Micro Internships

OBU Micro-Internship with YMCA

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Students at Oklahoma Baptist University worked with Shawnee YMCA during the Fall semester to assist with their Social Media marketing techniques. The two students Jamie Edwards and Deise Ferrara were students in the Marketing Analytics and Intel class.

This class is taught by Dr. Daryl Green, assistant professor of business and Dickinson Chair of Business. This micro internship allows students to gain real experience and applying what we learn in class to the working world.

The two students with Shawnee YMCA focused on improving online presence through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as well as developing ideas for fund raisers.

Jamie said, “ Working with Christina Roach and Dr. Green I have definitely learnt how to adapt and implement what I have learnt and how to apply this knowledge working with real companies. Analysing and comparing social media’s in conjunction to what I have learnt has helped me understand what really works when improving a business through digital marketing, as well as witness my work come to life and benefit the company.’

The students were focused on improving the Shawnee YMCA’s  presence on Instagram by improving the page’s content. Students also worked on upgrading the website discussing a Digital media checklist on all platforms.

Deise said, “This micro-internship was such a great experience. I love the fact that I was able to get some hands-on experience. I believe that everything I have learned I can take with me and incorporate into my future career. Tina Roach was incredibly helpful and a great person to collaborate with on this micro-internship. I am so glad that Jamie and I were able to take our class knowledge and apply it towards this micro-internship. I am so grateful to Dr. Green and OBU for offering such exceptional opportunities.”

The mission of the Paul Dickinson College of Business is to provide a quality, Christian-based education to students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business. OBU’s business degree programs are nationally accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. For more information on studying business at OBU, visit www.okbu.edu/business

To learn more about this pilot program or to participate as a business partner or mentor get in touch with Dr. Daryl D. Green at daryl.green@okbu.edu or 405-585-4414.

Non-Profit Beats Covid Setbacks

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Students Get Real Marketing Exposure Through OBU Class

Oklahoma Baptist University students Jocelyn Martinez and Emily Wilmoth worked with Legacy Parenting Center, a non-profit organization in the community, as a part of their marketing analytics class. They helped the company further their understanding of analytics, increase marketing tactics, and ultimately aided in overcoming challenges presented by COVID-19. 

Dr. Daryl Green, Associate Professor of Business and Dickinson Chair of Business, created a way to allow students to gain real world experience while implementing material learned inside the classroom. These micro-internships Dr. Green explains, “In most universities, there is a huge gap between employers’ expectations and college students’ expectations about employment.  Most businesses put a premium on work experience.  Yet, universities do not stress this fact enough in my humble opinion.  Through the micro internships, we provide our OBU students with practical work experience while allowing them to assist an organization with a business problem. During this process, students are building their skill set rights during class time.  Even during Covid-19, our business students have been able to achieve results for business clients in these micro internships.”

Martinez and Wilmoth paired with Legacy Parenting center, which has a mission of “building stronger, healthier families through education, resources, and mentoring.” They successfully help impact people by providing information and resources while embodying their mission. They continued to do this throughout the pandemic, even if it had to be remote for some time.

The students worked with Lacey Holt, executive director of Legacy Parenting Center, to provide marketing research, social media content, and interpretation of marketing analytics. They spent time reviewing the company’s website and social media pages in order to help the company improve their content and reach more people. The staff was able to gain a better understanding of analytics and what to do with the data provided. The students continued to follow website and social media traffic that will ultimately give the company a better grasp on where to go moving forward.

“What we focused on first was helping them optimize their webpage. We then focused on their marketing and helped them better understand how analytics play a huge role. We explained that they should look at data to know what is working, what’s not, and most importantly, what needs to be changed,” Martinez said, reflecting on her experience. “Also, I enjoyed working with LPC so much because we constantly saw the impact they made on the community, it made our small contribution feel rewarding and valued.”

“Working with Legacy this semester has been a great experience,” explained Wilmoth. “It is vital that they understand how their content and marketing affects their company. We have been able to help them with this, as well as give them insight into how they can extend their reach to more people. They provide resources for many people in the community and it makes me feel good to know that our efforts may help more potential clients find the company and receive the assistance they need.”

To learn more about this pilot program or to participate as a business partner or mentor get in touch with Dr. Daryl D. Green at daryl.green@okbu.edu or 405-585-4414.

Marketing Students at OBU Work with OCAST to Develop their Online Presence

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In the fall of 2020, in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, two marketing students had the privilege of interning with the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Technology and Science (OCAST). OCAST is a government funded agency whose goal is to provide resources for entrepreneurial science and technology businesses in order to aid them in their early stages of innovation. These students worked on this project primarily with Amy Walton, the Director of Government Relations and Strategic Initiatives here in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

Students Jackson Winn and Jarrett Ellis worked on developing the online presence of OCAST in order to raise more awareness of the goals of the company for the future. Their tasks consisted of developing new video logos, making sure all the social media platforms were consistent, and brainstorming ways that their online presence was modern and eye-catching. Some of the ways this was accomplished was through using clients on Fiverr and meeting weekly with Amy about potential ideas for the company. 

Jarrett mentioned that this project was a great experience because it helped him gain a completely different perspective on STEM businesses and the role they play in Oklahoma’s economy.

Caption:  Jarrett and Jackson work remotely with Amy.

“Working with Amy at OCAST was a one of a kind experience that provided me with real world knowledge into the science and technology businesses of Oklahoma” 

Furthermore, Jackson mentioned that this micro-internship experience gave him real world marketing experience that he had never gained before. 

“Through this internship, I have gained valuable knowledge of evaluating the online presence of a company and it was so great to be able to work with a client who has much experience in the business world”

To learn more about OCAST and the mission of the company, visit www.ok.gov/ocast. Additionally, to learn more about the College of Business at OBU, visit www.okbu.edu/business. 

To learn more about this pilot program or to participate as a business partner or mentor get in touch with Dr. Daryl D. Green at daryl.green@okbu.edu or 405-585-4414.