Congrats MKTG 3250 Spring 2020 Finalists!

MKTG 3250 Marketing Strategy Consultancy is the required capstone class for all Marketing majors which challenges student teams to produce a marketing plan for a local company. Camp North End was selected as the company partner this semester and the course was taught by Professor Cindy Fox.  Students overcame additional challenges this semester (meeting and presenting online) as UNC Charlotte transitioned to operating remotely. Kudos to all students who were enrolled and completed the course this semester!

Three team finalists were chosen by Professor Fox and spent an hour with representatives from Camp North End presenting their final plans via Zoom. Camp North End Team members who evaluated teams included: Damon Hemmerdinger, Varian, Shrum, Sadatu Dennis, Zavia Rudisell, Kadeeja Janneh. This was a great opportunity for students to gain exposure to industry professionals and receive real world feedback on their work.

Congratulations to our three team finalists below!

Kameran, Lexi, Fernanda, Meredith, Marley, Lauren, Jenna

"This project has done an amazing job of synthesizing all the things I have learned during my undergraduate career into one project. I had an internship with a digital marketing consulting firm, Capacity Interactive, last summer and fall. This project allowed me to test my knowledge on a local client and tailor my recommendations to their needs. We all also drew on previous marketing classes, such as Sales, Innovation and Creativity, and our introductory marketing course." - Lauren Tooley

Hailee, Ashley, Eddy, Jesse, Hannah, Luigi, Moriah

Ashley Daniels notes, "My internship with the nonprofit organization UMAR really helped prepare me for this course. I was able to establish real-life experience in the marketing world and get valuable tips and tricks from my supervisors. Internships are a great way to get hands-on experience and learn more about what aspects of marketing really appeal to you and what your strengths and weaknesses are which are great to know going into this course." 

Her advice for students taking the course in the future: "Don't be afraid to think outside of the box for this course. Tapping into your inner creativity will really set you apart. Also, being willing to establish communication and set expectations for your group at the beginning of the course will really help out in the long run."

"I gained great memories from this experience. I had an amazing group, that pushed me to be the best version of myself. They supported me throughout this experience and I am forever grateful for them."  - Hannah Ginn

Abbi, Leah, Jean-Claude, Hannah, Mackenzie, Rachel, Kayla, Burke 

Mackenzie Meier offers advice for students taking the course in the future. Be sure to take note!

"Just because your team doesn’t make an A on every paper doesn’t mean you should feel discouraged or think your team has no chance to be in the finals. Our team papers ranged in grades throughout the semester but with our well thought out creative ideas we still managed to be in the final round.

Listen very closely to what a company is asking for and determine creative but realistic solutions on how to solve them.

As a team, I suggest meeting weekly to discuss the paper overall, make an outline of everything that needs to be completed, assign parts to each group member and set a deadline for everything to be done.

This is a semester long project; ideas are going to change throughout the papers which is ok and completely normal. Having discussions throughout the semester about ideas for the company is important because your thoughts at the beginning of the semester will differ from what you think at the end of the semester. Just remember you will have the chance to re-do your papers at the end of the semester, so its ok that your beginning papers don’t match your end result completely."

When asked what courses prepared you for this course, Hannah Stines said, "... Marketing Concepts and also Social Media Marketing. The social media played a huge part of our tactics so knowing how to post and what content to post based on the simulation we did in the class helped me provide guidance for the other team members when talking about our postings for the tactics."  Her advice to students would be, "that researching and being on top of the work is necessary. So much information goes into this project and knowing what the company is asking of you will make this experience easier to navigate. Do not assume that the company knows so much information that you might have found. Also be sure to connect everything back to each other. Good luck! It is a incredibly project to get you ready for the Marketing World!"

Congrats again to all students who completed the course! Thank you Professor Fox and Camp North End for a wonderful learning experience this semester. 

Sports Marketing Virtual Discussion and Career Opportunity

The University Career Center hosted a WebEx Career Meet Up last week for students interested in starting a career in Sports Marketing. The virtual discussion was presented by Scott McElfresh and Troy Shutler from ProPharma Sales, LLC.

