THE STUDENT AND ALUMNI
J O U R N A L O F S T R AY E R U N I V E R S I T Y
VO LU M E 1 0 , N U M B E R 3
Summer 2007
Selling Point
Marketing Issue
Deborah Neher
(BBA ’05)
Small Business
Marketing Tactics
The Home Depot
Empowers Employee Learning
P E R S P E C T I V E
Building Your Personal Brand
By Cyndi Wastler, Dean of Academic Programs and Policies
Branding isn’t just for businesses. In our brand-conscious world,
everything from military operations (Operation Iraqi Freedom)
to cities (Las Vegas’ “What Happens Here, Stays Here”) has a
brand identity. To maintain a competitive stance in the job
market, individuals have discovered the value of branding as a
way to distinguish themselves from their competitors.
During her 16 years at
Strayer University, Cyndi
Wastler has held a variety of
roles, including director of
academic programs, director
of records and manager of
student processing. She is
currently the dean of academic
programs and policies.
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Strayer University
Personal branding is a way to
exert a strong influence over
how you are perceived in the
marketplace. Indeed, a good
reputation preceding you can
put you ahead of the pack when searching
for a job.
An effective personal brand must be
consistent, clear and modeled on your authentic
self. It is built on your core values. Are you
honest and loyal? Do you value integrity and
justice? Identify your passions; these may be
different from your talents. What were your
favorite subjects in school? Are you creative
or a take-charge individual?
After you’ve written a short paragraph
defining your core values, unique talents and
skills, come up with a tagline. Taglines name
key attributes. For example, Jane Doe, marketing executive: Creating bright ideas.
Next, write a mission statement. While the
brand’s tagline serves as a snippet that lets
employers know what benefits they will gain
from the product (you), the mission statement
acts as a motivational tool that will keep you
walking down the path toward a clear objective.
For example, Jane Doe, marketing executive:
As a conduit for new ideas and a spark in people’s
lives, I seek to inspire a new generation of brand
brilliance. Additional marketing techniques,
such as identifying your target audience and
determining your market value, can help you
position yourself for maximum success in the
job market.
Students who are interested in learning
more about marketing will enjoy Strayer
University’s many marketing course options.
They may also choose from the marketing
concentrations within the Bachelor of Business
Administration or Master of Business
Administration degree programs.
Strayer University is committed to providing
students the edge they need to succeed in the
marketplace. In addition to your Strayer degree,
distinguishing yourself via a personal brand is
another way to outshine the competition, and
to celebrate your unique, exceptional self. o
Photo: Bill Fitz-Patrick
contents
F E AT U R E S | 4 Virtual Marketing. Brave new
Scholar
Publisher
Sonya G. Udler
Managing Editor
Hannah M. Durocher
e-marketers continue to alight on the Internet’s
electronic shores. 9 Market Sense. Strategies for small
businesses. 10 You Can Do It. The Home Depot
empowers employees through education. 14 The
Business of Promotion. A Strayer University alumna
markets her way to the top.
Staff Writer
Juliet Taylor
Contributors
Angela Albertini
Constance Arter
Marla Boulter
Margie Decker
Shaune Gokey
David Moulton
Sonja Nielsen
Cyndi Wastler
Scholar magazine connects the Strayer
University community, reaching more than
60,000 students, alumni, faculty and staff.
The quarterly magazine provides students
and alumni information on University news,
programs, activities and feature articles
with a focus on academic and career issues.
Most articles and illustrative materials are
requested by the editor, but unsolicited submissions and photographs are welcomed.
Strayer University reserves the right to edit
all materials submitted to the editor.
6
ON THE COVER | Before Deborah Neher (BBA ’05)
became the visionary owner of Oasis by the Palms
Complete Day Spa and Hair Salon in suburban
Richmond, Va., she was an out-of-work mother looking
for a new direction. Neher returned to school and found
both her direction and her dream in an unexpected
place: a Strayer University business class.
Photographed by John T. Consoli
4
9
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UNIVERSIT Y NEWS
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Creative, Inc.
