As part of their undergraduate marketing course within the Charles F. Dolan School of Business, adjunct professor and advertising professional Mary Kelly led students on April 22 and 24 to pitch their business growth recommendations to the local Fairfield mental health apparel business, called Here for You.

In their assignment, the student teams were asked to conduct a comprehensive analysis of Here for You's current offerings, exploring avenues for future expansion and refinement. This included a product portfolio analysis, website and social media audit, insights into the brand's image and personality, and a store utilization assessment. From here, the students finalized their recommendations in presentation format – mimicking how an advertising agency would present to clients. 

"We've dedicated over a month to crafting this presentation, drawing from our previous class project experience to inform our strategic analysis," shared Meghan Bouwman ’24 a marketing major, and public relations minor at Fairfield Dolan. Bouwman also shares how impactful experiential learning has been during her undergraduate experience. 

“This project has prepared me more for my career in marketing/advertising more than any project has throughout my college career. I also feel having a real client that wants to hear our ideas has built my confidence in preparation for my career,” said Bouwman.

The founders of Here for You, Ellie Haney and Emma Kilbride, have cultivated a community through Here for You Clothing, an apparel brand committed to promoting mental health awareness. Their openness to the Fairfield Dolan business growth propositions underscores their interest in and support for the students' innovative strategies for enhancing business growth. Additionally, students outlined further collaborative opportunities between Here for You and Fairfield University Wellness.

Experiential learning opportunities are a key part of Fairfield Dolan courses. In addition to the pitch to Here for You, Kelly’s students have also had the opportunity to research and pitch to other “clients” such as the DiMenna Nyselius Library on their brand awareness.

Kelly shares that, “A critical component to success in the industry involves navigating the dynamics of the client/agency relationship,” said Kelly. “Experiential learning opportunities help to prepare students for success in their professional journey while this project structure allows me, the professor, to take on the role of coach, helping to build their confidence and cheer them on.”