In case you missed it, take a listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVMepwH5fXI
They specifically discussed opportunities at their company (currently a project from Head and Shoulders) which are available on Hire-A-Niner.

Feel free to contact the speakers should you have further questions.
Scott: smcelfresh@propharmasales.com
Troy: tshutler@propharmasales.com

Balancing a Part-time Job and Academics

By Chris Jorgensen-

Many students decide to take part-time jobs during a college semester. I was one of those students. Rather than looking for a job outside of the college, I looked within the college.

During the end of my sophomore year, I felt like I had figured a lot out. I had my major decided, I knew what clubs I wanted to be a part of, and I had a strong core group of friends. Getting a part-time job was always on the radar, but I never felt “ready” to take one on.

If there is anything to take away from this, it’s to get a job on campus. To be honest, I never thought of this as an option. I heard about employment opportunities on campus in the past, but I never took it seriously. After talking to my mentors and my parents, I decided to work on campus. I applied to a couple of positions, but I managed to land two, a peer tutor and a front desk job, for a combined 14 hours of part-time work. While this may not be as long as a traditional part-time job (20 hours), I think that 14 hours was a good balance for me.

There were some perks for working on campus. For one, I lived in an apartment complex that was less than a ten-minute walk from both jobs, so the stress of added travel was not there. Beyond this, both jobs understood that I was a student and were able to be flexible in their scheduling. I was able to work with both employers to find time frames that made the most sense with my schedule.

Due to this, I never really felt the stress of “having” to go to work. It just worked with my schedule. It’s funny because sometimes in college, you have moments where you look at your schedule and think it’s way overloaded. I remember the times where I was like “I cannot handle this”. Whenever I felt that way, I compared it to working a 40 hour week. Nine times out of ten, it isn’t as much.

However, I also understand that many other student’s situations don’t flow as well as mine did. For those who may have a job off campus and feel like they are finding it hard to handle both, my first thought is to find your sweet spot.

I realized from previous internships that my productivity levels went down after lunch. I don’t know if I was packing the wrong lunches or truly just wanted to go home by that point, but I knew that when I made my schedule for the semester, I wanted to put everything right beside each other. I didn’t want to give myself a break because I knew that I would a) not be 100% ready for class or b) not be a productive employee.

I also had friends who took jobs on weekends rather than during the week. They wished they had the time to enjoy their weekend or spend it on school. By the time Monday came back around, they were pooped.

To anyone who reads this and wants to learn or relate: you can totally manage a job on top of your studies. Everyone knows or will learn the right balance of how to spend their time. Do what you can to make your work schedule best fit your current curriculum. When in doubt, prioritize school. Also, look for work on campus. Some jobs only need you for a couple hours a week, and I am sure you can find an hour a day to help pay for college. I cannot recommend that enough.

Military Town to Queen City

By Cassie Chin-

When transferring from a community college to a university let alone UNC Charlotte, there are so many things that I would have liked to have known before becoming a Niner. I transferred from Coastal Carolina Community College in Jacksonville, NC which is a small town that has the largest military base on the east coast to one of the fastest growing cities in the nation where I didn’t know anyone. I toured 5 other universities before choosing UNCC and I haven’t regretted it since. There are many things that I wish I would have known before adventuring to the queen city but here are the main ones that stood out the most.

1. Standards are as high as you want to make them
2. You are going to make mistakes and that is completely ok
3. Becoming a Niner will be one of the most memorable times in your life

Standards are as high as you want to make them. There are going to be so many people with different backgrounds that you have the opportunity to familiarize yourself with. Everyone will grow at their own pace but unfortunately it’s easy to compare your growth to others around you. I have faced this challenge immensely especially being a business major. What I do to avoid doing this is learn that soon enough, you will start to appreciate the diversity that the experiences and your classmates bring to your personal and professional growth. The students around you inspire you to be a better student, friend, and Niner.

