One of the newest student organizations at University of the Ozarks should have no problems getting the word out about its mission.
The Marketing Club is in its first semester of existence with a goal of helping both the campus and Clarksville communities thrive and grow.
The 30-member organization is led by founder and club president Shanique Sinclair, a junior marketing and communication studies major from Manchester, Jamaica. Other officers include, Ludjee Jean as vice president; Hans Fils-Aimé as treasurer; Rudolph Adler as secretary; and Hans Jabouin as public relations director. NaLisa Brown, assistant professor of marketing, serves as the club’s advisor.
Sinclair said the members of the Marketing Club want to use their skills and knowledge to assist other campus clubs and organizations as well as collaborate with the Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce to help local small businesses.
“The mission of the club is to help the members and the community of Clarksville grow,” she said. “For the members, that means growing in their areas of interest, whether it is social media, branding, graphic design, ad development or digital marketing, and increasing their overall creativity. In regard to the Clarksville community, our mission is to help as many local businesses as possible to improve their social media presence, with the goal of increasing their sales and overall media presence. That’s why our collaboration with the chamber is so important.”
Sinclair said the club also wants to help Ozarks recruit prospective students.
“As a club, we want to not only help the Clarksville and Ozarks communities, but also help increase the University’s exposure,” she said. “We believe we can help increase the number of students applying to Ozarks by helping clubs and organizations on campus present themselves in a way that will influence high school seniors to apply here. That’s why we, as a group, will be helping campus organizations and clubs with their marketing for events and showcasing their missions and objectives.”
Sinclair said she had the inspiration to start the club last spring.
“During my second semester as a sophomore and taking marketing classes, I realized that students are given a lot of knowledge about marketing and the different areas during lectures, but most students don’t get the opportunity to have real-life opportunities to put the knowledge to use,” Sinclair said. “I wanted to give students the opportunity to put their knowledge and skills to use in a way that will benefit them in the future and give them a space where they can grow their creativity in a stress-free environment. It’s a place where other individuals can give them feedback on their work and where they can develop their skills without the anxiety of grades and failing a class.”
The Marketing Club hopes to bring in regular guest speakers to share information to help keep members abreast of new skills, technology and best practices.
“The marketing industry is always changing, so one of the goals of the Marketing Club is to help us keep updated with marketing trends and strategies that will be beneficial to our professional careers,” Sinclair said.
Sinclair said she hopes to pursue a career in the creative aspects of marketing, with the ultimate goal of being a marketing manager for a company and eventually owning her own marketing firm in Jamaica.
“My professors here at Ozarks have inspired my way of thinking and the way I take action in a positive way and for that I am grateful,” Sinclair said. “My communication and marketing professors are always encouraging us to take action and to leave an impact in whatever we do. If you attend a lecture or pay attention to the advice that they give, you will realize that there are so many opportunities available here for students. But it is up to us to take that next step and take action. That’s what I did with the Marketing Club. I took recommendations and feedback and applied them to a club that would help other students as much as it has helped me. I’m hoping for the club to leave a positive impact on the students who are a part of the club.”
Topics: Marketing