Nicole Phillip- IME Honors Marketing Student of the Quarter
Student: Nicole Phillip
Graduation Date: November 2009
Hometown: Naperville, IL
Major: Honors Integrated Marketing Education (IME) Concentration: Sales Leadership Program (SLP)
Favorite Class at DePaul?
•Within IME: Management of Marketing Course
This course is taught by both Dr. Hamer and Dr. Iqbal. The material is intensive but has been an exceptional asset to my marketing education. This course has a dual structure split by marketing decision concepts, paired with several innovative tools which aid in developing marketing decisions. DePaul is the sole university that educates students with this type of content at the undergraduate level. Throughout this class we apply marketing research tools, including perceptual and conjoint studies, to a client project with (Newell-Rubbermaid’s, Sanford Groups’) Uni-Ball. From conducting these studies, we are able to make formal recommendations to our client as we are presenting final research and recommendations. This type of professional experience has enabled me to transition into my career with ease. Essentially, this class embodies the intergraded theme of the program by tying together quantifiable studies to make conceptual decisions within challenging environments.
•Within SLP: Special Topics, Category Management
Within the SLP, I especially enjoyed Category Management which I took in the spring 2008 trimester, taught by Professor Strunk. Due to Professor Strunks’ enthusiasm and expertise to the subject, I was immediately drawn beyond class case studies, group meetings, and presentations. Throughout the course we worked with several partner companies to solve category problems by use of Nielsen technology to enhance our learning from analytics. That alone was the differentiating factor from the SLP’s, category management class in comparison to other university programs which I witnessed firsthand when in attendance at the annual CPG Cat Net Conference in October 2008. At the conference I presented a class case study about Ocean Spray within the bottled juice category at Stop & Shop stores in the New England region. The only technology I used was Microsoft Excel, and I was featured to provide a student perspective on how my class work experience can be applied each day across companies. Overall, I gained composure, professional networking experience, and added value to a convention exclusively focused on leaders in the industry.
What are your overall thoughts about the IME program?
In its’ entirety, the IME program has enabled me to substantially develop from being a student into a professional young adult. The program is designed to challenge students critically through in-class exercises, hands on projects and through critique. Each class is generally guided by either Dr. Hamer or Dr. Iqbal, but always ends with an exercise where little direction is provided. It is up to us students to critically make connections, recommendations or identify problems. In addition, the program is feedback focused and geared towards collaborating as a group to develop individually. In the first class critiques were focused on presentation style or on conveying a point, but now, in the second course we are content driven. The sequential development of the program is essential to our leanings.
Aside from integrated course projects and exceptional lecturers, Dr. Hamer and Dr. Iqbal have provided immense support and guidance. Through their motivation in course material and ability to explain complicated material in simple terms IME is unique from other marketing programs due to the exceptional quality of teaching.
Within SLP:
The focus on developing relationships, networking, and effectively communicating are specific aspects of life that all students have the opportunity to explore from the SLP. These classes are designed to integrate all majors and the substance taught directly relates to all majors DePaul offers. From my experience in SLP, I have most impressed with the programs hands-on approach that integrates company clients into the classroom for case studies. In Category Management, Professor Strunk brought retailer giant and international leader, Target Corporation and The Nielsen Company, respectively into the classroom. Within a demanding time frame, we conducted primary research, used in-house research, and Nielsen technology to develop and make recommendations to both organizations.
Internship Experiences? Career Goals?
This past summer I interned with Target Corporation as an Executive Team Leader. The internship program was excellent and I had the opportunity to lead a diverse team, worked on several individual projects, and even participated in volunteer events and in a mass-hire at a new location on the Southside of Chicago. Additionally, I also took on a project to connect my experience to category management through analyzing the entertainment category at the local, divisional, and regional levels. I based my analysis on demographics, linear footage, and evaluated why one store had more Hispanic products than another in the category.
Most recently, I accepted another summer internship with consumer packaged goods (CPG) leader, Unilever at their US headquarters location in Englewood Cliffs, NJ (about 5 miles outside of Manhattan). The Sales Analyst Internship will allow me to transfer my IME and SLP coursework and experiences into projects and reports with Unilevers’ Customer Development Team. Upon completing the internship, I anticipate converting into a full-time employee working within Category Management or Brand Management.
What do you enjoy most about DePaul?
DePaul offers an education and experience in a unique environment. Chicago enables students to mature and become independent within a short amount of time. We are not in the middle of a college town with cornfields surrounding our campus. On the contrast, our campus is centered around the two hearts of the city which makes for a real world experience. We also have an abundance of resources as translated through the IME and SLP programs. Above all, I enjoy the diversity. Our classrooms are filled with lively conversation, opinionated debate and thought stimulated discussion. It is these aspects of DePaul that I will miss after graduation!
What do you do in your free time?
When I am not studying, writing a paper, completing an analysis or making a presentation, I am usually enjoying time with family and friends. When it is not below zero outside, I enjoy going to concerts or playing beach volleyball at North Avenue beach. Visiting family is also a priority of mine—either in Naperville, Pennsylvania to see my Grandparents or visiting my brother in NY, where I will be spending my summer due to my internship.
For more information about the IME Honors Marketing Program click here!