You are going to make mistakes and that is COMPLETELY OK. Really, it is. I have made some mistakes in my short year and a half here but with my support system I never faced them alone. This included the life long friends I have made and the faculty and staff. The faculty and staff are here to help you in any way they can just like they helped me; from Career Services, Tutoring Center, Counseling Center, the list goes on. People aren’t lying when they say university is where you start to discover yourself.

Being a Niner will be one of the most memorable times in your life. A spontaneous car ride or light rail to the beautiful city with your friends, picking a random Tuesday to go to a cardio dance class, or even going to Noda to take pictures for instagram. With over 400 student organizations to choose from there will always be something made for you. There are hundreds of events that are hosted such as Homecoming, Professional Development Meetups, Career Fairs, and the International Festival. If I have not convinced you enough that UNC Charlotte is your university did I mention there's movies, UNCC gear, and group fitness classes, and they’re all free!! And that’s not even a sliver of the things that this university offers.  As a senior now, I wish I would have found this gem we call UNC Charlotte sooner but I have appreciated every person I have encountered and every experience that I’ve gone through, even the bad ones because once and Niner always a Niner, so throw your pickaxe up and come join the Niner Nation!

        

May 2020 Graduate Opportunity

The Belk College of Business invites May 2020 graduates, regardless of major, and recent alumni to join founder and CEO of Byrd Career Consulting and Belk College Outstanding Young Alumna Award recipeint Latesha Byrd '12 for a complimentary professional development workshop.  

Title: Landing Employment Post-Graduation During a Pandemic - tools, tricks and tips you can apply to your job search strategy
Date: Wednesday, April 29
Time: 12:00-1:00 p.m. 
Format: Zoom Meeting
Workshop Structure: 60 minutes - 45 minutes content & 15 minutes Q&A 

Workshop Description: Approaching graduation can seem tricky at this time, facing uncertainty around the job market and how to best prepare to land a career.  This workshop is for 2020 graduates, covering best practices and strategies for job searching as well as building a solid plan as you pivot your job search to the market.

Register Here Now!

Congratulations May 2020 Graduates from the Niblock Student Center

May 2020 Graduates, We are sad that we cannot celebrate you in person, but know that each of us in the Niblock Student Center is thinking of you and so excited for what is next in your journey!

Instagram Live!

Thank you so much to our students Taylor Cox, Danielle Riendeau, Arjun Nag, Nia Johnson for assisting with our Instagram Live event! Keep an eye our for more Instagram events. You can follow the Belk College here!

My WFH Schedule by Taylor Cox

BCOB Schedule

During this time there is so much to do with classes, families, and finding a job or internship for this summer. Everything seems to be out of control and you may find yourself missing assignments, meetings, or just small things like sending an email. I am here to tell you that you are NOT alone and many others, including myself, have been forgetful since coming home. In order to help combat this issue, I created a schedule to work from home, so if you are struggling as well, consider doing something similar! Here is my typical schedule throughout the week:

8:30 am - Get up and immediately get in the shower. After a shower, head downstairs to make myself a small breakfast

9 am - Start working! As a peer advisor, I am meeting with students, completing different projects, and doing campaigns for the BCOB. I work on M/W/F so on T/Th I am typically in classes or working on homework during this time.

12 pm - After working for a few hours, it’s time for lunch. I never sit at my desk and eat lunch. I always take this time to take a break, talk to my family, or just have some “me” time.

1 pm - My classes are typically starting at this point. I’m either in Business Analytics Programming or Business Communications at this time.

2:30 pm - As someone who is actively looking for an internship this summer, I use my time in between classes to apply for jobs, interview, or build my LinkedIn profile. I do this 2 days a week and spend the other 3 doing schoolwork.

4 pm - I am normally in my last class for the day at this point. I pay attention during my finance class and focus on our next test or project.

5:15 pm - At this time I typically spend until 6:30 doing homework or other school activities. This helps me stay on track in all of my classes.

6:30 pm - By this time I am 100% done with my day. I’ve spent almost 8 hours working and I spend the right of the night relaxing and have my own time. I spend the time with family, working out, and watching some of my favorite shows. By 11 I am back in bed and ready to get good sleep for the next day!

