CLASSROOM TO COMMUNITY:

Marketing a New Dogtown

A Drake education is known for going beyond lectures, bringing real-world applications into the classroom. Through experiential learning opportunities, students apply their knowledge in ways that enhance their career readiness.

Associate Professor Heidi Mannetter continues this practice in her Marketing Management course, which transforms students into career-ready marketers through a hands-on marketing campaign. When she took over the class, Professor Mannetter saw an opportunity to reimagine the lecture-based curriculum as an experience-driven project.

“It would be easier to give quizzes or an exam, but when we think about the value we want to provide employers, this is where you get that real payoff,” she said. “We turn all of the things we teach in the classroom into something that is needed in the marketplace.”

That vision solidified when Drake’s Chief of Staff, Nate Reagen, approached her to partner with a marketing class to help promote the Dogtown neighborhood. The cross-campus collaboration began in the fall 2024 semester with a small group and expanded in spring with a new cohort of 25 students.

Throughout the semester, students collaborated in an agency-style structure, taking on designated roles in areas like project management, market research, and branding. Through close collaboration, students executed unique strategies showcasing the revitalized Dogtown brand identity.

One standout outcome of the final project among stakeholders was the launch of a Dogtown website. With support from Choice Creative, students successfully created a vibrant online hub that promotes the neighborhood as the epicenter of the Drake community. Leaning into the “Sit. Stay. Play.” motto, the project reinforced Dogtown’s vision as more than a collection of businesses, but a true Des Moines destination, echoing its Golden Age in the 1950s and ‘60s when the area thrived with activity.

The lessons learned from the course are already paying off, helping students like Caitlin Judkins land her first post-graduate marketing role.

“It was something that I was able to use throughout my interview process,” said Judkins. I don’t think there are many opportunities like this at other schools, so that really set me apart from other candidates.”

Judkins added that while she’d taken other project-based courses at Drake, Professor Mannetter’s course provided the most realistic post-graduate workforce experience, given its fast pace and collaborative structure.

“While this class was definitely a challenge at times, I think it helped decrease the learning curve that I would have faced on the job.”

Although Professor Mannetter’s reimagined course continues to evolve, one element remains constant: her commitment to equipping the next generation of marketers with the practical skills needed to excel.

“Fundamentally, that’s the purpose of higher education,” said Mannetter. “That’s why I teach at Drake, because I think we can do amazing things with our students.”