Scholarship program that links education to jobs in the marketplace

Abstract

Every year since 1966, a scholarship program to place outstanding college seniors into the field of Direct Marketing from the university campus has reaped dramatic dividends. Aptly named the Collegiate Institute, these free, week-long courses have brought together more than 1,500 students giving them a taste of this exciting discipline called Direct Marketing. Most important, records indicate that nearly 50% of those attendees have entered a career in Direct Marketing. This article seeks to inform more professors and professionals about the opportunities that the program creates. This innovative approach to providing talent to what is truly a “niche market” is sponsored by The Direct Marketing Educational Foundation with support from local DM clubs and companies with a stake in this burgeoning way of doing business.