This is the schedule that works best for me. It’s all about what works best for you personally and changing this to match your class schedule! It’s hard taking classes full time, working a part-time job, and finding a job or internship for this summer. Keep powering through it and finish up this semester!

Some big tips I have to stay on schedule are:

Don’t stay in bed - Get up and get ready for the day! Staying in bed will make you never want to get up. Wake up and hop in the shower to start your day.

Take time for yourself - No matter how your schedule looks, always make sure you have time to relax and take a break.

Continue to be active - I typically get up from my desk at least every 30 minutes to walk downstairs, to the bathroom, or just go on a quick stroll around the house. This helps take a short break and to still stay active. I also do a workout at the end of the night to tire me out and help get a good night’s sleep.

Each day is a little different, but staying busy works for me and helps keep me focused. Make sure you stay safe, stay healthy, and finish this semester strong! For questions about time management or life while at home, feel free to contact me at tcox24@uncc.edu.

Recap: VP of Marketing at S.C. Johnson Professional Speaks with Students

The University Career Center is still available remotely to help with all your career needs! Remember to check their website for upcoming events, look at Hire-A-Niner for internship/career opportunities and schedule an appointment for individual help.

You can also connect with the Business/Financial Services/Logistics Career Community Career Coach, Abigail Brown by emailing her at Abigail.Brown@uncc.edu.

Back on March 11th, the UCC hosted Ron Chappuis, the Vice President of Marketing at S.C. Johnson Professional. Mr. Chappuis walked students through his career journey (started in healthcare sales) and his day to day as VP of Marketing. He noted that, "no two days are alike and it involves many moving parts."

He specifically talked about hand hygiene in hospitals and his teams work with Cal Stat® Plus Antiseptic Handrub. Conversation included talking about the product beyond the 4 P's of marketing (product, price, promotion, and place). Students were given bottles of hand sanitizer as rewards for answering questions and were challenged to think about the products packaging, smell, and design as it related to marketing. This was an especially interesting and useful discussion as we entered the country's corona virus pandemic.

Participants were given the opportunity to connect on linked in and ask questions. He also noted top skills needed for students to excel in the field which included:

• Good communication and being able to write, speak and articulate a vision

• Good with excel- you'll always be looking at spreadsheets for things like growth trends and margins for product performance

• Passion- you must love what you are doing-- a marketers job is thankless, you mainly hear the "bad" news 

Thank you Ron for sharing your work and professional advice with UNCC students! 

Lunch & Learn: Navigating your Job or Internship Search

Join the final Lunch & Learn of the Spring semester to hear from three panelists: Sarah Haley, Abigail Brown, and Philly DePiante '19 about navigating your job or internship search. We know that this is a subject that is front-of-mind for many students right now, and we'd love to share some advice and experience with you. Please register here. 

Don't stop your professional development!

Join professional development meet-ups this week! Live meet-ups will allow you to ask questions about relevant topics including financial stress and hiring trends. To join a live meet-up, just click on the link in the calendar at the time of the meet-up. If you were unable to make a live meet-up that you were interested in this March or April, we are also making that available on-demand. The link to the form can be found on the "Career Resources" page of our website!

Welcome Chris Holloman!

We are excited to welcome Chris Holloman as the newest Academic and Career Coach in the Belk College of Business! His first day was March 16th, at the start of UNC Charlotte's transition to operating remotely. Mr. Holloman will work with pre-business students and declared Business Analytics, Management Information Systems, and Operations & Supply Management Majors. He is ready to support students remotely via email, phone, and appointments.

He most recently served as a Transfer Academic Advisor at Central Piedmont Community College and has an extensive background in K-12 education as well. He is licensed as a National Certified Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor Associate.

We are thrilled to have him as a part of the Niblock Student Center!

MKTG 3000- Spring Break 2020 Recap from Paris and Prague

Professor Cindy Fox recently led a Spring Break trip to Paris and Prague. This study abroad trip is a great opportunity to learn about marketing from a global perspective and can count as course credit. The course is offered every spring as MKTG 3000. Recruitment for the Spring Break 2021 trip will begin in September!