12 Get the Facts
Copyright © 2007 Strayer University
13 Fall Career Fairs
12
13 Online Learning Resources
Support
Scholar S U M M E R 2 0 0 7
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Virtual Marketing
The Wave of the Future
in the Present
By Juliet Taylor, Staff Writer
I
magination is a launching pad. As it pertains to virtual marketing,
imagination is also a destination point. Once considered futuristic,
new methods of online marketing include real-time conversation
and live video share, made possible by “Web 2.0.” In addition,
new technology allows for the application of highly sophisticated threedimensional graphics, audio and cutting-edge Flash animations. In the
virtual realm of e-marketing, the future is here.
People are utilizing the Internet for personal and professional networking, trade and information sharing like never before. As such, it has become
a hotbed of economic opportunity. Brave new e-marketers continue to
alight on the Internet’s electronic shores, as progressive technologic and
intellectual innovations lead to dazzling, uncharted territories in the marketplace. Many organizations and individuals are already capitalizing on
the sea of economic opportunities made possible in the virtual realm.
Businesses and advertisers are moving quickly to find new ways to
capture attention and stay at the forefront of innovative new media solutions. Mark McMullen, executive vice president for the Integer Group, an
international marketing services company, and adjunct faculty member at
Strayer University’s Cobb County Campus in Georgia, notes that many
companies provide virtual tours to differentiate their offerings from the
competition.
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Strayer University
Photo: Digital Archive Japan
Pioneering e-marketers harness the popularity of
interactive content to build their credibility and
Web presence.
“Coors Brewery offers colorful virtual tours of its
facilities,” he says, “as do cruise ship lines like Royal
Caribbean and Fantasy Cruise Ships, which offer streaming video tours of their cabins, casinos, dining rooms and
other on-board environs.”
McMullen also points out that large corporations typically provide electronic point-of-sale options in businessto-business sales. For example, Nissan makes available on
its Web site customizable advertisements that can be
purchased by neighborhood car dealerships and then
placed on local radio and TV stations. This eases the
marketing process for smaller companies by eliminating
the need to hire large advertising agencies.
New Media is also being used to attract and retain
customers. Corporations, including big-brand entities like
Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard, encourage workers to
establish professional “blogs”—short for Web logs—in an
effort to reach potential clients and communicate with
existing ones.
Job Marketing 2.0
Beyond sales, businesses are journeying into the virtual
realm to recruit prospective employees. Recently,
Verizon, Sodexho, eBay, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and
T-Mobile partnered with TMP Worldwide, an online
advertising and communications company, to host a job
fair on the popular e-networking site Second Life. Virtual
job fair participants had the opportunity to design their
own three-dimensional avatars—characters that represent
real-life individuals—and network with virtual recruitment officers.
Participating companies were delighted with the results.
“This was a great opportunity to explore a creative medium,
meet candidates and have an engaging experience,” said
Arie Ball, Sodexho’s vice president of sourcing and talent
acquisition, in a prepared statement. “We were impressed
by the quality and pleasantly surprised at the number of
experienced candidates and their seriousness of purpose.”
Online Interactivity
Savvy advertisers know that the new wave in marketing
is about more than just glitzy graphics or overhyped
technologies. Pioneering e-marketers harness the popularity of interactive content to build their credibility and
Web presence. Gone are the days of static, brochure-like
Web sites strictly under the control of their sponsors. New
technology draws in hip, technologically savvy consumers
with the promise of information access, entertainment
and grassroots participation.
Hot on the scene are new virtual media tools, including
“vlogs”—video Web logs—which are brief video clips that
can be used for product updates, industry news and
do-it-yourself instructions. Also popular are podcasts—
portable on-demand broadcasts—which are media files
distributed over the Internet for download to portable
media devices like iPods. Podcasts can be used for recording
walking tours, talk shows, interviews or lectures.
Both vlogs and podcasts offer alternative venues for
broadcasting a brand to a wider audience. These informal
and user-friendly formats offer prospective customers
something they want—free access to information—while
allowing businesses to highlight their expertise and
credibility. Whether a self-employed consultant wants
to establish herself as an industry expert or an entertainment giant like Disney wants to support brand buzz, vlogs
and podcasts can strengthen relationships with current
and potential customers.
