On-campus agencies for social media projects

An innovative approach to experiential learning at The College of St. Scholastica was recently featured by the National Institute of Social Media. Dr. Melissa Goodson, associate professor of Business Management and Marketing, wrote an article about the model behind Saints Agency, the College’s on-campus, student-run agency that bridges the gap between classroom theory and community need.

Saints Agency provides small businesses and nonprofits in the Duluth area with customized marketing and social media solutions, while offering students flexible, paid professional experiences. “The Saints Agency was born out of many years of requests by businesses for students to help with work for free and students seeking paid learning experiences,” Dr. Goodson wrote. “For students, this is an opportunity to work with real clients on marketing and social media work and get paid in a supported environment.”

During the academic year, a team of St. Scholastica business students managed diverse client portfolios, ranging from initial brand research to final campaign content approvals. Faculty members guided these projects to ensure high quality results for community partners and sharpen their own industry skills and connections.

“There is no greater joy than seeing a student work on a social media content plan for an organization,” Dr. Goodson shared. Community partners equally benefited from the work, gaining access to marketing services while contributing to the educational growth of local students. St. Scholastica welcomes new collaborations with area businesses and nonprofits interested in utilizing the agency’s services.