From their first day on campus, our students are taught to abandon any preconceived notions they might have of what their college experience can or should look like. We’re not your Mom’s alma mater (unless you’re a legacy student), and the work our undergraduates do happens well beyond the walls of the conventional lecture hall. We value hands-on exposure in addition to theoretical coursework. This is precisely why each TU student must complete an internship of some kind as a prerequisite to graduation, and why many of our faculty encourage off-campus field trips during class-time, our very own Marketing 350 (retail management) course being no exception.
This semester, students enrolled in the above class took two fields trips in an effort to further their experiential learning goals, the first of which being a visit to a local Walmart Supercenter. While there, the students were given a guided tour of the facility, where they learned about the Walmart’s newly-implemented logistical protocols surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic (shipping delays, altered production costs, etc.). Their tour guides also explained that when social distancing guidelines were put in place, they had to adapt their approach to conducting day-to-day operations in an effort to maintain the wellbeing of all employees and patrons. This meant implementing procedures such as “BOPIS” (Buy Online Pick-Up In Store). Their host went on to explain how effectively controlling inventory and the diligent restocking of products proved an integral part of their success amid this “new normal.” Mr. Robert Kadlubowski, the onsite manager and tour guide then explained that Walmart employees utilize over forty apps to streamline these procedures.
The second of the two field trips took place at ZenGenius in Columbus, Ohio. ZenGenius is a major player in the world of visual merchandising consultation, and provides clientele with customized visual experiences and advertisements specific to their brands. Joe Baer and Emily Shirey were their hosts for the event and gave a formal presentation on their company’s philosophy, and how they personalize their work to the individual needs of each client. At the end of the day, student participants were even able to design and arrange their own mock storefront displays, complete with mannequins dressed and posed to their liking.
For more information on the Marketing Program click here.