The surge in new Web-based marketing techniques
has led some consumers to claim fatigue with online
marketing. Many Internet users cite pop-up advertisements and craftily hidden links to advertisers’ Web sites as
major annoyances. From the business side, companies cite
difficulties penetrating niche demographics, inconsistent
coverage of markets and difficulty tracking results and
return on investment as some of the drawbacks to
Internet marketing.
Nonetheless, the virtual marketing landscape is
expanding at light speed. To stay on top, as global
boundaries disappear and business is increasingly
conducted online, it will be essential for companies
to maintain a macro view of the marketplace while
maintaining a micro view of virtual-marketing trends. o
Scholar S U M M E R 2 0 0 7
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Strayer University
Selling Point
Before Deborah Neher (BBA ’05) became the visionary owner of Oasis
by the Palms Complete Day Spa and Hair Salon in suburban Richmond,
Va., she was an out-of-work mother looking for a new direction. Neher
returned to school and found both her direction and her dream in an
unexpected place: a Strayer University business class.
By Hannah M. Durocher, Managing Editor
G
rowing up, Deborah Neher had never heard
of college. Like most people in their blue collar neighborhood in St. Louis, Mo., her parents
were high school dropouts. Her father, John Hutton,
was an employee of the McDonnell Douglas Corp. and
worked side jobs to keep the family afloat.
“I learned my work ethic from him,” Neher says. Never
one to shy away from a challenge, she joined the U.S. Navy at
age 18 and embarked on a medical career that eventually
landed her in pharmaceutical sales. With her intuitive understanding of people and business, she soon worked her way up
to senior management.
“When you are in charge of a district of people in a sales
environment, it’s almost like a small business,” says Neher,
who led teams of eight to 15 people. “You are responsible for
every aspect of creating a successful team, including keeping
your people on the forefront of technology.”
Being familiar with the industry’s continual learning environment ultimately became a life raft for the senior district
manager. When a hostile takeover of the company resulted in
massive layoffs, she was among the many older women in
high-level positions who lost their jobs. In a male-dominated
industry known for favoring youth and glamour, the 54-yearold did not fit into the new company’s mold.
Photo: John T. Consoli
Scholar S U M M E R 2 0 0 7
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A frustrated Neher continued to encounter the
double obstacles of age and gender throughout a fruitless
yearlong job search. Already accustomed to the concept
of lifelong learning, she finally took stock of her situation
and decided to return to school for a business degree.
“It was something I had always wanted to do but hadn’t
taken time for,” Neher says. “If you don’t work toward your
personal goals, you will end up in a position where you
regret it, where you ask, ‘Why didn’t I do that for me?’”
Target Demographic
Like many adults returning to school in middle age,
Neher’s decision was met with pessimism from her
friends, and a lack of enthusiasm among
the community colleges and traditional
universities where she began attending
classes. Then she found Strayer
University.
“Strayer was the only institution that had a positive attitude
about my ability to achieve my
academic goals in a reasonable
time period,” recalls Neher,
who enrolled at the Henrico
Campus near her home.
As a BBA student, Neher
knew she eventually would be
required to develop a business plan
for a fictional company. “Find something you’re passionate about,” her
professors advised.
When trying to identify her passions, Neher thought
back to her years of traveling for business and pleasure. She
had always made a hobby out of visiting spas in different
cities. She knew this was an area of genuine personal
interest. But the real selling point, she says, was the “inadequacy of resort-quality spas and truly excellent hair salons
in Richmond.”
As she started her senior seminar and began assembling
the 22 required components of her business plan—including logo, inventory, floor plans, colors, staffing, equipment
lists and financials—Neher realized her fictional business
could become a reality.
“I went to Kurt [her husband of 37 years] and said, ‘I
think we can do this,’” Neher recalls. “Being the financial
whiz that he is, he just looked at me with skepticism.”
Undaunted, Neher put together a comprehensive plan,
and the couple agreed to move forward with the business. Two years and many challenges later, Oasis by the
Palms opened its doors for business in April 2006.
Competitive Difference
The Hawaiian-themed day spa is truly, as its tagline says,
“An experience that seduces your senses.” Stepping into
the 3,500-square-foot retail space, a visitor is enveloped
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Strayer University
by soft lighting, tranquil music and the scent of calming
essential oils. Curved blue walls evoke undulating waves.
