Matt Peters
map006@marietta.edu
Experiential learning is an important part of Marietta College’s educational philosophy. Simulation of real-world challenges and work environments has always been a major focus of the school’s Mass Media and Communication departments.
With the recent merging of these two departments, faculty sought to bring this hands-on approach to the forefront. One of the ways they are doing so is by implementing a new student-run consulting firm called 5th Street Consulting.
“The whole motivation behind this is to give students really meaningful opportunities to have experiential learning,” Alane Sanders, Associate Professor of Communication, said.
Students involved will provide media, marketing, and communication solutions for local businesses. Sanders, who originally proposed the idea last year, explained that while many schools have student-consulting firms, many of them are very specialized or narrowly focused.
5th Street Consulting represents a more holistic approach, involving multiple disciplines and emulating the collaborative nature of real-world business consulting.
“We wanted something that was discipline-specific, but also interdisciplinary. Something that would be really meaningful for majors within our department, but also really model for them the liberal arts collaborative approach,” Sanders said.
Any student is eligible to apply to be a part of the consulting firm. Students can add the Consulting Firm to their schedule and take it for credit.
“We want a nice big pool of students, and we want students to really see this for what it is, which is a really elite opportunity,” Sanders said.
In an experimental class taught by Sanders last spring, students designed the startup and presented their business plan to key stakeholders. Now, they’ve assumed various leadership roles and are working to promote 5th Street Consulting to the campus and broader public.
The firm is set to be operational by January 2017. Information can be found on the school website at http://www.marietta.edu/5th-street-students.