See the photos below (provided by Leah Glossenger) and a recap of her experience.

Group Photo at ISP headquarters listening to a speaker present about the culture of the Czech Republic.

A group at the top of the Astronomical Clock overlooking the city of Prague.

Students had the opportunity to explore Paris. A group visits Rue Cremieux street in Paris. Each season residents paint the houses to change or brighten up the colors.

"Overall the study abroad opportunity was the best experience I could have ever gained. Aside from it being an education experience and learning many new things, the activities we got to do for fun were amazing. My favorite fun things were going out to dinners with all of our group and trying new foods, going to the eiffel tower during the day and night, seeing the beautiful architecture, going to the rue cremieux, going to the top of the astronomical clock to see the view, and taking the time to know each other and becoming family. 

For anyone who is hesitant about studying abroad I would tell them do it!!! It truly is a lifetime opportunity and you will leave with the most amazing memories and friendships."

      -Leah Glossenger (Marketing Analytics and Intelligence, December 2020)

Maximizing your Internship Experience!

On Tuesday, April 14th at 1:00pm, the Professional Development Team will be hosting a meet-up on Maximizing your Internship Experience! Join this PD Meet-Up to discuss the various benefits of having an internship, internship reminders, as well as strategies to navigate remote internships. Also, we will be discussing personal strategies on how to maximize your experience as a summer intern such as strategies on personal reflection and mentorship. To join this meeting, visit the Niblock Student Center Calendar for the link.

Accounting Mentorship Program

Click Here to Apply!

Join a PD Meet Up this Week!

Join the professional development team for a meet up this week. These are 30-minute events, and you will have the opportunity to ask any questions that you have. Event information can be found here.

Bonus Meet Up from the PD Team: Zack Lord, who worked in multiple roles in the music industry in Nashville, TN, is also leading a Career Meet Up: Navigating the Music Business Industry on Tuesday, April 14 from 3pm- 3:45. See more details or join here!

Career Meetups are Now Virtual!

Hear from Peer Advisor Kaiah Johnson about her recent participation with a

Virtual Career Meet Up!

With COVID-19 changing everyone’s plans for the spring semester, UNC Charlotte has done a great job at continuing to offer important resources to students virtually. One of the resources still available are the professional development meetups offered through the University Career Center. To see which professional development sessions are still available, log into your Hire-a-Niner account. The list of future sessions will be displayed under the “Career Events” tab. In order to attend a session, you  must click the RSVP button. The day of the event, you will be emailed a WebEx link to attend the session. Stay up to date with all UCC Offerings by visiting their website!

Recently, I attended a virtual career meetup that discussed careers in human resource management. The speaker discussed characteristics of a good human resource manager and various education and certification requirements. A bachelor’s degree is the minimum education level required, but the actual degree varies. A person does not have to major in business to enter the human resource industry. Many human resource managers have a degree in communication and even psychology. The speaker also discussed salary ranges for human resource managers. Salaries for human resource managers range between $50,000 and over $100,000. 

Lastly, the speaker provided tips and resources that can help a person enter the human resource industry. One of the resources we have on campus that is available to all students is the Society for Human Resource Management, better known as SHRM. SHRM is a national organization that also has a local and collegiate chapter. At the collegiate level, SHRM allows students to speak with and network with HR professionals, who share their stories and journeys in the HR industry. If you are interested in joining SHRM, please go to their page on Niner Engage to learn more information about becoming a member.

Lunch & Learn Series: Business Careers in the Healthcare Industry

Join the Niblock Student Center and Premier to learn about Business Careers in the Healthcare Industry. Healthcare is a top employment category in the Charlotte area, and there are many opportunities to pursue a business career within this industry. Learn more during this Lunch & Learn event. Since we're all digital right now, we can't actually provide lunch, but we will take care of the learning part! Please register here.

PD Meet Ups: Week of 4/6-4/10

This week, we hope you'll join us for one or more 30-minute online professional development meet up that might help you at this time. Login information can be found in the Belk College calendar. See you there!