Hand-stenciled fish swirl from wall to wall. Potted
palms—the spa’s hallmark—and a judicious use of mirrors
and glass add to the sense of having stepped into an
aquatic world.
“The minute they step through the door, I want people
to feel they’ve been transported somewhere else,” Neher says.
This vision is underpinned by three core principles: knowledgeable staff, customized services and quality products.
Finding and retaining excellent employees is a top
goal. When asked about her dreams for Oasis’ future,
Neher’s response is focused on personnel, not on dollars
and cents. “I intend to make a world for 30–35 people
where we can grow together and have a very good
professional quality of life,” she says.
Another top priority is creating a unique, customized
spa experience for the spa’s clientele. Neher’s customer
service philosophy is, “Treat each guest as if she were
your only guest all day.”
This client-friendly approach is complemented by an
array of 85 branded services and numerous luxury products throughout the spa and Redken Elite salon. Personnel
on both sides of the business receive frequent in-house
and off-site training in order to stay on top of the latest
products and newest ingredients.
Brand Identity
The company’s impressive line of offerings is promoted
through a well-coordinated marketing campaign. Before
launching, Neher conducted market research to pinpoint
her niche demographic—women aged 25–37—and identified 20 venues for reaching this audience. Key components include the 35-foot-long sign outside of the building,
a glossy brochure and corresponding price list, on-hold
marketing, copy venues targeted to a five zip code region
and, of course, a high-caliber Web presence.
But Neher’s number one marketing tool is still that
old business standby: location, location, location. Situated
across from Nordstrom in Richmond’s highly trafficked
luxury shopping center, the Short Pump Town Center,
the spa enjoys high visibility among its target clientele.
“When people come into the spa out of curiosity, I
invite them for a tour and they’re hooked,” Neher says.
“There’s no where else like this in Richmond.”
Having recently celebrated the business’ first birthday
and its 85% growth in a single year, the Strayer University
graduate is far from resting on her laurels. She plans to
add ten new spa services, new equipment and ultimately
double the size of her staff. Once Neher is confident that
her infrastructure is where it needs to be, she will head
back to Strayer University for a master’s degree.
“Education empowers you,” she says. “When it comes
to learning, you are never too old.” o
Photo: John T. Consoli
Market Sense
Strategies for Small Businesses
A
By Prof. Marla Boulter, Faculty, Online Campus
n acquaintance of mine, whom we’ll call
Justin, owned a small shoe store with his
family. They sold a variety of types and
styles of shoes for adults and children.
Customers raved about the personal service they received
from the family and enjoyed chatting with the owners.
There was a wonderful ambience of community in the
small store. The sad dilemma, however, was that profits
were low, and the business barely broke even each month.
This is not an uncommon story among small businesses.
Why? Many small business owners work harder than
necessary to make ends meet because they violate three
marketing rules. They fail to:
> Identify a target market
> Invest sufficiently in advertising
> Understand the importance of atmospherics and
externalities
Focusing on a narrow target market enables business
owners to develop products to meet the needs of potential customers. It is also easier and less expensive to reach
a well-defined market segment with promotional messages. Research shows that focusing on a niche market
earns a higher return on investment than a mass market.
Many small business owners think they cannot afford
advertising. In reality, by not promoting themselves the
company is making a costly mistake. There are inexpensive means for reaching a target market when the market
segment is narrowed. Advertising can be affordable in
local newspapers, on relevant Web sites and local radio
stations, and with cable television stations that will produce ads at low or no cost. Even direct mail can be economical when the market is narrowly focused.
Small business
owners should create
an atmosphere that
is consistent with
the image they are
trying to project.
The physical environment, which
includes the building design, flooring
materials, wall
coverings, lighting,
music and even
scents should communicate whether
the business is
value-oriented or upscale. Atmospherics and externalities
such as brochures and promotional materials are even
more important for businesses that sell a service. When
customers cannot see or touch the “product,” they depend
on externalities for clues about the quality of the service.
