal class design to merge traditional course practices with real-world experiences. The three “live cases” in Marketing 495 make for a course that does this exceptionally well.

Susan-Fleming

Throughout the semester, student consultants are put in a live case competition, taking on three “client” challenges provided by different businesses partnering with the class. Working under deadlines that reflect real work experience, student-led teams are tasked to research, strategize, and develop their marketing efforts in ways that best benefit the current business.

At the end of the client engagement, students present their solutions to the client organization and compete to win the recognition of “best solution.”

Top: Marketing 495 students Michael Paige, Irene Delinggo, and Rilee Lansing deliver a final presentation to Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce employees in Iowa State University’s Student Innovation Center. Left/middle: Eric Prosperi (‘91 marketing), vice president of retail sales at Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce, shakes hands with Marketing 495 students. Right/bottom: Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce employees and Marketing 495 students pose for a photo after final presentations; (left to right) Lauren Bredensteiner, Jay Waagmeester, Eric Prosperi, Kayla Brown, Cora Frohwein, and Ryan McMahon.

“This class erases the division between school and work,” said Susan Fleming, assistant teaching professor of marketing. “Students are exposed to real work situations – difficult deadlines, ambiguous directions, and lofty goals. Every semester, I am impressed by the students’ growth in professionalism and essential soft skills.”

One business that students worked with during this course was Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce, founded in West Des Moines, Iowa. Students were tasked to create a summer food truck marketing campaign to increase brand awareness and expand to a new customer base.

“I was excited to have an opportunity to work for an Iowa business that is truly homegrown,” said Jay Waagmeester, a senior in marketing and journalism from Rock Rapids, Iowa. “I came to love Lola’s after meeting at their company headquarters. The company was responsive to feedback and provided important help to our class on how to become better marketers.”

Students also got the opportunity to work with HNI, a global furniture and home furnishings manufacturing company based in Muscatine, Iowa. They challenged students to predict how the attitudes and preferences of the next generation will impact how we work.

“HNI’s request was very unique and fun to work with,” said Lauren Bredensteiner, a senior in marketing from Maple Grove, Minnesota. “I really enjoyed how we could think outside the box while having open guidelines. This allowed teams to thrive with a creative mindset and explore the future of the work environment, which will be very beneficial for students as we enter the workforce.”

The non-traditional approach of this class allowed students to gain valuable experiences in real situations with real businesses.

“This course was an opportunity to look at problems from various angles to best understand how to deliver a solution that a company can find useful,” said Waagmeester. “It is like getting an extra internship, real-world experience, and class credit, all at the same time. This class prepares you to present innovative ideas to businesses for an opportunity to get a job and build your résumé, all while turning classmates into great friends.”

Making connections in the classroom

Marketing class erases the line between college and career

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