From Classroom to Campus: Authentic Marketing Learning Through Athletics
Presented by:
Hui Du, University of New Haven
Keywords:
Authentic Assessment, Experiential Learning, Marketing Education
Hear it from the author:
Transcript:
Does your campus have an athletics program? Then you already have a real-world marketing laboratory.
That's the idea behind this teaching approach. Rather than asking students to solve hypothetical marketing cases, I challenge them to solve a real marketing problem on our own campus. Students design surveys, collect primary data from their peers, develop consumer personas, and build evidence-based marketing campaigns for our athletic programs.
What I found most valuable wasn't simply the final campaigns—it was how students began thinking like marketers. They shifted from making assumptions to making data-driven decisions while developing communication, research, and problem-solving skills.
This poster shares a framework that can easily be adapted to any campus, using existing university programs as authentic learning opportunities.
Key Statement:
This approach uses college athletics to engage students in primary research, develop interpersonal communication skills, and apply marketing concepts through authentic, data-driven projects.
Abstract:
This study presents an authentic assessment approach using college athletics as a platform for marketing education. Students engage in primary data collection by designing surveys and interacting with peers, developing both research and interpersonal communication skills. In contrast to traditional exams, this model emphasizes relationship building, data-driven decision making, and real-world application. By working through segmentation, persona development, and campaign design, students experience the full marketing process. Preliminary reflections indicate increased engagement, confidence, and practical understanding. This approach demonstrates how leveraging campus athletics can bridge the gap between theory and practice while preparing students for relationship-driven roles in the sport industry.
Outcomes:
1. Understand how college athletics can be used as a platform for authentic marketing assessment.
2. Explain the role of primary data collection in developing student research and interpersonal skills.
3. Apply a structured framework to design authentic, data-driven marketing assignments.
References:
James, L. T., & Casidy, R. (2018). Authentic assessment in business education: its effects on student satisfaction and promoting behaviour. Studies in higher education, 43(3), 401-415.
Montano, S., Gill-Simmen, L., Lee, D., Walsh, L., Duffy, D., & Newman, N. (2023). Assessing authentically–learnings from marketing educators. Journal of Marketing Management, 39(17-18), 1677-1709.
Villarroel, V., Bloxham, S., Bruna, D., Bruna, C., & Herrera-Seda, C. (2018). Authentic assessment: Creating a blueprint for course design. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 43(5), 840-854.