After hiring a marketing consultant, Justin and his
family renovated their store to fit with the image they
were trying to project. They decided to focus on selling
children’s shoes, changed the name of the store and
developed a new logo and slogan. Store traffic has
increased due to their consistent advertising message in
several targeted media sources, and the company has
developed a reputation for being the place to buy unusual
and fun children’s shoes. Their profits have soared, and
the future looks promising. o
Prof. Marla Boulter formerly was the director of marketing for Strayer
University, and now provides consulting services for small businesses.
Many small business owners think they cannot
afford advertising. In reality, by not promoting
themselves the company is making a costly mistake.
Photo: Michele Constantini
Scholar S U M M E R 2 0 0 7
9
You Can Do It
The Home Depot
Empowers Employees
Through Education
By Juliet Taylor, Staff Writer
As a growing global retail company with more than 330,000 employees and 2,100 stores
in four countries, The Home Depot (HD) is ahead of the curve in building a cohesive,
educated work force. This second largest U.S. retailer, which provides supplies and
instruction for home maintenance and repair projects, enjoyed fiscal 2006 sales of $90.8
billion. In 2007, under the management of a new chief executive officer, the company
renewed its commitment to its employee education program. HD’s vice president and
chief learning officer, Dr. Leslie Joyce, recently shared some of the initiatives behind the
company’s successful lifelong learning approach.
How does employee learning support HD’s
business objectives?
The Home Depot is a knowledge-based business.
People come to The Home Depot to solve a problem,
and customer satisfaction depends upon our employees’
abilities to answer customers’ questions. What differentiates us from other retailers is the scope of knowledge and
capability customers expect from our associates. Typically,
you don’t go into Wal-Mart and ask, “Can you tell me the
pros and cons of this set of Tupperware versus that set
and how to use it?” But you do go into Home Depot and
ask, “Can you tell me about this product versus that one?
And can you show me how to use it?”
Q
What types of education and training programs
does HD offer employees?
We use a wide variety of programs and methodologies to meet the training needs of our associates. More
than 87% of HD associates have a defined, position-based
curriculum that must be completed within their first year
on the job. The curriculum covers the key elements of
Q
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Strayer University
merchandising, operations, safety, product knowledge and
leadership, and includes diverse learning platforms such
as classroom training, e-learning, self-directed explorations,
simulations, coaching and mentoring. Most product
instruction is designed as a blended solution that includes
online and mentoring elements, and covers key home
improvement project skills that are essential for do-ityourselfers to be successful and satisfied.
Our educational programs also cultivate leadership,
service and interpersonal skills designed to take the
customer experience to the next level. In addition to
online and instructor-led training and education efforts,
we hold large-scale in-person leadership learning forums
that serve to align, inspire, motivate and educate our
high-potential retail leaders. All methodologies are
matched to the content and audience.
How does education facilitate employees’ career
development at The Home Depot?
Employee career paths are well-defined, which
provides clarity in terms of how to advance within the
Q
company. Some of HD’s education programs are eligible
for ACE [American Council of Education] credit recommendations, which helps associates without college degrees
aspire to positions that require a degree. So far, the company has secured 41 credit recommendations from ACE,
which can be counted toward an employee’s undergraduate degree credit requirements at a college or university.
How do you use education to develop your next
generation of leaders?
The Home Depot has 40,000 leadership positions,
which means leadership development is core to our competitive capability. A defined curriculum helps employees
excel in their positions. In fact, about 80% of The Home
Depot’s leaders are promoted from inside the company.
Therefore, their development takes place within the business. The Home Depot’s leadership learning forums are
highly interactive, engaging and inspirational events for
high potential leaders.
Q
How do you measure the impact of your
education program?
Primarily, but only when appropriate, we look at
the correlation between learning events and curriculum
execution and various retail performance metrics. For
instance, after employees undergo a training program on
a specific piece of merchandise, such as a snow blower,
we will track sales trends and the extent to which the
sales exceed forecasted projections made before the
learning event. Also, we are in constant contact with our
associates, talking directly to them about what is working
and what is not, what they need and what they would
like to see us do differently.
Q
How does The Home Depot’s education
program reflect its brand?
The Home Depot’s external and internal branding is cohesive. The Home Depot’s brand tagline is, “You
can do it, we can help.” Our internal tagline for associates
and leaders is the same. Education facilitates our employees’
abilities to deliver against our customers’ expectations. o
Q
What differentiates
us from other retailers
is the scope of
knowledge and
capability customers
expect from our
associates.
