Students in the 线上赌博app College of Business didn’t just learn about digital marketing this semester, they put it into practice.

As part of the digital marketing class (MRKT 465), taught by Magdalena Marchowska-Raza, 线上赌博app assistant professor of practice in the management and marketing department, students partnered with small businesses across Fargo and North Dakota to develop customized digital marketing strategies addressing real-world challenges.

The experiential learning project paired student teams with three organizations representing the diversity of North Dakota’s business landscape:

• North Dakota Women’s Business Center, a nonprofit supporting entrepreneurs statewide
• Country Hillside Designs, a rural embroidery business led by a solo entrepreneur with 15 years of experience
• Elite Security Solutions, a Fargo-based small business providing safety and security services

From classroom concepts to community impact

Throughout the semester, students worked in teams to conduct digital audits, define target audiences, and create strategic marketing plans with actionable implementation recommendations. Each participating business shared three specific digital marketing challenges, allowing students to choose not only the business they wanted to work with, but also the problem they were most interested in helping solve.

“Real-world client projects allow students to directly apply what they learn in the classroom to real-life situations,” said Marchowska-Raza. “They clearly see the relevance of their learning to future graduate roles while gaining firsthand exposure to the realities businesses operate within.”

As the project progressed, students took increasing ownership of their work, knowing their recommendations could be implemented beyond the classroom.

“By working on real business problems, students developed a stronger sense of professional responsibility,” Marchowska-Raza said. “They had to propose solutions that were not only creative, but realistic given each business’s resources, skills, and time constraints.”

A meaningful partnership for businesses

One of the participating organizations, the North Dakota Women’s Business Center, collaborated with student teams to evaluate and strengthen its digital marketing strategy.

“We value collaboration that strengthens North Dakota’s business community,” said Paige Shockman, community engagement and operations manager at NDWBC. “Working with 线上赌博app students allows us to integrate academic insight with practical application, supporting effective marketing strategies while encouraging professional growth.”

Shockman said the students’ work helped confirm internal insights the organization hadn’t previously been able to validate.

“This will help guide our marketing strategy into 2026,” she said. “Partnerships like this matter because they create mutual value - businesses gain fresh ideas, and students gain practical experience and professional connections.”

Building confidence and career-ready skills

For students, the project offered a hands-on experience that went far beyond traditional coursework.

“Working with a real organization made the project feel much more meaningful,” said Tori Weaver, a senior majoring in business administration with a certificate in entrepreneurship. “Instead of a hypothetical company, we were solving real digital marketing challenges, which made me more invested and thoughtful about our recommendations.”

Weaver and her teammates worked with NDWBC, evaluating SEO, social media, and email marketing while sharpening teamwork and presentation skills.

“One takeaway I’ll carry forward is that strong marketing starts with understanding your audience and setting clear, realistic goals before choosing the right platforms,” she said.

Aaliyah Olson, a senior marketing major, echoed that sentiment.

“Knowing the business could actually implement our recommendations made the project more motivating and meaningful,” Olson said. “It felt more like a professional pitch than a typical class assignment.”

Olson said the experience strengthened her confidence and reinforced the importance of data-driven decision-making.

“Creativity is essential in marketing, but it’s equally important to support ideas with research and analytics,” she said.

Experiential learning at the core

Projects like this reflect the College of Business’s commitment to experiential learning - connecting students with real clients, real challenges, and real impact.

“Students develop skills that directly translate to their careers, including teamwork, presenting ideas to stakeholders, and analytical research,” Marchowska-Raza said. “These experiences prepare them to succeed in professional settings long after graduation.”

By collaborating with North Dakota businesses, students not only gained valuable experience, they also helped strengthen the communities they’ll soon serve as business leaders and professionals.