By Sophia Asher, Multimedia Director
If you’re a student at Canisius, you might be familiar with the IMC Masterclass, but you may not know what it entails. So, what’s it all about?
The IMC – or Integrated Marketing Communications – Masterclass, led by Professor Mary Owusu, is a class only offered here at Canisius University. It is an invitation-only class for juniors and seniors majoring in IMC or Marketing, where students engage in hands-on work with actual marketing clients. They have the opportunity to work on social media campaigns, graphic design, data analytics, website development and much more. The masterclass is truly a special experience, as students walk away with many gained experiences and a new-found confidence in both marketing and communication.
This semester, the IMC Masterclass is working alongside two different organizations. First, we have West Herr, the largest auto dealership in Western New York, which wants the class to redesign the global navigation of its website.
Second, we have Future In Our Hands USA, the organization that we are currently working with. It is a Buffalo-founded non-profit organization that supports sustainable projects in Kenya and Zambia. They donate all their contributions to enhance the lives of others.
My classmates and I have had a very busy few months collaborating with Future In Our Hands USA. Our clients have tasked us with raising $15,000 by the end of the semester, marking the highest goal ever set for a masterclass by the organization. This challenge prompted our class to think quickly; how can we accomplish this?
The class came together for a brainstorming session. What engaging and entertaining activity could we organize that would raise money while also attracting public interest? Many ideas were thrown out, but in the end we settled on one: a 5K race!
After this idea was approved by our Future In Our Hands clients, we realized we had a lot of work ahead of us. We had just under two months to organize, market and plan a 5K for hundreds of people. Over the past few weeks, we’ve made countless phone calls, crafted numerous social media posts, visited local businesses to secure sponsors, sent out marketing emails and much more.
All that being said, I would like to formally invite you all to "The Future On Our Feet 5K" on Nov. 2, 2024 at Delaware Park! Check-in for the race starts at 10 a.m., with the race kicking off at 12 p.m. In addition to the race, we will have two food trucks, House of Munch and The Cheesy Chick, as well as a variety of raffle baskets, some of which include Buffalo Bills merchandise, including a signed jersey.
My classmates and I have been working tirelessly to make this event happen and I’m incredibly proud of our team. We’ve utilized the marketing skills developed during our time at Canisius, and it’s rewarding to see them in action as this event comes to life.
To sign up for The Future On Our Feet 5K, visit https://www.futureinourhandsusa.org/. If you can’t attend, please consider making a donation to support this important cause.
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