Strayer University partners with The Home Depot to educate
The Home Depot’s work force.
Photo: Courtesy of The Home Depot
Scholar S U M M E R 2 0 0 7 11
U N I V E R S I T Y
N E W S
Get the Facts
Strayer Career Services
Help Students Succeed
By Margie Decker, Regional Career Development Officer
The world of employment is changing. Gone are the days
of browsing Sunday classified ads and local bulletin boards
to find the best jobs. Even the era of centralized, behemoth
Internet-based job boards like CareerBuilder.com and
Monster.com may be waning due to user dissatisfaction.
Today, employers are finding new ways to recruit top
employees.
For many people job searching is a stressful time, not
one that inspires innovation. However, today’s most
successful job seekers are those who adapt their search
methods to align with current trends. The first step toward
obtaining rewarding employment is knowing the facts.
Employers are maintaining their
own job listings on their respective Web pages and posting less
frequently to centralized job
boards. A job seeker who is
unaware of this trend will not know to visit a company’s
Web site to search for job listings. In short, job seekers
will need to research their given markets to learn the
names of potential employers.
FACT: USE OF
COMPANY-HOSTED
JOB BOARDS IS
INCREASING.
Excellent sources of general and
regional business news are
Bizjournals, at Bizjournals.com,
and local chambers of commerce,
accessible at ChamberofCommerce.
com. In addition, the Learning Resources Center (LRC)
manager at each Strayer University campus maintains a
database of the largest employers in the region. Campus
students, nearby online students and area alumni may contact the campus for access to these databases.
RECOMMENDATION:
LEARN MORE ABOUT
COMPANIES IN YOUR
MARKETPLACE.
Like never before, employers are
outsourcing recruitment for professional hires to staffing agencies.
To limit overhead costs, many
employers seek professionals on a
project-by-project basis. This trend can benefit job seekers
transitioning to a new field who need to gain related work
experience.
FACT: PROJECTDRIVEN RECRUITING
IS A CORPORATE
TREND.
The Online Recruiters Directory,
OnlineRecruitersDirectory.com,
has resources and job postings
for hiring managers and job candidates. In addition to the local
employer database, the LRC
manager at each campus maintains a database of staffing agencies in the region.
RECOMMENDATION:
CONSIDER
REGISTERING WITH
STAFFING AGENCIES
OR EXECUTIVE
RECRUITERS.
12
Strayer University
Photo: George Doyle
Previously, networking was mostly done on a
face-to-face basis, often at professional meetings. Today, as a result of advances in technology, many people are establishing contacts
through online career networking sites. This is
an effective way for busy professionals to establish a profile and communicate with other professionals. Recruiters report that they are also using these sites to find
job candidates. Online career networking sites can include professional
organizations, alumni associations and dedicated job networks.
FACT: CAREER
NETWORKING SITES
ARE EXCELLENT
WAYS TO MAKE
PROFESSIONAL
CONTACTS.
A few sites that deserve your review are
85broads.com, a powerful network connecting
professional women around the world; Linked
In.com, which lets you create your own network or join someone else’s; MyWorkster.com,
a professional network that also includes job search tools;
CraigsList.com, an interactive, community-based site that includes job
postings and more; and Vault.com, which provides access to company
message boards. Current Strayer University students may log into the
Vault database through the University’s Career Development Web site
to access even more helpful Vault tools.
RECOMMENDATION:
GET ONLINE
AND START
NETWORKING.
These are just a few of the facts that will help job seekers navigate
the newest developments in our ever-changing world. Of course, all job
candidates must stay current on employment trends, but Strayer
University students and alumni have an additional edge over the competition: lifelong access to career development resources, courtesy of their
preferred institution of higher learning.
To find out more about the University’s career development
resources and locate contact information for the University’s LRC
managers, visit www.strayer.edu/career_development. o
Fall Career Fairs
Students, alumni and members of the general public are invited to
attend Strayer University’s regional fall career fairs. For more information, visit Strayer University’s Career Development Web page or call
1.800.616.0028.
Nov. 7, 2007
2:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.
