Seton Hill business students spent a day in March applying the knowledge they had gained in their marketing classes to a real-world challenge in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Bellevue.

Juniors Brooke Martin and Bara-Serene Mason, Communication majors with a focus in Integrated Marketing Communication & Public Relations, signed up to be part of the marketing hack-a-thon at VueFWD after hearing from the organizer during a class presentation.

While the pair weren’t quite sure what to expect, they showed up at the coffee shop hosting the event with their MacBooks that Friday morning and got to work.

Brooke and Bara-Serene were paired with Point Park student Ayuanna Baker and given a case study laying out the challenges facing AHN Suburban, a former hospital campus that has been converted into a comprehensive life-sciences business accelerator. They had just a few hours to develop a marketing plan and put together a presentation to offer to the assembled judges and local business professionals in attendance, while competing against two other groups from the University of Pittsburgh and CCAC.

“We worked backwards from our goal like we learned in class. Our group kept what AHN Suburban wanted in mind and made sure not to stray from the mission – reaching their intended audience,” Brooke said.

The primary goal was to increase awareness of the project with government officials and garner more funding for the project. The organization was also looking to gain community awareness and draw more businesses and nonprofits into the building. The groups were only given a single sheet of paper, but also had the ability to ask representatives questions to gain more insight.

The team did a SWOT (Strengths - Weaknesses - Opportunities - Threats) analysis and came up with a variety of strategies including a community event, a stronger online presence, and targeted communication to key audiences, allowing AHN Suburban to use the community as a driver to reach the government officials and show that people are invested in the outcomes of the project.

“We tried to come up with solid ideas that addressed the issues they were facing, as well as ways to measure their success,” Bara-Serene said. “We used what we learned in our marketing classes and incorporated key performance indicators (KPIs) to determine how these strategies were working.”

While the pair had some nerves getting up in front of a group of approximately fifteen working professionals with a strong background in marketing, the local area, and the facility, they relied on what they knew and presented their work. Brooke and Bara-Serene, along with their partner Ayuanna, were surprised to find themselves the winners of the competition, gaining confidence in their marketing talents in addition to a cash prize.

Both students transferred in from different institutions at the start of the fall 2024 semester and have built a strong connection with each other, their professors, and their chosen field in their time on the Hill.

Brooke is working on growing her marketing portfolio as a work-study with the Student-Athlete Well Being program and her freelance social media marketing – all in addition to her long-time job as a shift leader at Chick-fil-a where she sees many Seton Hill students throughout the week.

“This experience has really sharpened my passion for this industry,” she said. “I plan to explore different concentrations within the marketing industry to gain as much knowledge as possible to help me in my professional career.”

Bara-Serene is considering a variety of options for her future after graduation including law school, or a masters’ degree in African American history or marketing.

While they don’t know if AHN Suburban will be adopting any of their approaches moving forward, they are glad they entered the hack-a-thon and look forward to their next adventures in marketing.

Professor Offers Insight to Local Businesses

Meanwhile, Associate Professor of Marketing and Business Rachel Kaplan, Ph.D., spent the morning consulting with several small businesses based in Bellevue, offering them her marketing insights.

Participating in these types of events keeps Kaplan connected to current trends in business. After talking with representatives from a cat lounge, a family-owned hardware store, and an insurance firm, Kaplan is bringing back new case studies and fresh perspectives on the issues facing today’s business owners for her students.

After her morning of consulting, she had the opportunity to see Brooke and Bara-Serene in action giving their presentation.

“These kinds of events make the textbook come alive,” Kaplan said. “Students have the opportunity to connect with local professionals and learn about the business world from people who are working in it every day.”

Although this is only Kaplan’s first year on the Hill, she looks forward to bringing more of these types of experiences to her students moving forward and seeing their successes.

“These students embody the Setonian spirit - they are engaged, hard-working and optimistic. I’m proud to see them take on new opportunities and watch their skills grow,” Kaplan said.