Students Bonnie Ton and Tony Meng show off the articles they contributed to the Odette Business Review, a special supplement to today’s Windsor Star.
A project for marketing professor Dave Bussiere’s classes in sales and advertising management has helped to chronicle the experience of students in the Odette School of Business, while contributing to it.
The students produced a special publication, the Odette Business Review, distributed with today’s edition of the Windsor Star. The sales management class sold advertising space to local businesses, and the advertising management class researched and wrote articles, and designed the layout. The Star finalized the production and printing.
“I really appreciate professor Bussiere’s way of teaching, because it’s very hands-on,” said Bonnie Ton, a fourth-year student who took both courses this semester. “You really get a sense of how the theory relates to the practical side.”
She contributed an article on the charitable contributions raised by students in the course Management and Organizational Life, and said the experience proved rewarding.
“I thought I would like sales more, but I enjoyed writing this story, seeing how it’s relevant to the theme Smart with a Heart,” Ton said. “I have a portfolio now!”
Classmate Tony Meng, a fourth-year marketing major, said the project provided a good preparation for his career following graduation.
“You’re really focusing on marketing,” he said. “It’s more applicable to work with actual businesses.”
He sold an ad to Platinum Realty brokers and said he learned to highlight the benefits to the buyer.
“You need advertisements that relate to the student aspect,” he said. “This company will be able to appeal to international students looking for housing near campus.”
Dr. Bussiere said he was impressed with the way the students approached the challenge. Originally slated for 16 pages, the publication grew to 24 pages when ad sales exceeded expectations.
“They really stepped up and made the most of this opportunity,” he said. “I’m going to have to find a different project next year to see if we can top this success.”
Look for the tabloid-sized newspaper inside the April 15 edition of the Windsor Star.