White Marsh Campus
9409 Philadelphia Road
Baltimore, MD 21237
Nov. 7, 2007
2:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.
North Charlotte Campus
8335 IBM Drive, Suite 150
Charlotte, NC 28262
Nov. 8, 2007
2:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.
Chesapeake Campus
700 Independence Parkway, Suite 400
Chesapeake, VA 23320
Illustration: ImageZoo
| L R C CO R N E R
Online Learning
Resources Support
Today’s technologically savvy
students study around the
clock and expect instant access
to information from anywhere
any time. Universities have
found that students prefer
instant full-text delivery of an
electronic book over waiting
days or weeks for a hard copy.
In response, university libraries
are putting ever-more information and resources online.
Strayer University has responded to this academic trend by providing students and alumni
with a growing collection of virtual resources. The
University now offers 15 online databases and
50,000 electronic books. In addition, 50,000 hard
copy books are circulated among 47 campus
locations and 300,000 hard copy books are available on order through a book-sharing program.
Resources this vast can be confusing to navigate, but assistance is available online or on the
phone. Students and alumni have near-instant
access to the expertise of professional librarians
any time during business hours through the Ask
Your Librarian form located on the Learning
Resources Center Web page, www.strayer.edu/LRC.
Requests are answered by the end of the business
day Monday through Friday, Eastern Time.
Ask Your Librarian has received thousands of
e-mails and telephone calls from down the street,
across the continent and around the world.
Recently, requests arrived from students who are
working to clean up and restore businesses
in Louisiana while continuing their MBA studies
through Strayer University. Another request was
received from a Strayer student serving in the U.S.
Armed Forces and pursuing her undergraduate
degree from an “undisclosed location” in the
Middle East.
With flexible and responsive online learning
resources support, students and alumni are free to
focus on the things that really matter—bettering
their futures through education, and bettering the
world for all.
Scholar S U M M E R 2 0 0 7 13
The Business of
Promotion
Kathryn McKinney (BBA ’06) is the director of public relations (PR) and marketing for Union
Hospital in Elkton, Md. She recently shared her PR and marketing know-how with Scholar.
What are your job functions?
I wear a lot of different hats. I manage event planning, media relations, advertising and marketing for all aspects of the organization.
Recently, I planned a health fair and an open house. I also oversee
the patient and employee satisfaction processes. Of course, everything has to be planned from a budget perspective.
How did you build your current marketing strategy?
As the director of public relations and marketing at a hospital that
sits between Baltimore and Philadelphia—two very large markets—
we first needed to determine our market. In addition to analyzing
demographic data, we conducted phone surveys and focus groups.
In line with current market trends, we concluded it would be
advantageous to determine a hospital brand. Recently, we hired an
outside agency to assist us in launching a branding campaign and
chose “United in Quality” as our tagline. In 12–18 months I will
assess the available data to determine our brand’s effectiveness.
Decentralized sharing of information
has changed the way we communicate.
Does your strategic approach incorporate skills you learned at Strayer University?
Of course. As a result of my education I find myself looking at things in a more analytical way.
I learned there is a science behind marketing strategy. With my new knowledge of statistics,
I can assess market particulars. My education helped me realize that people communicate and
receive information in different ways, so I now implement comprehensive communications
approaches. To target my market audience, I utilize print, e-mail and question-and-answer
forums by phone. In our publications, I write clear, succinct messages. In my industry, people
prefer visual information in straightforward, lay terms.
How do you think the marketing field has changed in recent years?
Staying on top of marketing trends is important in this business. In the past, people relied on
print media. Today, people simply do not have the time they once did and rely more on electronic forms of communication. Decentralized sharing of information has changed the way we
communicate. I am responsible for the hospital’s Web site, so I must incorporate the popular
online medium into traditional communication campaigns.
Do you have any advice for someone interested in a marketing career?
To build business, it is essential to form a strong client base through the strengthening of
customer loyalty, which is accomplished by providing good customer service. Hospital patients,
customers and employees appreciate individual attention and responsiveness to their concerns,
which includes calls being returned in a timely manner. They also value accurate and accessible
information. If you focus on these areas, you will do well. o
14
Strayer University
Alumni, Student and
Campus News
MARYLAND
White Marsh Campus
Virginia Derricott (BSBA ’05, MBA
candidate) was promoted to implementation manager in the Government
Education, Atlantic South division of
Verizon Business.
