USING SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS TO AID KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER OF KEY MARKETING CONCEPTS

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper presents a pedagogical innovation used in a marketing principles course that requires students to apply for scholarships throughout the semester as an active-learning technique that aids knowledge transfer of key marketing concepts (e.g., STP). Previous research has revealed that when students identify their personality strengths and create a corresponding personal brand, they have an enhanced sense of how to “sell” themselves in the job market. The innovation, though, challenges students to recognize novel attributes in their personal life, thus providing a complete picture of their personal brand. By scanning through available scholarships and filling out the surveys included on scholarship websites, students are exposed to attributes that are valued by employers and society at large. By actively discerning what makes them unique in their personal lives, students are able to recognize qualities that they did not previously acknowledge as a strength. The innovation helps students (1) recognize that their unique characteristics are valued by employers and (2) understand key marketing concepts. Innovation effectiveness at both direct and indirect levels is discussed. This innovation was the 2019 Winner of the Axcess Cappon Teaching Innovation Competition.