Business Students Develop Marketing Campaign Through CSUDH/Home Depot Center Collaboration

Storyboards created by Natasa Christodoulidou’s marketing students depict the relationship between the Home Depot Center’s (HDC) world class sports facility and the world class education available at CSU Dominguez Hills. The assistant professor of business management guided her students in a semester-long project with the goal of developing concepts to be produced as an advertising campaign for the two entities.

Beverly Harris (Class of ’06, B.A., Marketing) was surprised by what she learned through the process, beyond the task of executing a team project, as one of the marketing interns for the HDC/CSUDH collaboration.

“The fact that Cal State Dominguez Hills actually houses a state-of-the-art sports facility, and is home field to many professional sports teams and world class athletes, was not something I understood or even thought about from a marketing prospective prior to this internship,” she says. “The challenges in this project came from trying to understand and serve the needs of Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), the Home Depot Center, and CSUDH.”

The group developed concepts and storyboards for two video spots that illustrate the proximity of both the CSUDH campus and the Home Depot Center to each other, and the exchange of educational and career opportunities that is possible between them. Working with AEG executives and personnel, the students were
given a first-hand glimpse into the operations of a facility like the HDC.

“I never knew how intricate coordinating events was and how much preparation must go into each one, without the spectator even knowing,” says Carlos Alvarez, senior (Marketing). “The internship enhanced my education by being able to apply different learning techniques to real life situations.”

The internship group will continue to work on the campaign through the spring semester, and hopes to actually produce the videos developed in the storyboards for use at CSUDH, the HDC, and for other outreach efforts in the community.

“This hands-on project was a perfect compliment to the instruction I’ve received at Dominguez Hills,” says Danny Donayre, senior (Marketing). As I prepare to graduate in May, I can take great pride in an education that has extended beyond the classroom and into a realm of world-class endeavors and relationships.”

- Joanie Harmon- Whetmore

Photo above: CSUDH marketing students worked closely with executives and personnel from the University and Anschutz Entertainment Group to develop a campaign featuring cooperative educational and career opportunities available through the partnership. Seated (L-R) Alison Groendal, director of public relations, HDC; Brenda Knepper, director of university and development communications, CSUDH; Crystal Nelson, senior (Marketing); and Natasa Christodoulidou, assistant professor of business management. Standing (L-R) Corey Cohen, junior (Marketing); Beverly Harris (Class of '06, B.A., Marketing); John Cunningham, junior (Marketing); Carlos Alvarez, senior (Marketing); and Danny Donayre, senior (Marketing). Photo by Joanie Harmon-Whetmore