Nellie Grinage (MBA candidate) was
appointed to the Baltimore County, Md.,
Planning Board. Grinage is a human
resources generalist for Middle River
Aircraft Systems in Middle River, Md.
NORTH CAROLINA
Cary Campus
Dena Freeman (BSBA ’06) was named a
2007 New York City Teaching Fellow.
Freeman currently works as a parent
coordinator for the New York City
Department of Education.
James Gunnett (BSIS candidate) is a
senior information technology engineer
for Qualcomm Inc., a wireless technologies
and mobile data solutions developer in
San Diego, Calif.
Tina Kramer (AABA candidate) is a
maintenance administration assistant for
Mesaba Aviation Inc., a Northwest
Airlines partner in Mosinee, Wis.
Richard Pretto (BBA candidate) is an
operations manager and contractor for
Farallon Aquaculture, a builder of shrimp
farms in Coro, Venezuela.
Monica Williams (BBA candidate) is a
benefits representative II for Baylor
College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
SOUTH CAROLINA
North Raleigh Campus
Anissa M. Stein (MBA ’05) is the
founder and president of The Coaching
Connection, a coaching organization
serving the needs of women in the work
force, graduate learners and leadership
professionals.
Greenville Campus
Michael H. Barnes (MBA ’07) recently
founded “Barnes Farm,” a horse breeding
program in Honea Path, S.C. Barnes’
efforts are focused on breeding Marsh
Tacky horses, a critically endangered
species of Spanish Colonial horses found
in South Carolina.
ONLINE CAMPUS
TENNESSEE
Alexis Bryan (BBA candidate) is a financial management technician for the U.S.
Army in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
Thousand Oaks Campus
Judith Black (MBA ’05) is the director of
public relations for St. Jude’s Children’s
Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.,
where she has launched multicultural outreach and community education programs.
Corey Charles (MSIS candidate) is an
information technology specialist for the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in New
Orleans, La. A student at Tulane University
before Hurricane Katrina struck in August
2005, Charles relocated to Virginia and
was able to continue his undergraduate
studies through Strayer University’s guest
program for students affected by the
hurricane.
VIRGINIA
Alexandria Campus
Lesia Banks (MBA ’02) was promoted to
chief of the Statutory Compliance and
Research Division in the Bureau of
Administration Office of Information
Services within the U.S. Department of
State in Washington, D.C. Banks also serves
as the president of Strayer University’s
Alumni Advisory Council, which helps
develop alumni programs and services.
Evelyn Stewart (AAMR ’03, BSBA ’04) is
the president and CEO of EGVS Consulting Group LLC in Silver Spring, Md.
Arlington Campus
Javier J. Guinand (MSBA ’98) is an
administrative technician for the Organization of American States, a nonprofit
organization that seeks to promote social
and economic development in the Western
hemisphere through cooperation.
Fredericksburg Campus
Cary L. Crismond (MPA candidate) is
running for the position of Spotsylvania
County, Va., Circuit Court clerk in this
fall’s county elections. If victorious,
Crismond would become the fourthgeneration Spotsylvania County Circuit
Court clerk in her family.
Lt. Cmdr. John L. Lowery (MBA ’04) was
awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his
efforts to counter radio-controlled improvised explosive devices in Iraq. Lowery is
currently the deputy program manager for
interoperability and compatibility for the
Navy’s Joint CREW program in the
Program Executive Office Littoral and
Mine Warfare.
Joseph R. Szymczak (MBA candidate)
was appointed vice president and executive director of the intelligence market
for American Systems, a provider of government information technology solutions
in Chantilly, Va. Szymczak is retired from
the U.S. Marines and holds a project
management professional designation
from the Project Management Institute.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Washington Campus
Yusuf Abdulrahman Nzibo (MSBA ’89)
was named CEO of the Gulf African
Bank in Nairobi, Kenya.
Debra Ware (AABA ’93, BSBA ’95) was
promoted to general manager of enterprise resource planning for the Fort
Worth Independent School District in
Fort Worth, Texas.
A R E YO U O N T H E M OV E ?
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