Goshen College business students to develop ad campaign for local Habitat for Humanity

GOSHEN, Ind. – Goshen College students studying advertising don’t waste time with case studies from textbooks. They have gone to work in the real world, developing ad campaigns for Habitat for Humanity of Elkhart County.

The Habitat ReStore is a home improvement supply store that offers new and used items to the general public for purchase. All items for sale in the store have been donated to Habitat, and all proceeds are used toward the payment of overhead costs of the Habitat for Humanity ministry. In addition, the ReStore helps the local environment by recycling otherwise good-conditioned building materials, keeping those items out of landfills. Although Habitat is well supported in Elkhart County, many people are not aware of Habitat or the ReStore.

That is where Assistant Professor of Business Melissa Kinsey and her advertising students enter the picture. The process began last fall when Kinsey and Habitat Executive Director Richard Miller discussed ideas for promoting Habitat in the community. Miller was excited about the opportunity to tap student creativity while providing an educational opportunity. The organization benefits by receiving a free advertising campaign. In exchange, students gain valuable real world work experience.

This is not the first time that Goshen College students have done a project like this. Kinsey has also overseen student development of advertising materials for other nonprofits, including the Elkhart County Chapter of the American Red Cross and Camp Friedenswald. The campaigns are developed for the organizations free of charge, and they can choose to use any or all of the campaign components once the class project is complete.

Learning through experience is a valuable part of the Goshen College business program. By choosing to work with nonprofits, students also can give something back to the local community. “We want to present a unique learning opportunity to students that also benefits the business,” says Kinsey, “and many GC graduates go on to work for or lead nonprofit organizations.”

This year, students are working in six independent “ad agency” teams. Each team will develop a separate advertising campaign. “Having six separate teams will provide a multitude of ideas for Richard Miller to choose from,” says Kinsey. The students are midway through the semester now, and there is a healthy spirit of competition.

The teams will present their ideas to Habitat for Humanity at the end of the semester. At that time Miller will select the winning campaign and students will be graded on their work. For now, he visits the class regularly to interact with students and answer questions. “I’m excited to see how this turns out,” said Miller.

For more information about Habitat for Humanity of Elkhart County or the ReStore, please visit www.habitatec.com or call (574) 533-6109. Further information about the Goshen College Business Department, visit www.goshen.edu/business or call (574) 535-7450.

-By Edgar Diaz

Editors: For more information about this release, to arrange an interview or request a photo, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a four-year residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S.News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.